DIY multipurpose spray
Follow the recipe to create a simple cleaning spray you can use around the home.
Words Rebecca Lees
We all have our favourite cleaning products. Mine is a multipurpose eco spray I buy from the local supermarket, and I love it. I use it everywhere
– in the bathroom, kitchen and on benchtops; anywhere in need of a good scrub (even the kitchen windows above my hob when they get a bit greasy).
We’re on bore water, which has a low pH (or it could be due to copper pipes), and this unfortunately stains our basins and shower blue. The stain is so difficult to remove, it took me a long time to work out a way of cleaning it off without using harsh chemicals. You guessed it – my favourite spray does the trick if left on a few extra minutes before scrubbing away.
But this wonderspray isn’t cheap – and I use a lot of it. During lockdown I ran out. So, instead of making a trip into town I thought I’d try to make a similar product myself, using whatever I had in the cupboard. I had plenty of vinegar and dishwashing liquid, so I gave a few of those types of recipes a try. Though good, none did the trick with the blue stains. I happened to have some borax (known also as sodium tetraborate, sodium borate or disodium tetraborate) left over from when the kids were making slime. So, with a little more research and a bit of tweaking, I created the following simple and effective recipe that, you guessed it, gets rid of the blue stains! It’s not quite as powerful as the over-the-counter eco spray, but it’s pretty close – and a lot less expensive. The scent isn’t overpowering like other cleaners either.
Easy Peasy Multipurpose Cleaning Spray
Makes one litre (two standard spray bottles)
Ingredients
- 1 cup vinegar
- 2 tsp borax
- dishwashing liquid
- hot water
- few drops citrus or lavender essential oil (optional)
Method
- Pour the vinegar and borax into a one-litre measuring jug and mix to dissolve the borax.
- Add a really good squirt of dishwashing liquid (I use eco brands).
- Fill the measuring jug up to the one-litre mark with hot or warm water (approximately 730ml).
- Stir again to dissolve the dishwashing liquid.
- For stubborn stains, use the liquid while it is warm. Otherwise, leave the liquid to cool, then use a funnel to pour it into two 500ml spray bottles.
To use
Spray onto surfaces as required and wipe with a damp cloth. To remove blue stains in your bath or basin, spray stains well and leave to soak for at least 15 minutes. Wipe clean.
Infuse your own vinegar
You can go one step further and use lemon-infused vinegar in this recipe. Lemon acts as an antiseptic and is antibacterial, plus it adds a pleasant
fresh scent.
Make Lemon-infused vinegar
Peel the yellow outer skin of one or two lemons, trying not to include much of the white pith. Place the peel in a bottle or jar filled with vinegar. Place the lid on and leave in the kitchen cupboard to infuse for two weeks. Strain the vinegar from the peel and you have lemon-infused vinegar ready to be used in your multipurpose spray.