I love cleaning. Having a tidy house is something that brings immense joy & clarity to my life. I feel that the benefits of a clean home go far beyond the aesthetics. To me, being truly clean means being free of toxins. That is why I decided to make this all-purpose rosemary cleaning spray.
Cleaning for me is not spraying synthetic & caustic cleaners everywhere. This can actually do way more harm than good. I prefer using natural ingredients, like vinegar, baking soda, essential oils, and even lemons. I have found that these ingredients do as good of a job if not better than their carcinogenic counterparts.
To truly cultivate a clean space, we use this cleaner in conjunction with various other natural cleaning properties. I’m not kidding when I say that I cannot focus until the house is in good shape.
Rhythms are important in cleaning. Typically, you start from the top and work your way to the bottom. This means starting with dusting things like the ceiling fans or the tops of shelves, making your way down to cleaning counter tops and other surfaces, and ending with sweeping and/or mopping the floor. This ensures that everything is done in order & avoids any unnecessary headaches. (Which synthetic cleaners can literally cause!)
So, with all this in mind, let’s get some peace of mind by making this cleaning spray!
Why Rosemary?
Rosemary has a long history in being added to cleaning products. I chose rosemary for it’s lineage of antifungal, antibacterial & antiseptic properties.
For an additional reason to use rosemary, smell it yourself & see what happens. The smell of rosemary has been shown to invigorate your senses, reduce stress, & increase concentration. Which believe me, while cleaning a messy home, you will need all the cocentration you can get!
In this recipe, I teach you how to make my favorite all-purpose spray cleaner with simple ingredients. In fact, this recipe is so simple that all you need is 3 ingredients.
Water, vinegar, & a sprig of rosemary.
For this cleaning spray, you will need…
One 16 ounce glass mason jar with screw on lid
Another mason jar, no need for a lid on this one
Glass measuring cup
2 cups of white vinegar
2 cups of filtered water (I use a Berkey water filter like this)
1 large handful of rosemary sprigs (equal to one heaping cup, or even more!)
A sieve or fine mesh strainer (cheesecloth will work here, too)
Funnel (optional, but helpful)
Let’s get started!
The first step to this recipe is to clean your mason jar well, and set it to the side.
Next, harvest or buy your rosemary. Any variety will do just fine. Wash the rosemary in cool water and lay it on the counter. Then, check for any debris or pests before moving on to the next step.
Infusing the Vinegar
Measure out 2 cups of white vinegar in your glass measuring cup. Add the vinegar to the mason jar.
Next, take your rosemary and place it into the mason jar containing the vinegar. Screw on the mason jar lid and give this mixture a good shake.
Now, set this jar in a dark, cool spot and let the rosemary and vinegar infuse for one week. Every day you will need to pick up this jar and give it a good shake. This helps to encourage the mixing and infusing of the rosemary and vinegar.
Come back to the next step after one full 7 day week has passed!
Putting it all Together
Now that your rosemary and vinegar mixture has had time to infuse, we are ready to use this spray.
You will notice that the rosemary has darkened in color. This is totally okay, do not worry!
On the other mason jar that we have not used yet, set a strainer or cheesecloth on top. Carefully pour the vinegar infusion through this strainer and into the new jar. The strainer should catch any debris, as well as all of the rosemary we used to infuse the vinegar. Once strained, remove strainer and rosemary. Feel free to throw the used rosemary into your compost bin, or the plain ol’ trashcan.
Next, clean your glass spray bottle and open the top, so we can add in the good stuff!
Position a funnel over the top of your spray bottle. Using the funnel, pour the vinegar infusion into the glass spray bottle. Then add the 2 cups of filtered water.
Using filtered water is important to prohibit the growth of mold, or the accumulation in your spray of other toxins or chemicals in regular tap water. Using filtered water also increases the shelf life of this cleaning spray.
Lastly, screw the spray lid on, and you’re ready to CLEAN!
How to use and store
Store this rosemary cleaning spray in a cool, dark spot when not in use. With proper storage, this spray should last about one year.
To use, spray the cleaner on any non-porous surface and wipe clean with an old dishcloth or small washcloth. If you are nervous about this cleaner damaging a surface, I advise you to test it in a small spot before doing a large spray. I recommend not using it on wood, but I am a total hypocrite because I definitely use this on wood. But, to be safe, test it out before going all-out. I do not want you to damage and family heirlooms with this stuff!
I find this spray useful for counter tops, drawer handles, doorknobs, toilet surfaces, wiping the outside of stainless steel appliances, and even mirrors and windows. I seriously love this stuff and use it almost daily.
Yay for clean, toxin-free cleaning!
If you have gotten this far, I am ecstatic! I truly hope you find value in this cleaning spray. Our family loves it, and I love that I can now share it with you and your family. Happy cleaning y’all!
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