Cleaning wipes are so convenient, but many brands use chemicals that are irritating to the skin and respiratory system. In fact, the Environmental Working Group tested over 400 general cleaning products and gave over half of them a failing grade for toxicity! One popular product with ‘Green’ in its brand name received a high concern warning for causing cancer! Other failing brands used ammonium which is a respiratory irritant and almost all the brands contained synthetic fragrance ingredients which are often linked to hormone disruption. That doesn’t sound very ‘clean’ now does it?!
This all-natural recipe will clean your surfaces without leaving any harmful residues behind. Plus, it’s easy to make and you can either compost your napkins for a super-convenient option or you can go extra green and re-use rags.
You are going to love cleaning up with these non-toxic Cleaning Wipes – it makes cleaning such a breeze!
The acidity of the vinegar helps to disinfect, neutralize odours and create a streak-free shine. Most soaps are alkaline, meaning that when we mix them with vinegar, the effectiveness of both ingredients is reduced. But this recipe uses Sal Suds which is a detergent, not a soap. The detergent will help to remove grease and lift away stubborn stains. The anti-microbial essential oils will add a beautiful natural fragrance to freshen spaces and also boost germ-fighting power. I can hear you cheering from afar, mamas!
DIY
DIY Non-Toxic Cleaning Wipes
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Ingredients
- 1/2 pack Bounty Quilted Napkins*
- Large reusable container**
- 1 1/4 cup distilled water***
- 1 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sal Suds****
- 15 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil
Instructions
- In your reusable container, add water, vinegar, Sal Suds and essential oils and stir to combine.
- For napkins, use 1/2 a pack of Bounty napkins (80 napkins). Pour half of the liquid into the bottom of the container, then place napkins on top and press down. As napkins absorb liquid, their size will compress. Then pour the remaining liquid over the top of the pile.
For reusable rags, pour all of the liquid into the container and pile rags on top. Let them absorb the liquid, adding more rags until they are damp-wet but not overly saturated.
- To use, pull a wipe out and clean surfaces, sinks, spills and any other mess thrown your way! Either compost your napkin wipes or machine wash rags and reuse.
Notes
*These are bleached without chlorine and strong enough to not fall apart when used. Alternatively, you can cut square rags out of old cotton sheets or clothing
**A square food storage container works well
***Distilled water extends the shelf-life. However, if you will use these wipes within 2 weeks, you can use tap water instead
****Dr. Bronners makes this product. While it contains SLS, the form they use is not contaminated with carcinogens and is formulated to be non-irritating to the skin
Note: Vinegar should not be used on stone or granite countertops. Simply omit the vinegar and use diluted Sal Suds and essential oils instead.
Do you use all natural cleaning products in your home? What are some of your favourite products?
If you were to re-use the cloths. what is your recommendation, to wash after each use or is rinsing and drying enough? Also, would you use this to clean bathroom countertops, bathtubs, toilet seat, kitchen? Also, would you put this mixture in a spray bottle if you were to re-use the cloths?
ReplyHey Sandra, You could likely get a few uses out of them if you did the reusable ones. Yes, they are multi-purpose so you can use them to clean just about anything :) We'll have to get Kathrin to confirm about the spray bottle as she might have another method but that sounds like a great idea! Rachel - Joyous Health Team