Do you love the fresh and delicious smell of grapefruit? So do we! And did you know that besides being so unbearably tasty, grapefruit is actually a natural cleaner powerful and efficient against grease and grime? If you don’t believe us, look at the most grease-cleaning products at your local store and you will be surprised how many of them contain grapefruit extract.
So, why buying commercial product when you can buy couple of fruits and make green cleaning solutions on your own? Here are our 6 suggestions for natural home grapefruit cleaners.
All-purpose Cleaner
You will need:
Peels of 2 medium grapefruits
1 Large Mason jar
2 cups of white vinegar
2 cups of tap water
6-7 drops tea tree oil
Spray bottle
Instructions:
Take only the top, coloured part of the peels, put them into the jar and pour the vinegar and put the lid on. Put the jar somewhere dark and cool – your kitchen cupboards are the perfect place. After a week the vinegar changes its colour and smells like grapefruit. Remove the peels and pour the liquid into a spray bottle. Add 2 cups of water and a few drops of tea tree oil. Shake well right before use.
You can clean sinks, bathtubs, kitchen countertops and even furniture. However, if you aren’t sure the vinegar won’t ruin your furniture test the solution onto a small inconspicuous area before using it. Never use on marble!
Floor Cleaner
You will need:
5 teaspoons Borax
5 tablespoons white vinegar
½ cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 teaspoon finely grated grapefruit peel
1 bucket
Instructions:
Mix everything well, into the bucket and add hot water to the top. Use as ordinary floor cleaner.
Bathtub Cleaner
You will need:
1 medium to large grapefruit
½ cup of salt
Instructions:
Cut the fruit in half. Sprinkle the top of the fruit halves generously with some of the salt. Rinse your tub with warm water and sprinkle evenly the rest of the salt onto the surface. Start scrubbing using 1 of the halves. Go thoroughly around the tub.
Don’t throw it away the peel – you can use it to scrub some hard to reach areas and stubborn stains. After you’re done rinse the bathtub well – there will be a lot of pulp remaining on the surface.
Mold and Mildew Cleaner
You will need:
1 cup of vinegar
½ cup Borax
½ cup of fresh grapefruit juice
Small spray bottle
Instructions:
Mix everything together in a small spray bottle. Spray the solution directly on the affected area. Leave it like this for 1 hour. Wipe away with clean sponge. The combination of vinegar and grapefruit will kill the bacteria and prevent it from re-appearing.
Glass Cleaner – Concentrate
You will need:
Peels from 2 medium to large grapefruits
Water
Medium sized pot
Instructions:
Cut the peels and put them into the pot, fill with water and let it boil. After that turn the heat to minimum temperature and let it simmer for 6-7 hours. Top the water level when needed. Let the mixture cool completely. Remove the peel and pour the concentrate into glass jar – never risk with plastic ones. Keep the concentrate in the fridge if you are not going to use it right away. To clean mirrors, windows and other glass surfaces dilute 1 part concentrate with 4 parts water in a spray bottle.
Scrubbing Powder
You will need:
3 tablespoons grinded dried grapefruit peels (from 1 large or 2 small grapefruits)
3 tablespoons Borax
5 tablespoons baking soda
Instructions:
Grind the dried grapefruit peels and mix well them with other 2 ingredients. Use this powder to clean dirty sinks, bathtubs, tiles, kitchen countertops, shower fixtures, and stainless steel.
What is your favorite grapefruit recipe? Share and comment on our G+ page.
Our end of tenancy cleaning team at The Happy House Cleaning always use certified eco-friendly cleaning solutions and supplies to ensure the health of our clients and cleaning teams.
