Homemade All-Purpose Citrus Vinegar Cleaning Spray
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Click HERE to read my policies & disclaimers if you're interested. I will only link products I use and personally recommend. Thank you for your support, friends!
I’ve been dabbling in making homemade cleaning products as I rotate out the store bought products, even the natural cleaners, and try to replace them with things I can make with cheaper ingredients or ones that I can produce myself. It’s finally time to ditch the toxic cleaners and toxic chemicals and I’ve made that my 2026 goal. No, I’m not tossing everything I have, but rather replacing what I have once it’s empty with a homemade low-tox version I’ve created and tested. The first thing I had to swap was my all purpose cleaner.
Citrus vinegar cleaner is an easy replacement that works to clean just about EVERYTHING. And I really do mean… everything. I think the key to not getting overwhelmed is to slowly introduce new things instead of doing it all at once. That’s why I’m slowly testing and replacing store bought cleaning products with homemade ones as I start to run low, but am not completely out, so there’s no sweat if a certain idea doesn’t work. Homemade cleaners seem to be very simplistic to make with simple ingredients you can find anywhere, so I’m really not sure why it’s taken me so long. I have been pleasantly surprised at the sheer cleaning power of vinegar.
Now, it seems kind of stupid to me to share a “recipe” on how to make homemade citrus infused cleaning vinegar, so I’m not going to do that. But seriously…. take orange peels, lemon peels, grapefruit peels, lime peels, ANYTHING CITRUS FRUITS, and fill a jar about half full with them. Then fill the jar completely full with white vinegar. Let it infuse until you need it. I actually have gallon jars in my basement from various years just hanging out til I need them. I have found that the longer the sit, the more delicious they get. I just love infusing vinegar and making a more exciting cleaner than just using plain ole vinegar (which you absolutely can use). Maybe it’s just me. Making this eco-friendly products with citrus scraps and actual NATURAL INGREDIENTS brings my thrifty heart a lot of joy.
My kids actually know to save any citrus peels now and ask me where the jar is. I feel like I have made it as a mother hahaha. My son was even at a friends house the other day and she gave them oranges and he asked her to get a jar because she needed to make cleaning vinegar with them. I was so proud. But also, it was a lesson to learn that not everyone is like Mom and wants to do that, and if they don’t it’s okay. I canned homemade limeade concentrate the other day and my kids were collecting the halves that I had squeezed so I could use them for vinegar. How could I say no. We filled a gallon jar and it’s tucked away in my basement for later. I’ve never made a lime one, so I’m hoping that’s good.
When life gives you homemade lemonade, use the peels to make infused vinegar for cleaning countertops.
You may be wondering if the vinegar scent is overpowering. I’m here to say, that yes, if you spray your shower walls down with it, then get in and close the door, it is going to take your breath away and make your eyes water. You’ll cough. Because it’s vinegar. BUT. To spray it on surfaces and then wipe it away, I have found that the scent does not linger very long at all and instead just gives me a nice fresh, clean feeling. Believe me… I was like EWWWW vinegar and now I’m like YAYAYAYAYAY vinegar. And I’m so dang opinionated as you may already know LOL The vinegar smell doesn’t hang around long after you’ve cleaned and wiped everything up. Promise.
What I Clean with Homemade Citrus Cleaning Vinegar:
- Countertops
- Stainless Steel
- Quick clean up of spills and spots on floors
- Quick wipe of bathtubs and showers
- Light switches and door knobs
- Walls
- Water Buckets & Feeders for our livestock
Other things you can infuse vinegar with for cleaning are pine needles (which smell DELICIOUS), lavender, rosemary, basil, lemon balm, and so many other herbs. Sometimes when my garden and flower beds are going, I make some pretty fun cleaning vinegar concoctions. It brings me joy and that’s all that matters.
Equipment You Might Want:
- Glass Jar
- Old Canning Lid & Screw Band
- Reusable Glass Spray Bottle
Ingredients:
- Citrus peels, fresh herbs, pine needles
- 5% white vinegar
Let’s make our own all purpose cleaning spray!
Step 1: Infuse
Start by filling a glass jar about half to 3/4 full with citrus peels.
Add plain white vinegar to fill the jar and cover the peels.
Place a lid on top and secure. Store the jar in a dark place for about 2-3 weeks to infuse fully. You can let it sit longer without issue.
Step 2: To Use
Strain liquid through a very fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth prior to adding to a glass spray bottle. You don’t want any floaties or vinegar blobs in there that could clog your sprayer OR make your surfaces sticky. That kinda defeats the point of cleaning, I’d say!
Fill your glass spray bottle half full with the infused vinegar and the rest of the way with distilled water.
Add the spray nozzle, shake and use!
Be sure and test a small inconspicuous area prior to full send using if you’re unsure. I know it’s okay for most non-porous surfaces, but I don’t have things like granite countertops so I can’t tell you it’s fine for everything. Maybe do some research!
Store the extra infused vinegar concentrate in a glass jar with a nonreactive lid. I use old canning lids and make sure the vinegar isn’t touching them… meaning the jar is sitting upright. Not hard. Shelf life is indefinite because it’s VINEGAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.
Notes:
You can add essential oils if you’d like, but I prefer not to! Use oils that would provide added benefit and work with the infusion you have made if so.
You can use this citrus vinegar for mopping as well if you enjoy cleaning your floors with vinegar.
