How to Make Homemade Disenfectant

Cleaning supplies can be very expensive but without them our homes would quickly become dirty and contaminated with bacteria. Luckily, there is an alternative to paying for expensive commercial cleaning supplies that has the added bonus of allowing you to decrease the amount of toxins and harsh chemicals in your home. Making your own cleaning supplies with natural ingredients that you probably already have on hand is an excellent alternative to purchasing commercial supplies.

One essential cleaning supply that is easy and inexpensive to make at home is disinfectant. I formulated this recipe after I grew tired of paying high prices for disinfectants when their strong odors and chemical content irritated my sinuses and my skin.

You will need the following tools and containers to make this recipe: a large spray bottle and a tall, thin wooden spoon or stir stick.

You will also need the following ingredients to make this recipe: 3 cups of hot water; 1 1/2 cup white vinegar (make sure you only use white vinegar and not apple cider or other flavored vinegar); 3 tsp. of baking soda. Optional ingredients for added disinfecting power and pleasant scent: 45 drops of orange essential oil, 45 drops of lavender essential oil and 20 drops of tea tree essential oil.

Begin making this recipe by mixing the 3 cups of hot water with the 1 1/2 cup white vinegar in the spray bottle. Do this slowly and stir the blend with a spoon or stir stick. Mixing the water with the vinegar first will help dilute it and decrease the fizzing reaction caused when vinegar and baking soda are mixed.

Next add the 3 tsp. of baking soda one teaspoonful at a time, stirring the blend a few times after each addition.

The blend will work well as a disinfectant but if you wish to boost the disinfecting power of the blend and scent it mix the essential oils listed above and then add them to the blend. Stir the mixture a few times and you will be ready to go.

Essential oils can be expensive so if you would like you can inexpensively ad scent to the blend by steeping your choice of flowers or tea in the hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. After steeping strain the flowers or tea out of the water, then use the water as called for in the recipe. Your disinfectant is now ready to use.