Vinegar is useful for so many things. I have recipes for everything from floor cleaner, to side dishes and facial toner that call for vinegar. And while vinegar is a useful little bugger, it doesn’t quite smell the best. The smell dissipates mostly when it dries, but it can sting your nose.
Citrus infused vinegar
So, what’s the solution? Make your own infused vinegars! These not only improve the smell, but help boost the cleaning power. Oddly enough, this is great for vinegar you plan to use in a salad dressing too. Loading a vinegar with medicinal herbs is also a great way to make remedies for colds, flu and the like, but I’ll save that idea for later.
Recently I’ve been saving my citrus peels to put in vinegar. Lemon, grapefruit and orange peels all work well. It’s really easy to make a citrus infused vinegar, and it’s a cheap way to make your own cleaner.
Tips from a (former) pro housekeeper
This can be used on sinks and toilets in the bathroom. Combine it with some natural soap and you have the perfect tub and shower cleaner! Deodorize and disinfect your kitchen countertops with it, or put a generous splash in the mop water for tile floors. My husband is a pro tile setter, and he always uses vinegar to safely and quickly remove gunk and residue on tile.
I used to clean private and public buildings as a professional housekeeper/janitor. With over 12 years in the business, I’ve cleaned everything from 120 year old church pews, to college bathrooms, to sticky gym floors and antique vases. I like to keep things simple though, which is why vinegar was my number one go to for many cases.
Citrus infused vinegar
- a quart size glass mason jar and lid
- citrus peels (fresh or get dried here)
- vinegar- white or apple cider
- Fill the jar full of the fresh citrus peels. Fill half full if using dried peels.
- Pour vinegar over the peels until the jar is full. Be sure the vinegar completely covers the peels or they may start to grow mold!
- Place the jar in a cool cupboard/shelf for 2-4 weeks. The longer it sits the stronger it will smell of citrus. Give it a good shake every day or so to move things along.
- Strain the vinegar and store in a jar or bottle and discard the peels.
Cleaning with your citrus vinegar
- For a shower cleaner, mix 1 cup of the infused vinegar with 1 cup of soap (not castile).
- For your floors, place a few cups of vinegar into a bucket and a few gallons of water.
- If you have a microwave, fill a coffee mug with 1/2 cup of the vinegar and microwave it for 4 minutes. Then simply wipe the inside of the microwave with a clean cloth. Food splatters wipe right off and the vinegar and citrus help to disinfect.
Want more ideas?
- You can even infuse a vinegar with specific herbs to make your own facial toner. This helps restore your skins ph balance and combats blemishes. Find the instructions here.
- This all purpose spray uses yummy smelling citrus essential oils for a powerful, vinegar free clean. Get the recipe here.
I really need to switch to natural cleaning products. Thanks for sharing on the Healthy Living Link Party.
This is great! I bet I could even use it to scent my laundry. I use white vinegar in the rinse cycle.
If you used lemon it would be really great at whitening the clothes and removing stains too. I love vinegar for fabric softener with my towels!
Such a great use for citrus peels — I need to try this!!