Join us for our Spring Cleaning Challenge to Organize and Clean for a Thrifty and Healthy Home!
I can’t believe I haven’t shared this yet! I thought I had, but as I was going through the list of 26 homemade natural cleaners, I realized that I hadn’t! I shared it’s similar counter part – the Homemade Natural Antibacterial Cleaning Wipes – towards the beginning of this series.
Well, honestly, it is pretty much the same recipe, just in spray form instead of wipes! Who knew, right? 🙂
Before we start, I use essential oils for many things, including cleaning. These are the “secret” ingredients to make these cleaners have their “antibacterial effect.” Read up on the top oils for cleaning and how to get them cheap HERE!
Here’s the simple recipe and ingredients needed:
- 2 cups water
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of lemon essential oil
- 2-3 drops of melaleuca/tea tree essential oil
- 2-3 drops of oregano essential oil
- Spray Bottle
Step #1 – Pour the water into the spray bottle.
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Step#2 – Add all of your oils to the spray bottle
Step #3 – Close spray bottle and shake to mix it up and get then go zap the bacteria without zapping health!
It is just that simple!
 The cost of this cleaner is only in the oils! I figure the total cost to be around .20 each bottle! Awesome!!
**As a side note, this spray can also be used as an alternative natural spray to Germ X or other personal use antibacterial sprays. You can just spray it on the hands and rub together to rub it into your hands. Please note, with the lemon essential oil (like all citrus essential oils) you need to be careful being in the sun for 24 hours after personal use.
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Here’s a printable recipe that you can put in your home binder:
| Homemade Natural Antibacterial Spray | | Print |
- 2 cups water
- 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- 5 drops of lemon essential oil
- 2-3 drops of melaleuca/tea tree essential oil
- 2-3 drops of oregano essential oil
- Spray bottle
- Pour the water into the spray bottle using a funnel
- Then add all of your essential oils
- Then close the spray bottle and shake!
- It is ready to use!
We also HIGHLY recommend that you put this in your home binder along with many more things we will be sharing! See all of the information on this in our previous post HERE about Put Together Your Home Binder with Free Downloads.
Finally, use this new thrifty and healthy cleaning product as part of our Spring Cleaning Challenge.
Kaidi
I just read that Oregano Essential Oil should be avoided during pregnancy since it induces menstruation and can cause miscarriage. Would the antibacterial effect still be present even without Oregano oil?
Kaidi
I think I found it. Oregano oil is not the only oil with those qualities. But I do hope every pregnant woman checks what is okay and what is not before they use those oils that are usually such a great alternative to all those chemicals that are in store bought cleaners.
Trish
I always use a bleach wipe to clean the counters after preparing chicken. Could I use this preparation in place of the bleach?
Cassie
Yes, you should be able to!
Tammy
I don’t have oregano oil can I put the spice in the cleaner with the other ingredients?
Natalie
You can also add grain alcohol or denatured alcohol. Oils will not dissolve in water alone but by adding your oils first to the alcohol (about 1tbsp per 1cup of water) will allow the oils to fully mix and disperse through the liquid giving you an more even blend and balanced fragrance.
Ethanol (grain alcohol) is most commonly used in medical wipes and hand sanitizers (diluted) and is effective against most bacteria and fungi, and many viruses! You can add Ethanol to ANY essential oil recipe safely – room sprays, linen sprays, perfumes (REALLY helps it last longer!), face spritzers (Rose and Rosemary is my favorite 🙂
PS: I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS WEBSITE. I am making the homemade softscrub today (its one of those “why didnt I think of that!” items. Thanks for keeping in real… GREEN AND CLEAN!!!)
Cassie
These are really good tips Natalie and things that I hadn’t heard before and so now I am really intrigued. Can you tell me an example of what grain or denatured alcohol is such as Ethanol and can you buy Ethanol in the store? I also think of it as a gas alternative and so I am trying to figure out how you buy it. Is it like a rubbing alcohol? Is there a brand that is common?
Thanks!
Cassie
Wendi
Grain alcohol is just any cheap vodka, my husband puts it in a spray bottle straight up and uses it as a sanitizer on his equipment when he brews beer for all the little parts he uses at times. He still washes things but this helps for an extra sanitizer.
Margaret
I rent a house that I love but it that has a very old smell to it, no matter how much cleaning I do, it is only masked for a few hours, I am thinking about trying to wash the walls. it’ll be quite an endeavor but I can’t take the smell, it’s penetrated into my clothes and furniture. Would this be something I could use or would you have any other suggestions?
Jasmine Fox
Hi everyone,
I love this idea! Will vodka work instead of purchasing ethanol?