What are some of the best scents of the holiday season? Some people side with pumpkin spice while others have an affinity for cinnamon. Both of these spices, however, can be quite pungent and overwhelming when incorporated into homemade cleaning products. Plus, you may not want your home to smell like a coffee shop or packet of cinnamon gum.
Lucky for you, pine happens to be a wonderful holiday scent. If you have a Christmas tree in your home, you can get a little extra out of it by using some of the branches to make a natural cleaning spray. It’s the perfect scent to make your home smell like the wilderness, and the best part is that you don’t have to venture into the cold mountains to smell that crisp aroma. A simple pine-infused vinegar spray will accomplish that!
Scenting Vinegar
There are people who won’t ever clean with vinegar, not even if you pay them. The odor can be intense, but that’s where scenting vinegar comes into play. It’s very easy to make scented vinegar that is natural, effective, and less offensive to your respiratory system. All you have to do is add the pine needles and branches to a jar of vinegar. Screw on the lid and allow the infusion to take place. You can steep the mixture in a cool, dark place anywhere from six weeks to six months.
Some pine-scented cleaners used to be healthier, but now they are typically free of any natural pine substance. Pine oil used to be in PineSol, but it was eliminated from the ingredients in 2014. The manufacturer replaced it with artificial fragrance and it has a petrochemical base. For people who want to be on the safer, more natural side, cleaning with non-toxic products like the DIY recipe in this article is more beneficial.
Cleaning With Vinegar
Although it’s not a disinfectant, distilled white vinegar is an excellent cleaner that’s made from acetic acid. It’s been known to dissolve mineral deposit, grease, dirt, and general grime. If you have a chrome shower head or faucet, you can soak it in white vinegar to get rid of water spots. Vinegar also helps to kill some bacteria, but you do have to be cautious about where you use vinegar, as it can damage certain surfaces. Make sure that you do not use vinegar to clean wood, granite, metal, or marble surfaces.
When you clean with vinegar, you don’t need to use a lot. Since it’s such an affordable product, you’ll have one jug of vinegar for months, years even! And like we said, snap a couple branches off your Christmas tree for the pine infusion. If you don’t have a Christmas tree, there are many fallen pine branches lining the streets during the winter. Don’t be afraid to grab a handful!
Pine-Scented Vinegar Cleaner
Ingredients:
- Pine branches, or pine needles
- Distilled white vinegar
- Mason jar
Instructions:
- Place a generous handful of pine branches or needles into a clean glass Mason jar. If you have a jar that holds 750 milliliters, that would be best, but a smaller jar is perfectly acceptable.
- Fill the jar with white vinegar. Screw the top on the jar and place the jar in a cool, dark place for six weeks to six months. The longer you allow it to infuse, the stronger the pine scent will be.
- After completing the infusion process, strains the liquid into your spray bottle of choice and start cleaning.
