Am I the only person that believes vinegar is an absolute miracle worker? What else can you use to clean your home, cook and preserve food, use as a weed killer, wash your hair and even drink for health benefits?
I could go on, and I probably will in a future post dedicated entirely to my fascination for vinegar. But now it is time to make our lemon vinegar cleaner.
After making Fresh Squeezed Lemonade, I was left with a pile of lemons. Not wanting to let all of that lemon goodness go to waste I decided to make a citrus scented vinegar cleaning solution. I spend a good bit of time on Pinterest and was inspired by the orange vinegar cleaners that are all the rage right now.
The process is simple:
First slice the peels off of the lemons.
Next cram them into a mason jar or left over pickle jar, whatever type of jar you happen to have handy.
Then poor white vinegar into the jar and seal it up. Put it somewhere and forget about it for 2-3 weeks.
Finally, strain the lemons out of the vinegar.
Dilute the lemon vinegar with water, I prefer a 50/50 mixture.
Pour the combination into a spray bottle and get to cleaning.
Not only do you now have a fragrant cleaning solution, but it is non-toxic as well.
Happy Cleaning!
I made a jar of the lemon vinegar, and I love it. However, I was wondering if I am supposed to put the jar in a dark place or if it is okay to leave it in a window sill? Lol where is the best place to put this wonderful jar of goodness?
Hi Heather, I’m glad you like this cleaner! If you live somewhere that gets very hot during the summertime I would suggest placing it in a cool dark place. I had to throw some out after it sat on my counter during the summer months, but we are at 100°+ all summer long here. The rest of the year it should be fine in your window. Happy Cleaning 🙂
Thank you bunches! I live in Texas and the weather is always crazy, so I am glad I didn’t put it in the window. This lemon vinegar is awesome. I was completely energized all day yesterday from the fresh citrus scent. Thanks again. Have a wonderful day/night.
I made some of this last year and then I forgot to put a lid on it, so it got infested with fruit flies! It wasn’t super gross but I had to throw it out. So I guess it’s just a reminder to keep the lid on. Also I live in Vancouver, BC in Canada and our seasons are mild, but I am keeping the rest of mine in the fridge after the first 2 weeks… maybe I’m paranoid about the fruit flies
Yeah, I can see why the fruit flies would be attracted to the citrus scent. Thanks for the tip!
Can you add lemon juice (from a store bought bottle) to vinegar instead of using fresh lemons/ peels?
I just cleaned with vinegar and water and the smell is a little strong. Thanks!
I think the juice may make the cleaning solution sticky. I believe that is why the peels are the only part of the lemon that is used. Let me know if you do decide to give it a try. I’m curious 🙂
Do you know if you can use lime peels in the same way? I assume it would work the same as lemon, but wanted to see if you have tried already. Thanks!
Hi Dominic, yes I have used limes instead of lemons. Works and smells great!
I love non toxic cleaners and this one is wonderful. Can’t wait to try it out. Thank you!
I hope you love it!
I tried A similar recipe:
The problem I had was the smell the vinegar overpowered the lemon so I do feel that the lemon peels will work better(:
Ingredients
◦1/4 cup white vinegar
◦2 Tablespoons baking soda
◦1 liter (4 cups) of hot water
◦1/2 a lemon
Instructions
1.In a small bucket or 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine vinegar, baking soda and hot water.
2.Squeeze in the juice from half a lemon then drop the rind in as well to infuse the cleaner.
3.Stir well to dissolve the baking soda and allow to cool. Remove the lemon rind.
4.Transfer into a spray bottle or squeeze bottle and label clearly. Your homemade cleaner is ready to use.
Could this work with apple cider vinegar?
Also, if I don’t have a lot of lemon peels at once, could I keep a jar going and put more in as I use more lemons?
Hi Edward! Honestly, I don’t know if this will work with apple cider vinegar. I’ve never tried it. But, yes. You definitely can add lemons as you use them. That is what I do too.
Hi Nicole, I’ve made the cleanser and it smells great! Is this safe for a hardwood floor?
Thanks!
MC
Hi MC, I think vinegar may be too harsh for the finish on hardwood floors. I have read that you can use vinegar to clean hardwood. But, I would probably err on the side of caution and skip the vinegar on the floors.
Hi I’m just wondering when u make a batch of the cleaner in a spray bottle how long the “lemon juice” is good for before it goes rancid? Thanks
Hi Lisa, you want to remove all of the lemon pulp from the peel. This will keep it from getting funky. I have used the same batch of cleaner for several months without issue. If you notice an off smell or change is color, I would recommend tossing it out. But it should last at least 2-3 months easily.
Hi,
I’ve been doing this for a while now and LOVE the results. I have used apple cider vinegar and it works but I like the citrus smell. As to Canada’s question this will solve that problem. I take all the lemon and orange peels and freeze them until I have enough for a batch. Vinegar is a natural preservative. I take the peels put into several mason jars. I then heat up the vinegar and pour it over the lemons, limes, orange peels. I then top them with mason lids. Wait for the pop of the lid. And save. Basicly citrus pickling. I just opened my last jar and wow the citrus smells great!
Great Tips! Thanks Veronica 🙂
To Veronica Mann’s comment: I’m wondering how long do you store your Lemon/Vinegar Mason Jars before you can use them? Thanks
Good idea! But I would have chosen to make more lemonade hahahah.
So I had squeezed the lemon juice out but put the lemons in the white vinegar. Will this still work, or should I start over.
Thanks!!!!!!!!!————–Confused
You mostly want the lemon rinds in the vinegar anyway. Any extra juice could cause the solution to be sticky. 🙂
how, chemically, do the lemon peels add to the solution?
They give the solution a nice lemon scent. Just be sure to only use the yellow peel otherwise it could end up sticky.
Thanks for homemade products
I’m loving this awesome natural cleanser and smell Goods. Teresa, from Charlotte,NC
Awesome!
I tried this recently. I squeeze a lot of lemons so I have a lot of peels. I decided to try this. I use a serrated knife to grab the remaining fruit and pulled it off, leaving only the peel. I stored them in the freezer until I had enough to fill a mason jar then did just what you said. But in a matter of days, the vinegar began to darken in color, and after 2 weeks it was a burnt orange color instead of a nice yellowy color. Any idea what went wrong?
Strange. I’m not sure why that happened. If only the peels were used there shouldn’t be any issues. Does the cleaner still work the same?
I have no idea. It didn’t smell so good so I dumped it. If nothing else, I really didn’t want my house to smell like that! Since reading this, and seeing the success others are having, I’ve tried it again but this time I left it in the refrigerator. I’m thinking maybe it’s too warm in here during the day. I leave the temp set at 80 while I’m at work. I’m hoping to have better results with the refrigerated version.
Yes, that could be it. Maybe the heat is making it icky.
I use equal parts vinegar and lemon juice (from a bottle). It works great getting rid of hard water stains and soap scum in the bathroom. I keep a spray bottle of the mix handy in the bathroom.
Awesome!