This economical “green” cleaner is easy to make and rivals pricey boutique alternatives…and all you need is two ingredients!
Household chores will likely be cast off in favor of egg hunts and family get-togethers this weekend, and that’s a good thing. Happy Easter!
The arrival of spring, however, is known as much for bunnies and daffodils as it is for thorough cleanings. So the timing seemed right to consider an ingredient that can disinfect your counters as effectively as it can dress your salad: vinegar.
Basic household items like baking soda, toothpaste, lemons, and vinegar have long been used for purposes beyond the obvious. They offer convenient ways to scour, deodorize, remove stains, and more. What’s more, they do this without the use of harsh chemicals and for a fraction of the cost of many store-bought cleaners.
For some people, however, the pungent smell of vinegar is off-putting. All-natural and boutique products often rely on essential oils to make things smell good, and it occurred to me years ago that the natural oils in citrus peels might accomplish the same goal.
My initial experiment involved stuffing orange peels into a Mason jar, pouring basic white vinegar overtop, and storing the jar in a cupboard without opening. After two weeks of steeping, the essence of the orange peels did, in fact, permeate the vinegar and I deemed the test a success.
When I shared this “recipe” in this very space three years ago, I was astounded by the response to my little experiment. Orange Vinegar has been “pinned” hundreds of thousands of times and shared countless times on Facebook and beyond. If you look below, you will see over 400 comments!
Readers have mentioned making versions with clementine, lemon, and lime peels and have noted the many ways they use vinegar in their household cleaning. And who knew? Lots of people use it as a hair conditioner, too! There are various questions and a few funny stories thrown into the mix. The resounding feedback is that people like to cook and clean with vinegar and they enjoy the ease with which this green cleaner benefits from a little orange.
After writing The Fountain Avenue Kitchen blog for several years, I have learned that many readers appreciate those comments as much as I do. So, if you try this—or any other recipe—I welcome you to leave a quick comment. In this case, feel free to include the ways you put basic household products to work beyond their intended use.
- 1 16-ounce canning jar*
- 2 oranges, peels only (eat the insides!)
- White vinegar to cover
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Curl the peels around the inside of the jar. For my last batch, I used two large oranges and would not have been able to fit another peel. If your oranges are small and you can fit another peel, feel free to add it. Pour the vinegar into the jar to cover the peels and close tightly.
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Store the jar in a cupboard or another cool, dark place for two weeks. Then remove the orange peels and transfer the vinegar to a spray bottle.
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For basic household cleaning purposes, I use a 1:1 ratio (equal parts) of vinegar and water.
* You may vary the jar size. Just choose one with a tight-fitting lid, and then fill it with peels and cover with vinegar. Also, feel free to experiment with peels from other citrus fruits, like lemons, limes, and grapefruit.
Tip: I have used vinegar to clean our granite countertops for years with no ill effect, but some people recommend against doing so. If you are unsure as to whether vinegar should be used on a particular surface, test it in an inconspicuous spot. For anecdotal information, you may also wish to skim through the many comments below.
I suggest using only the zest (where the active ingredient -limonene- is), the white part of the peel barely has any.
Thank you for the suggestion, Denyse. The zest is definitely where the key ingredient is, although the white won’t hurt…for those who want to take the easier way!
I use lemon, orange peels and add salt and soda bicarbonate. after couple of weeks the solutions smells like rotten egg and it turned into black color.
Vera, I’ve never added salt and sodium bicarbonate (I’m assuming you used baking soda) but do know that baking soda and vinegar shouldn’t be mixed. When sealed in a container, the mixture can explode. I think you will have success if you follow the recipe.
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So I made This and forgot about.. the peels and vinegar sat for probably almost two months.. do I need to throw it all out?
As long as nothing looks unusual, it’s most likely fine to use, Sierra. Vinegar has a preservative effect, so it should slow any bacteria growth on the peels. That said, if you see anything that resembles mold, you may want to start anew.
Why does it need to be stored in a dark place?
Hi Sua, Sunlight and warmth tends to make things grows, while cool temperatures and darkness prohibit growth. Given that, this advice is generally given to discourage bacteria growth and keep things fresh as long as possible.
Hello. Just wondering once I get the mixture into a spray bottle how long is it good for?
Hi Lacey, The vinegar has a preservative effect, so once the solids are removed, it will last for quite a few months.
I used just filtered water added sugar and let it ferment to become a zesty table vinegar not for cleaning.
Love that, Juliet!
ooooo…..gonna try this!
(and will bake your GF carrot/pineapple muffins this morning.)
Great site.
Thanks very much for all your hard work.
‘hope you and your family are well in these strange days….
cheers,
Audrey
(Toronto, Canada)
Yay and yum, Audrey…and thank you for your very thoughtful comment. I’m delighted you found several things to try and welcome any and all feedback. Sending best wishes back to Toronto!
