The final day of the challenge was about cleaning products. Right up my alley as I used to make my own cleaning products. I became interested again after using the Young Living products. I found them overpriced and I didn’t like the marketing system. However, I learned a great deal and am grateful for that experience.
I have no nasty cleaning products in my cleaning arsenal any more. I make a few cleaning products (see below) and I buy Abode Washing powder and Kin Kin dishwasher powder. I also get an eco dishwashing liquid from my local Eco Store. I also make a dupe of KOH for my mop. It’s simply potassium hydroxide (used for making liquid castille) and water with a litte rose geranium essential oil.
I make a cleaning concentrate with readily available ingredients that I purchase online from Aussie Soap Supplies Unfortunately, it’s not something I can share due to the nature of cleaning products. But, the ingredients are as follows:
Polysorbate 20, Cocobetaine, Decyl Glucoside, my Killer Blend of essential oils and preservative. I can give you the formula for Killer Blend:
Killer Essential Oil Blend
40 drops clove, 40 drops cinnamon bark, 25 drops lemon, 5 drops eucalyptus and 5 drops rosemary. Store in an amber glass bottle in a dark place.
Ideas for use:
~ Add 20 drops drops to 1/2 cup dishwashing liquid, top up with water and store in a labelled spray bottle. Use to clean bench and stove top.
~ Make a foaming hand soap with 1/4 cup liquid castille and 20 drops Killer Blend. Add to a foamy pump bottle and top up with distilled water.
~ Place 1/2 cup bicarb soda into a jar. add 20 drops Killer Blend and a couple of tablespoons of distilled water, enough to make a paste. Use on shower tiles, ovens, etc.
Label everything carefully and test on plastics before using.
There’s also a spray cleaner you can make at home, called Miracle Spray.
Miracle Spray
1.5 litres water, 250ml of which is boiling
300ml white vinegar
60ml dishwashing liquid or liquid castille
15ml (3 tsp) of Killer EO blend
10ml (2 tsp) Lemon EO
3 dessertspoons Lectric Washing soda
Mix washing soda with boiling water and all other ingredients. Store in a labelled 2L bottle and decant into labelled spray bottles as needed.
My toilet cleaner is brilliant in our hard water area, getting rid of stains and disinfecting with essential oils.
Toilet Cleaner Tablets/Powder
300 g sodium percarbonate (powdered form of hydrogen peroxide)
250 g citric acid
200 g borax
1 Tbsp eco dishwashing liquid or liquid castille
10 drops EO blend (thyme, oregano, fennel and lemon in equal quantities)
Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
Spoon mixture into moulds and press down firmly until full.
Leave to set for 12-24 hours in a cool and dry place. After this time, turn moulds upside down and gently tap the bottom – tablets should fall out easily.
Place on a tray or sheet of baking paper and leave to dry for a further 24 hours before storing in container of choice.
Label your container. Keep out of reach of children.
To make a powder to sprinkle, simply leave out the dishwashing liquid.