Lavender Bergamot Kitchen

During Earth Month, Lavender & Bergamot is sharing recipes for natural cleaning supplies that smell good and are effective! Swapping out chemical cleansers is good for your family and the environment. As we go through our day in the modern world we encounter many toxins in the form of vehicle exhaust, off-gassing plastics and paints, and industry byproducts like solvents and metals. These toxins are almost unavoidable in our current landscape. When you are in the safety of your own home, why not make the air inside as clean as possible? 

One way to clean up our indoor air is by swapping out products with artificial perfumes. The fragrances used in cleaning products can be made up of hundreds of chemicals and none of them have to be disclosed to the consumer. Many of these chemicals are known to be harmful to humans and animals, but lax regulations have made it possible for these companies to bring these products to market. When you start to add up all the different items in your home that are made with chemical fragrances, you are compounding that toxic load. You can purchase unscented cleaners, but why not eliminate all that packaging while you’re at it? 

Making your own household cleaners is economical and environmentally friendly. At Lavender & Bergamot we have recipes to clean everything from your stainless steel sink right down to your shower tiles!  Using ingredients you most likely already have on hand like baking soda, vinegar, borax you can make non-toxic cleaners to tackle all your household needs. You can even make them smell nice by adding all natural essential oils. These power house plant extracts add a boost of cleaning power. Lavender essential oil is disinfectant and antimicrobial. Thymol is found in a lot of cleaning products, even in mouthwash and it is derived from the common garden herb, Thyme! Adding thyme essential oil to your cleaning products makes them antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and antimicrobial. Orange essential oil is an excellent degreaser, deodorizer and antiseptic. Essential oils also have mood modulating benefits. Lavender is calming while orange is a mood elevator! 

We’re so happy to share these recipes with you and we wish you happy and healthy cleaning! 

The base of most of the cleaning solutions we use in our houses start with two herbal infusions: a citrus herb vinegar and herbal baking soda. 

Cleaning Vinegar

Vinegar is a really powerful cleaner, but the smell can be off putting. By infusing it with citrus peels, you are not only improving the smell but you are also harnessing the cleaning power in the citrus oil. Adding herbs like lavender and rosemary, both of which are antibacterial and antifungal, takes the cleaning power to a whole new level.

To make a citrus vinegar, simply fill a jar with citrus peels and herbs and pour over the vinegar until everything is submerged. Let it sit and infuse for about 4 weeks to allow the volatile and essential oils to infuse into the vinegar. Make sure to use a plastic lid for your jar so the vinegar does not erode the metal. Once it has infused, strain out the solids and use as is or dilute into a more all purpose cleaner.

Now that you have your cleaning vinegar, you can use it straight for dealing with really smelly situations like cleaning the garbage disposal or the inside of your trash can. Or mix it into one of the following recipes. Remember to label your solutions. 
Glass Cleaner: Fill a spray bottle with half vinegar and half distilled water.
Bathroom Cleaner: Combine 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of distilled water. Add 1 Tbsp dish soap. Pour into a spray bottle to use around the house or a dish wand to use in the shower. 
All Purpose Cleaner: Combine 3 cups of water with 3 Tbsp vinegar, 1 ½ tsp borax, ½ tsp lavender and 6-10 drops tea tree oil.

Herb Infused Baking Soda

Combine ¼ cup of finely ground herbs, dried flowers or citrus peel with ½ cup baking soda. You can use this right away or store in a sealed jar. Use by sprinkling over a surface that needs a good scrub and shine and spray some vinegar on top. Use a damp cloth or sponge to scrub, then wipe away the residue with a clean cloth. If there is any leftover streaks, use some diluted vinegar to clean it up. 

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