Can you use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar
Hi Amber, I use white because it’s clear and I use it for cleaning, but cider vinegar could be used if you prefer. Though there could be some residue, I think it would be very minimal, especially once diluted.
Has anyone tried it with cucumber peels and it worked out?
i have some i made thats sitting about 2-3 years in 1 gallon jars…i used cheezecloth to filter large and small pieces from the peelings after the initial 3 week soak, that clog my sprayer before i put it in the jars, so its just venegar and orange peel extract . It is getting darker in color, and it still smells like orange cleaner, but it’s gotten dark in color in the storage jars…what is happening to it ? what is it turning into ? is it getting stronger ??
Vinegar is an excellent preservative, but after 2-3 years, the orange oils will inevitably degrade somewhat. The solution may be stronger, but I can’t say for sure what’s happening or if the oils may have become rancid.
Waste Not book by Erin Rhoads(Australia) says to steep for 6 weeks in a dark place. Vinegar smell weaker.Makes a concentrate. Been using this recipe for months. Easy , very cheap and effective degreaser. I use different dilution rates depending on job. Date jars so you know when to use. I start a batch whenever i have peels so i never run out.
Thanks for your tips, Donna!
After a few weeks of letting it sit there’s a lot of white stuff on top, I think it’s mold, is this batch now ruined? Or unsafe to use?
Maribel, This could happen if the air temperature is very warm and/or the orange peels have lingered for longer than two weeks. You can likely scrape the mold from the surface, remove the peels and use it without a problem. If the mold has gone beyond the surface, however, you may want to start anew.
I did this but didn’t remove the orange peels. It’s been 2 months. Probably need to start over. Bummer
You might be ok, Carol, as vinegar is a good preservative. If you have some small bits of peel, you could strain it and see how things look.
It isn’t working for me. They walk right through it.
I think you may be referring to the comment above about ants. Although some commenters have mentioned using this to deter ants, I haven’t done so can only speculate. Ants can really be persistent, so sometimes the little traps that you can set on the counter or where needed are helpful.
I’ve seen where the Lemon peel version of this is supposed to work with ants and insects too, but I wondered if the Orange peel version would work with ants or would there be too much “sugar” from the orange peels, as the oranges are sweeter than lemons, to actually attract instead of deter the ants? Thanks.
Thanks for your comment. Ants may like lemon less than orange, so it might be worth experimenting. As far as the sugar, the peels contain the essential oils while the fruit of the orange would definitely have more sugar than that of the lemon. Ideally, all of the fruit is separated from the peels so there’s no sugar to attract ants.
Hi it was my 1st time trying to make my own cleaner. I placed orange peels in vinegar, and forgot about them for approx 4-weeks. When I remembered, I saw the orange peels in vinegar looked kinda “funky”, (color was really off) but i stll used a strainer. I didn’t smell bacteria or anything. The vinegar smells like orange but i can see tiny particales floating in the concentrate. Can i still use it for cleaning or could i be spreading bacteria? Thank
Hi Mt, My guess is that some of the fruit may have gotten mixed into the jar along with the peels. The risk of bacteria is probably pretty low since the vinegar would inhibit its growth, but I would err on the side of caution if your intuition tells you something is “off.” It’s an inconvenience to wait for another batch, but at least vinegar is inexpensive! Let me know if you have any more questions.
I keep a jar “steeping” at all times… pour a bit off to use and reuse peels and vinegar…Thanks so much for this!
My pleasure, Shorty. So glad it’s been useful!
Oh gosh, I guess I overdid it! I only looked at the picture on a Facebook post & thought the jar was *full* of orange peels! Bought a bag of tangelos and stuffed the jar to the top, then added the vinegar. 2 weeks later, I have a *very* orange-y pint of oily vinegar. Think I’ll dilute it quite a bit before using, unless I’m spraying it across the door jamb to deter ants (which was the main reason I tried making it)!
Too funny, Taza! I haven’t used vinegar for that purpose myself, but I’ve read that you need to pour it where the ants have their nest, not just to where they walk around. I’ve also read that peppermint essential oil is a deterrent (perhaps you could add some to the vinegar solution if the problem persists) and that ants won’t cross a chalk line. Good luck!
Can it be used on wood floors
Hi Janice, People have mixed opinions as to whether vinegar should be used on wood floors. I’ve used it in diluted form with no adverse effects, but you may want to test in a small area to be sure.
I have 2 1QT mason canning jars steeping.
I filled them one ‘skin’ a time, adding a ‘drop’ of vinegar as the jar filled.
One has Tangerine rinds & the other Orange rinds.
Tangerine has been about 10-12 days since I sealed it. Orange about 2 days.
Hadn’t thought to dilute!
Hi Ron, Tangerine skins would be a fine option. I mention towards the bottom of the recipe to dilute by 50% for cleaning, simply because that’s what has long been recommended and it’s always worked well for me!
Thank You
My pleasure!