Orange Vinegar Cleaner

One day when I was cleaning with an orange cleaner I was wondering if there was an easy way to make my own orange cleaner without all the extra chemicals. I had the kids save all the orange peels when they ate their oranges. I just kept them in a bowl on the counter until I had enough to fill my glass container.

I filled up the container until it was about three fourths full. I kept them pretty loosely packed because I wanted to get as much vinegar I could because the vinegar is all I will be keeping in the end.

I took White Distilled vinegar and filled it up to the neck of the container. It looks a little bit higher because some of the peels are floating. I just set the cap on at first in case there was any kind of chemical reaction between the peels and vinegar. I checked on it 2 hours later and already the orange oils have overpowered the vinegar smell to about a 50/50 ratio of scent.

I will keep the cap on the jar just tight enough to catch and stay on. Once a day I will tighten the cap and give it a shake. Then I will loosen the cap so if there is any pressure that builds up it can escape.  If you go to take off a cap and it is hard to remove like a new store bought glass jar make sure you open it away from your face in case the liquid decides to spray up when you finally are able to break the seal.

After about 3-4 weeks I will strain our the vinegar and put it in a spray bottle. If you are careful you didnt have orange pulp with the rinds the spray should be good for a long time. Vinegar is a preservative and the only part of the orange that should remain is the oil. Since it wont be consumed just check it every month or so for a bad smell or color/floaties.

This cleaner should be fine for any hard surfaces and glass. Don't use it for any carpets or fabrics since it does have oils in it. As with all new cleaners test on a patch before using.