If you are looking to be more green in your home cleaning, consider going orange instead.
Orange cleaner is safe, effective and even cheap if you know how to make it yourself.
In the home, orange cleaners are a safer alternative to traditional chemical-based cleaners.
How Does Orange Cleaner Work?
Orange-based cleaners are strong, good smelling and powerful, all without harsh chemicals. The secret of orange cleaner is one of the components which is naturally occurring in the oil of orange peel called D-limonene. D-limonene is used in fragrances and cosmetics to give a fresh, citrus scent but in higher concentrations it can be a powerful solvent capable of breaking down tough industrial oil residues and is an excellent paint stripping agent. Few substances can be at once used as a flavoring and an industrial strength cleaner; it’s amazingly versatile stuff.
How to Make Orange Cleaner
In homes where a lot of oranges are grown, it’s possible to make an orange-based cleaner completely from scratch without buying any ingredients at all. Take a large jar and fill it with water and orange peels. After a few days the liquid should become a golden color and take on the fragrance of citrus. Strain off the oil on the top. This oil can be used in a diluted form all over the house as a cleaner.
The price of the completed homemade cleaner can’t be beat but the strength of the oil may vary significantly so some experimentation is required to find the perfect ratio of water to oil. For those who would like the reliability and control of using a pre-made oil, orange oil can be purchased to make the cleaner. Only purchase cold pressed orange oil for maximum potency. A dilution of 15ml orange oil to 1 liter makes a good, strong cleaner.
For both recipes, if an extra anti-bacterial and anti-viral punch is desired, 10-15 drops of grapefruit seed extract may be added to the finished cleaner which will make it effective for killing anything from mold to E. coli. GSE is available online or at natural health stores.
Uses of Orange Cleaner
Orange cleaner is an excellent degreaser making it ideal for use in kitchens. It is a good deodorizer and is great for tubs, toilets, showers, shower liners and glass doors. A light dilution of orange cleaner can be kept in the bathroom and used daily after showering to keep the shower fresh and clean everyday.
Orange cleaner is fantastic for mopping floors; orange oil can be used as a wood treatment all by itself so it is very safe for even the most delicate hardwood floors. Using a light dilution of orange cleaner in the mopping water will cleanse and leave the entire home smelling like a sunny orange orchard during harvest.
Orange cleaner is also good for dust and cobwebs. Taking a damp cloth soaked in orange cleaner and draping it over a broom handle, knock down cobwebs; the orange cleaner will make the cobwebs stick to the cloth and kill the bugs that may still be living in the webs.
For diaper hampers and garbage pails orange cleaner can work wonders there as well. Every time the pail or diaper hamper is emptied spray the inside lightly with the cleaner. The solvent will break down any microscopic waste and stop odors before they start.
Orange cleaner can be used effectively as an insect repellant. For maximum impact first treat the area with vinegar, then finish with a generous application of orange cleaner. Ants will run for the hills using this method and the treated areas will be nice and clean, killing two birds with one stone.
For those looking to keep their home clean and fresh naturally and on the cheap, orange cleaner is the only cleaning product your home will ever need.