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DIY orange cleaner recipe

 

Cleaning with vinegar isn’t really a new idea – nor is this DIY orange cleaner recipe. But, I’ve been intrigued by it for a while and thought I’d give it a try. It works really well, is super easy to make and you really can’t get much cheaper than plain vinegar along with some orange peels (which would normally go in the trash around here.)

DIY orange cleaner recipe

 

DIY orange cleaner recipe

Start by filling a jar with orange peels. You can also use lemon or lime or even grapefruit – any citrus peels work. Fill a jar with them (a quart jar works best, but a pint works just fine.)

DIY orange cleaner

Next, fill it with vinegar to the top.

DIY orange cleaner

Set it aside for at least two weeks, I put the date on mine to show when it was ready (because I’m a highly forgetful person.) Make sure to put it in a cool, dark place. You can shake it every few days if you’d like to feel like you’re being active in the process – but it’s really not necessary.

DIY orange cleaner

After two weeks, drain the peels and pour the now orange infused vinegar into a spray bottle. It works great for cleaning the kitchen in particular, because it’s absolutely food safe.

But, I’ve gotta admit: It works really well for surfaces, etc – but the vinegar smell will still be rather strong when you’re using it. The vinegar smell will dissipate as it dries, and you’ll be left with an orange scent. For pennies a bottle, you really can’t beat this natural DIY orange cleaner recipe, though!

 

Want more cleaning & organizing ideas? My friends Angie + Carolina are both sharing some great tips, too!

 

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Filed Under: cleaning and organizing

About Gina Luker

Gina Luker is a writer, photographer and lover of all things quirky. She's usually found with a drill in one hand and a cocktail in the other while blogging along the way. She's addicted to coffee, polka dots, rock stars, Instagram, and everything aqua.

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Comments

  1. Leslie @ House on the Way says

    January 2, 2014 at 6:59 am

    Thanks so much for this! I’m pinning! Have a great day.
    Leslie

    Reply
  2. Sette Design says

    January 2, 2014 at 7:07 am

    I love this idea and I’m going to try it. I’m living in Italy with stucco walls, and have recently clued in to the fact that vinegar since it is a fermentation promotes mold so watch where you spray it.

    Happy New Year!

    Reply
    • Mary says

      January 6, 2014 at 9:42 pm

      How to Kill Mold With Vinegar
      Use white vinegar to kill and remove mold in your home.

      If you are worried about vinegar irritating your skin, you can wear rubber gloves. Vinegar is totally safe though.

      1.Pour the vinegar into a spray bottle. Do not dilute the vinegar.

      2.If you prefer, you can use a cloth to apply the vinegar, instead of using a spray bottle.

      3.Apply the vinegar to the moldy surface. You might need to scrub the mold away to remove it totally.

      4.Leave the vinegar to sit for about half an hour. Then rinse and wipe the surface with water.

      5.Alternatively, you can leave the surface without rinsing it. This is the best way, if the vinegar smell does not bother you. Leaving the vinegar without rinsing will help prevent the mold coming back.

      6.The vinegar smell should go after a few hours.

      7.If you still have any mold problems, you might have to try more powerful mold killing products in the future.

      Reply
      • Sharyl says

        June 17, 2014 at 3:29 pm

        I always use white vinegar to kill mold and it does a wonderful job. It kills the living roots of the mold, unlike chlorine bleach which doesn’t kill it and is toxic. I find it hard to imagine that vinegar could cause mold even in Italy.

        Reply
  3. Dawn says

    January 2, 2014 at 7:57 am

    I have been making and using this for years, it works great. We eat enough oranges in the winter that I can make enough cleaner to last for the year until orange season rolls around again.

    Reply
  4. Katie says

    January 2, 2014 at 7:14 pm

    We do the same thing with lemons!! Love the orange variety!

    Reply
  5. Michelle says

    January 2, 2014 at 10:47 pm

    I have been cleaning with vinegar for years. I never thought to mix it with citrus. Great idea. I’ll have to give it a try. Thanks

    Reply
  6. lady says

    January 8, 2014 at 9:55 am

    This is wonderful, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner. I’ve made other versions but this simplicity is priceless. I had some lemons and lime and made it with that and it smells divine already….should be ready in another week. I thank you for your all your DIY’s, I love them, and the ladies who do these! blessings, lady

    Reply
  7. Lynn says

    January 20, 2014 at 6:53 pm

    Do you think you can use other citrus. I love the grapefruit scent.
    Thanks for this recipe

    Reply
  8. Rachel says

    June 6, 2014 at 9:19 am

    I have been doing this for over a year now. I take it a step further and add essential oils to my cleaner. This eliminates the vinegar smell (which my husband despises!) and makes it wood friendly by adding a moisturizing element. Clove Oil, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Lemon and Eucalyptus are just a few that I use! Works all over the house, keeps harsh, caustic chemicals out of my house, and saves big money over commercial cleaning products!

    Reply
  9. Randi says

    June 23, 2014 at 10:43 pm

    It works even better if you add fresh thyme to it. I just finished making another one with lemon peels this time.

    Reply
  10. Margaret says

    December 15, 2014 at 9:13 am

    How long will the cleaner keep?

    Reply
    • Gina Luker says

      December 18, 2014 at 8:41 am

      Mine usually lasts about 4-6 weeks before I use it all, but I’m not quite sure about longer than that. I’d say maybe three months? Vinegar is a great preservative so it should last a while.

      Reply
  11. Cinny says

    January 26, 2015 at 4:44 pm

    I was thinking alcohol would work, too though I prefer vinegar. My daughter uses cheap (relatively) vodka. I remember that hospitals stopped using rubbing alcohol for sterilizing instruments years ago because of problems with it but I forget what problems in particular. Anyone have information on this?

    Reply
  12. Heather @ 15minutecheapskate says

    February 24, 2015 at 10:09 am

    This worked so well for me! I mentioned your post in 7 ways to use old citrus

    Reply
  13. Lauren @ Mom Home Guide says

    March 31, 2015 at 6:09 am

    Looks great, Gina! I have some oranges in my fridge now, so I will try this. This cleaner is a good excuse to eat a lot of oranges! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Robin says

    April 6, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    Thanks Gina! Looks like a great cleaner.

    Do you live in an area where you could compost? It’s so easy and when you recycle and compost, you realize you hardly have any trash to throw out. It’s fantastic and Earth Friendly!

    Be well!

    Reply
  15. Barbm1712 says

    March 22, 2016 at 9:15 am

    My grandmother used to make a variation of this with lemons and limes. She kept the fruit intact (after squeezing on the fish they caught that summer) and put it in the fridge in the back. Before she poured into a bottle, she strained the liquid to catch any pulp or seeds. Her home always smelled lemon fresh. We don’t eat many oranges, but I’m going to try this with the peel from tangerines since we eat a lot of these all year round.

    Reply
  16. S. Hester says

    May 19, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    Thanks for all the great tips! I’m trying to use natural vs chemical with anything i can. Look forward to reading more of your blogging, recipes, and tips. I appreciate your sharing. 🙂

    Reply
    • Gina Luker says

      May 20, 2017 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you 🙂 Natural is always better!!

      Reply
  17. Millie Uzarek says

    February 3, 2019 at 8:54 am

    I clean houses as a side job and i use this all the time as i am very chemical sensitive and some of my clients are as well so this makes a great cleaning product without the chemicals

    Reply
    • Gina Luker says

      February 4, 2019 at 10:05 am

      That is awesome Millie, thanks for sharing!

      Reply

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