Make natural cleaning sprays for a kinder home

Why make your own cleaning sprays?

A cupboard full of brightly labelled bottles looks like the picture of a clean home, but most of those sprays do the same two or three jobs with a long list of ingredients you would rather not breathe in. Mixing your own is cheaper, takes minutes, and lets you decide exactly what lands on your kitchen worktops, your windows and the air your family moves through. It is also a small, satisfying kind of mindfulness: a jar of lemon peel steeping on the windowsill, a bottle you filled yourself, a job done gently rather than aggressively.

The three ingredients that do the heavy lifting

White vinegar is the workhorse. Its acetic acid dissolves limescale, cuts through light grease and discourages the bacteria and mould that gather in damp corners. Buy it in bulk — the plain distilled white vinegar sold for pickling is ideal, and far cheaper than anything with a picture of a lemon on the front.

Lemon brings freshness, extra acidity and gentle degreasing. Use the juice for immediate jobs and the peel for scent: pack strips of peel into a jar, cover with white vinegar, seal, and leave for two to four weeks. Strain, and you have a citrus vinegar that smells like sunshine rather than chips.

Essential oils add antibacterial and antifungal properties along with a scent you actually enjoy. Tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, lemon and sweet orange are the most useful. They are potent, so a little goes a long way.

Two sprays to mix this afternoon

Everyday all-purpose spray. In a 500ml bottle, combine 250ml white vinegar, 250ml water and 15 drops of essential oil. Shake before each use, spray onto the surface, leave for a minute, then wipe with a damp cloth. It is excellent on worktops, splashbacks, sinks, bin lids, door handles and bathroom tiles.

Streak-free glass and mirror spray. Mix 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water in a spray bottle. For grubby windows, add a few drops of washing-up liquid. Spray lightly, wipe with a microfibre cloth, then buff with a second dry cloth or a sheet of scrunched newspaper. Work in shade rather than direct sun so the liquid does not dry before you have wiped it.

A word on soap: castile soap is a wonderfully gentle cleaner, but do not add it to a vinegar spray — the acid makes it curdle. Keep a separate bottle of one teaspoon castile soap in 500ml water for greasy hobs and floors, and use the vinegar sprays everywhere else.

Choosing essential oils well

Start with two or three oils rather than a shelf full. Tea tree is the one to reach for in bathrooms, where mould and damp linger. Lavender is calming and suits bedrooms and linens. Eucalyptus and rosemary feel bracing and clear the air; lemon and sweet orange lift a kitchen. Ten to twenty drops per 500ml is plenty, and you can always add a few more next time.

Keep oils away from cats and dogs, particularly tea tree, eucalyptus and citrus, and never apply them to pet bedding. Store them out of sunlight in a cool cupboard and wash your hands after handling. If you are pregnant, speak to your midwife or a qualified aromatherapist before using them widely.

Surfaces to treat with care

Vinegar is acidic, and some materials do not appreciate it. Avoid it on:

• Natural stone such as marble, limestone, travertine and slate, where acid etches the surface permanently.
• Granite and other sealed stone worktops, unless the sealant is rated for acid.
• Aluminium, cast iron and unsealed wood.
• Screen coatings on phones, laptops and televisions — use a dry microfibre cloth instead.
• Waxed or oiled furniture, where it strips the finish.

Never combine vinegar with bleach or hydrogen peroxide, as the mixture can release harmful fumes. Keep sprays away from children and pets, and always test a small hidden patch first.

Storing, labelling and keeping the habit

Use glass bottles with a plastic trigger where you can, as vinegar will eventually corrode metal, and label each one with its contents and the date you made it. Keep them out of direct sunlight; a dark cupboard is perfect. Most sprays keep well for several months, though citrus infusions are best used within two or three. Shake before use, since the oils float. Refill the same bottle rather than buying new, and you will have replaced a shelf of chemicals with two or three bottles you understand completely.