Homemade Herbal Multipurpose Cleaner

I have been considering making my own multipurpose cleaner for some time now.

Not only is it ridiculously inexpensive, but this recipe doesn't use any harsh chemicals, yet still gets the job done.

There are hundreds of recipes all over the web for making your own cleaner - this is a compilation of several recipes that I merged to make what I wanted, and most ingredients I already had on hand

Homemade Herbal Multipurpose Cleaner

Here is a rundown of the ingredients used and what their purposes are; with the recipe to follow:

water

white vinegar: cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, stains and wax build-up

borax (sodium borate): cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water

liquid castille soap (preferably with essential oils included): biodegradable, will clean just about anything

essential oils (citrus): antiviral, antifungal 

Recipe:

2 c. hot water

3 tsp. borax

2 tsp. liquid castille soap

10-15 drops essential oils (optional)

~2 c. white vinegar

To make the cleaner, start with a 32oz. spray bottle.

Add the hot water and borax.

Swish or stir until borax is completely dissolved.

Add castille soap and essential oils.

Fill remaining space with vinegar.

You should be left with a white/cloudy looking concoction:

Shake thoroughly before each use to incorporate ingredients.

This chemical free formula can be used on any washable surface in your home. It cleans and disinfects, and is naturally antiviral and antifungal.

A few side notes:

You do not have to use essential oils, but they do make it a more effective cleaner, help mask the vinegar smell, and provides the antiviral/antifungal aspects.  However, you can buy castille soap with essential oils included (which is what I have).  If you have regular castille soap with no added oils, I'd up the amount to 25-30 drops of essential oils.  If you don't have oils (and don't care to buy them for this), I'd increase the amount of liquid soap.

All in all, plain old vinegar and water makes a great homemade cleaning agent, I just prefer the added properties that the other ingredients offer.