One of the things I stopped buying since I started my journey to a more eco-friendly and less impactfull lifestyle is an all-purpose cleaner product. Minimising the plastic packaging but also the amount of harsh chemicals in my home is a huge priority for me. Saving money is an added bonus as most of the store-bought products cost far more than my homemade version.

White distilled vinegar is a very popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity.

A few things to know about any DIY recipes:

• Hard water can make the recipes difficult to work sometimes, (the water in my area is incredibly hard), but experimenting with the ingredients and the consistency works for me.
• Trial and error is the fun part of it as long as it is safe to do so.
• This recipe is NOT suitable for granite and marble countertops or hardwood floors.

DIY Natural All Purpose Cleaner

Ingredients:

1 glass bottle

1 spray nozzle (re-purposed from an empty bottle)

1 part distilled vinegar

1 part water

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:
Combine all the ingredients in the bottle, attach the nozzle and leave to rest for a few hours before use. Use a dry clean cotton cloth to wipe the surfaces, (I use old t-shirts cut in squares). Store in a cool and dark place.

To clean granite and marble countertops I would use just a few drops of liquid soap and warm water (castile soap perhaps).

For persistent grime and limescale I sprinkle some baking soda, spray with the natural cleaner and scrub – job done!