Wouldn’t it be great if everyone had the time and energy to dust all the surfaces in their home on a daily basis? It would be pretty awesome. But, unfortunately, it’s not gonna happen. So the next best thing you can do is use a spray that will help prevent dust.
Everyone loves pledge right? There’s no doubt it works. Problem is- the ingredient list is kind of scary: Isoparaffin, Dimethicone, Octylphosphonic Acid, Nitrogen, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Polydimethylsiloxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Fragrance from SC Johnson Fragrance Palette, Proprietary Thickening Agent, Methylisothiazolinone. Are these really necessary ingredients for cleaning? I don’t think so. These ingredients range from mild skin irritants to possible carcinogens. Definitely something you want to avoid.
Well, what if I told you you could make this at home, and it is just as effective, has no harmful ingredients, and less expensive?
All the ingredients serve a purpose, and are non-toxic:
Vinegar: Great all purpose cleaner
Olive Oil: Helps prevent dust for settling
Lemongrass Essential Oil*: Anti-bacterial, repels insects, smells awesome
*Other great oil options include: lemon, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, tea tree, and orange, among others. Anything that is anti-bacterial with a nice scent will work.
One of the chores that I did often growing up was dusting. I actually kind of enjoyed it because I liked the scent of the Pledge spray I would use, and it was nice to see things that were previously covered in a layer of dust, nice and shiny again.
Now with three little kids and a busy household, dusting is one of those things that I’ve basically let go in favor of cleaning things that are a little more necessary – like the toilet and the kitchen counters.
It’s not that I mind dusting, it’s just that, to me, a fine layer of dust really isn’t going to hurt anything. But, it does start to be an eye-sore after a while.
To be honest, I usually use of my my basic cleaners for “dusting”; vinegar and water, homemade multipurpose cleaner, and even the shower cleaner/stainer remover spray all work well for light cleaning and dusting of the surfaces around your home (don’t spray any of those directly on electronics, of course). That’s one of the things that I like most about green and homemade cleaning, it simplifys things so you don’t have to have a huge collection of bottles in your cabinet for every different cleaning need.
But, if you’re looking for a specific homemade dusting spray, I have two recipes for you today, that I made and compared how they worked side-by-side.
Recipe#1:-
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
10-15 drops essential oil of your choice
Directions:
*Mix all ingredients together in an empty spray bottle
*Shake before use. Simply spray directly onto the surface you are dusting or a cloth (microfiber works best) and wipe the dust off.
Recipe#2:-
Dusting Spray with Lemon Recipe
It’s time for our next homemade cleaning product recipe!
Again, I absolutely LOVE making my own cleaning products for several reasons, including:
-Healthier
-Cheaper
-Safe for our kids to use
-Easier (I can make most of them in just a couple of minutes, vs. running out and needing to get more at the store)
-More fun
-I also know exactly what is in them!
So, it’s time for our simple recipe that we use to create a homemade DIY dusting spray with lemon that is a frugal and healthier replacement to the commercial product Pledge.
I make 4 oz. at a time and store it in a glass spray bottle. It realistically will keep for only 2-3 months since it is made with natural ingredients, so the smaller bottle ensures that I don’t have to throw any out after a few months.
Ingredients:
*1/4 cup vinegar
*1/4 cup water (purified or boiled and cooled)
*2 TBSP olive oil
10-15 drops of lemon essential oil
We have talked about Lemon Essential Oil many times on our site as it is such a great item to have on hand for natural cleaning and natural solutions to many issues. In fact, you can read up on 17 Helpful Household Uses for Lemon Essential Oil HERE. Then we also talk about the different qualities and purities of the essential oils and the 7 Best Essential Oils for Cleaning in this post HERE along with where you can get it for less.
Now this particular combination of ingredients for a dusting spray is intended to do a few things – clean, disinfect and moisturize/nourish the woods and furniture that you intend to dust. This combination will do all of that. *Now like with any homemade product, you will always want to test a small inconspicuous area on the item you intend to use this on before a full use and application to test it!
Directions:
Here’s how to make this dusting spray:
adding-vinegar-sm
-Just add the water and vinegar first, using a funnel.
-Then add the olive oil and essential oils.
-Put the spray lid on and shake vigorously.
You are probably already asking“since it is oil, vinegar and water…. it won’t mix?” Yes, you are right! It is much like Italian Dressing, before you use it, you have to shake it to mix it and pour immediately on your salad. Same concept here.
How to use it:
-To use it, first shake it up!
-Then I spray a rag or microfiber cloth with the spray and then wipe the surface. I don’t spray the surface directly.
This stuff works like a charm. You will still have to dust on a regular basis, but this dusting spray will make it less often.
There’s something about the smell of lemongrass that I just love. I chose it because it is anti-bacterial, repels insects, and I wanted a change from using my standard cleaning oil of plain lemon. I really can’t get enough of the scent.
With the vinegar- it’s really more than just a dusting spray. It also makes a decent all-purpose cleaner if you are in a pinch. (And if you aren’t, check out my Natural All Purpose Cleaner with Free Printable Label).
With the olive oil and lemongrass essential oil, it has a pretty yellowish color in the bottle. Don’t worry- it sprays clear onto surfaces and won’t stain. The olive oil is also great for wood because it helps it maintain moisture and keep its stain.
It’s easy to dust with a microfiber duster or cloth. I opt for a cloth because it’s multi-purpose. It’s also important to shake the bottle before use. It’s a step that can’t be ignored. You gotta make sure the oil and water mix up.
Try making your own dusting spray and let me know how it goes!
