Sometimes there comes a point where you read about something so much, you just have to do it yourself.
I started seeing article after article about the many amazing uses of vinegar and in particular, its effectiveness as a safe and toxic-free household cleaner. Â I’ve slowly been transitioning my beauty and skin routine to a more natural and toxic free set of products, so I was surprised that I didn’t look into natural household cleaners a lot sooner.
I finally took the (very easy) plunge and whipped up my own batch of lavender infused household cleaner (loved the inspiration here and I already have more infused vinegar ideas!) I bought lavender to use with other household projects (candles!) and like how it easily transforms plain vinegar cleaner.  It has a wonderful scent and more importantly, I confidently use it as my go to cleaner whether I am wiping down my counter or cleaning the ever splotchy bathroom mirror. You can leave it undiluted to really work on tough stains, or dilute it in a 3:2 ratio for stronger general cleaning.
Lavender Household Cleaner
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
- 1/4 cup dried lavender
- 1 cup water (optional if using only for mold disinfecting)
Preparation and instructions
1. Submerge lavender in vinegar in a jar.
2. Let mixture sit for 5 days to get a nice lavender fragrance (but color changes almost immediately!)
3. Strain vinegar/lavender mixture to get rid of the lavender.
4. Mix lavender vinegar and water and pour into a spray bottle.
Benefit Rundown
- Vinegar is effective at limiting the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria
- Vinegar can disinfect as well as neutralize odors
- Lavender’s pleasant smell is said to promote positive psychological well being and lead to improvements in mood
This would be great as part of a housewarming gift for your friends that love organic and natural products!
I am really excited to try this cleaner! I am a pretty green person— all natural products, organic/local groceries (okay, so I had to give up on the local when I moved here!), etc…. so while I purchase natural cleaners, its probably I try to make my own!
Alexis, I’m glad that you want to try this out! I do like using this as a nice, quick cleaner around the house though of course you will smell the vinegar here and there (the smell disappears). This is so easy to make and just remember to get white vinegar – I couldn’t believe it when I saw artificial vinegar here!
I LOVE the idea of using this as a housewarming gift – so perfect!!
xx
I love how simple and organic this sounds, so much better than harsh chemicals! Thanks for this doll!
That looks lovely! I use so much vinegar for cleaning I just buy the huge jugs at the supermarket and actually have a post going up on it over at magicalmined. I haven’t taken the time to add lavender, but one day soon I will 🙂
xo Mary Jo
Mary Jo, I love those huge jugs of vinegar too and am bummed it isn’t an option in Asia. I’m definitely checking out your post and am going to make another version soon too!
Oh you know that I love things like that and I will be trying it very soon. Brilliant, darling. xoxo
Diana, yes I thought this natural cleaner would be right up your alley dear!
This sounds awesome! I had never heard about it before, so thanks for sharing.
OMGGG i love this! thanks for posting this.. i’ve been wanting to get into more natural household cleaners because i’ve found that my dogs tend to LOVE licking things especially right after i clean them w/ lysol and other chemicals.. and i noticed right after it makes them act really weird. so i’ve been thinking they must be kind of on the bleh side. this is awesome so going to try this!!!!
Lisa, yes, this is exactly why I switched to making natural cleaners! I don’t have any fur babies but I really started thinking “Ugh, wouldn’t it be kinda unhealthy/gross to eat off a Lysol surface??” All you need is vinegar and maybe some Dr. Bronner’s castille soap for other things. I feel so much better about keeping our place clean and healthy now after using them!
I am a huge fan of lavender, and I use vinegar to clean although my hubby always complains about the bad smell. This is a great solution! Thank you!!
Love,
Coco
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what a coincidence that yesterday i was looking for this recipe… i’m pinning it!
Eli, I’m glad that I could help and will make another natural version too as well!
I use diluted vinegar to clean my floors and counters. The addition of lavender sounds like it would be lovely. Thanks for sharing dear!
Rowena @ rolala loves
Could lavender oil work?
A tiny bit of lavender oil would definitely impart the scent of lavender. Just be careful not to use too much in the cleaning solution!
you KNOW i love a good diy and one that smells amazing to boot.
I use vinegar all the time, but never with lavender. I have to try this! Thanks for sharing!
This sounds gorgeous. Not usually a lavender fan, but with the vinegar, it won’t be so bad. I like making my own cleaning stuff :))) Have a gorgeous day doll xx
This is such a smart idea and a great post.
Imogen, thank you so much for the sweet comment. I’ve definitely been inspired to use a few more natural ingredients and some of these recipes are really easy. I’ll definitely continue and make a few more natural cleansers and beauty products!
Lavender is heavenly..my favorite scent. Great post and tips!
nice DIY!
xo
MOSAMUSE
http://www.MOSAMUSE.com
I prefer to use safe & green solutions, but I can’t stand the smell of vinegar and it seems almost all these DIY products are vinegar-based. It’s really nauseating! Are there any alternatives in these kinds of mixes?
Hi Nomi, I feel you because vinegar has a pretty strong smell, but I have found it to be the best all purpose natural cleaner. Another option is to mix the vinegar with a natural castile soap (e.g. Dr. Bronner’s) so you have the disinfecting power of vinegar and you have the small of something much more pleasant! I made a DIY scouring scrub including these ingredients and a few other things and have been happy with the results. I’ll post it in the next few weeks! Thanks for your comment!