This is almost too easy to post about. I feel like I should have been doing this my entire life, and somehow I got tricked into paying $4 for a spray bottle of orange cleaner. Craziness.
I have a juicer now, and I am really enjoying fresh vegetable & fruit juices. However, I now have citrus peels coming out my ears. This is just one of the many uses for them. I’ll keeping posting more ideas to get rid of them, as I find them. Unfortunately chickens don’t like citrus peels, which is what I do with the rest of the veggie pulp, and I can’t bear to throw them away! (no I’m not a hoarder, just a crazy hippie)
Homemade Orange Cleaner
- Vinegar (just plain organic, white vinegar will do)
- lots of citrus peels (orange, lemon, lime or a combination)
Place peels in vinegar. I cut mine small and put them right in the original vinegar bottle, because I’m crazy like that. Let this sit around for 6 weeks or so. When you remember to shake it, shake it. This releases oil from the peels and makes it more a more potent grease cutter. I shook mine a lot and vigorously and let it sit around for about 2 months. You’re going to love this and use it like crazy, so I would recommend that you start a new gallon every month or so, so you never run out. Also, writing the date on the jug/jar really helps 🙂
Strain out the citrus when you think it’s “done”. Refill an old spray bottle (because I know you’re saving those right?) I honestly don’t think I will need to make any other cleaners now. This one just takes the cake. I have cleaned my oven, stove top, kitchen counters, sink, added 1/2 cup to the mop water, and sprayed the whole bathroom. It is very excellent for dusting! The only thing it won’t work for is windows/glass or to polish faucets and such. It is also excellent added to your sink full of dishes. If you are soaking some kind of baked on nasty lasagna or something, this does the trick. We all know that vinegar is great for cleaning and is a natural disinfectant, who knew that adding a bit of citrus oil would improve it so much?
Homemade Hippie All Purpose Cleanser and Disinfectant
Homemade Hippie Windex for 0.12 a bottle!
Homemade Hippie Scouring Powder
Homemade Hippie Dishwasher Detergent
mycookinglifebypatty said,
May 5, 2012 at 2:15 AM
This is awesome – Thanks!
lightlycrunchy said,
May 5, 2012 at 9:05 AM
I’ve been brewing some since last weekend, and drying some peels to, to add into a scouring powder. Apparently the orange vinegar also works as a rinse agent in the dishwasher, but I haven’t tried it yet myself.
The Farmers Taft said,
May 5, 2012 at 9:36 AM
We are using plain vinegar for rinse agent and it hasn’t failed us yet. Not what Jet Dry would have us know, eh?
lightlycrunchy said,
May 5, 2012 at 10:31 AM
no, I suppose they wouldn’t. I have a water softener, so don’t actually need any rinse agent. I use vinegar too, but only when the softener salts are getting low and I forget to buy more. 🙂
ybertaud9 said,
May 5, 2012 at 1:57 PM
The best thing for your household cleaning! Any citrus will do! Love your post layout RealFoodLover! 😉
How We Afford to Eat High Quality Food « A Real Food Lover said,
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[…] Orange Cleaner (make it myself) […]
liveitfreshwithlaura said,
May 7, 2012 at 10:17 AM
I love this and am definitely going to try it as I have 2 oranges as part of my breakfast smoothie everyday and now I can put those peels to good use!!!
arealfoodlover said,
May 7, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Thank you for commenting. I love finding a use for things that would otherwise go in the trash or compost pile.
April said,
March 29, 2013 at 12:03 PM
and you can still put the peels in the compost when this is done 🙂
Lori Claire Hamrick said,
May 7, 2012 at 2:25 PM
I might have to find some recipes for oranges just so I can make this!
virtuousgracious said,
May 7, 2012 at 3:39 PM
Wow that is so simple! Awesome idea, going to be using this one 😀
Tiffany said,
January 24, 2013 at 1:10 PM
I am going to try this ASAP I have read a LOT about it! I also Read to use Orange Vinegar is better because it gives it the ultimate citrus smell
JohanEnder said,
March 14, 2013 at 3:27 PM
Nice site! 😀
April said,
March 29, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Thank you so much for this one!! Can’t wait to start using this recipe!
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Cana said,
July 12, 2013 at 11:24 PM
Any suggestions on what to do with all my juice pulp from juicing?
arealfoodlover said,
July 30, 2013 at 2:20 PM
Cana, Well we feed our juice pulp to our chickens, but I’ve heard of a few people who make it into all sorts of fun citrus flavored desserts. You can compost it as well.
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Nicole said,
January 29, 2015 at 3:27 AM
The bugs despise the citrus smell, so, kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
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Beebee said,
July 26, 2015 at 2:11 PM
I started my jug today. I also posted on my blog http://www.verasbookreviewsandstuff.com that I was starting the recipe and if it worked as well as it sounds, I would post recipe and site where originally posted. Hope this ok with you, if not please let me know. I always try to acknowledge the original site if I know the addy, as I believe in giving credit where it is due.
Beebee said,
September 9, 2015 at 7:07 PM
I posted your recipe on my bog today and gave you full credit as well as requesting my subscribers come to your blog and thank you for the recipe. It works great