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The holiday season is in full force for people across the country. Families and friends often travel to other homes for the festivities. This can be a call for homeowners to make sure their houses are clean top to bottom. As the holidays are often the time of presenting diverse recipes, here are some all-natural cleaners that can make things spotless while also using ingredients that one may already have in the home.

A. DIY Natural Citrus Spray Cleaner

A fresh and fruity spray cleaner for multiple surfaces. This spray uses food peels that may have otherwise been wasted.

This spray will need:

• Lemons
• Grapefruits
• Oranges
• Rosemary sprigs
• Lavender sprigs
• Cinnamon sticks
• Resealable glass jars
• Distilled white vinegar
• Spray bottle

After juicing the lemons, grapefruits, and/or oranges, save the rinds and place them into a resealable glass jar. Sprigs of rosemary can be coupled with the lemon peels, lavender sprigs with grapefruit peels, and cinnamon with orange peels. Once filled with the pairings, the jars can then be topped with white vinegar. The jars can be labeled with the date and ingredients and stored away for a month to let the mixture set. Once a month goes by, the liquid can be drained out into a spray bottle and used as a normal spray cleaner.

B. DIY Disinfectant Wipes

An economical substitute for store-bought wipes. Rubbing alcohol is typically used for disinfecting wounds but can also effectively remove germs and bacteria from frequently used surfaces. 

These wipes will need:

• High-quality paper towel roll
• A resealable food container
• 1 ½ cups of water
• ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol
• Few squirts of dish soap

Place the paper towel roll into the container, cutting it down to size if needed. Mix the water, rubbing alcohol and squirts of dish soap in a measuring cup. Slowly pour the liquid to the paper towel inside the container. Pour intermittently until the paper is completely saturated. Once a few minutes have passed, remove the cardboard center and pull individual sheets out to clean as needed. After wiping, the surfaces can be air-dried or wiped with a dry rag.

C. Whiter Sheets

A simple trick to freshen up white bed sheets for guestrooms. Baking soda is a bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and white vinegar is an acetic acid (HCH3COO). Bases and acids react when combined together, and it is this reaction that can remove stains and eliminate odors from fabrics.

This reaction will need:

• ½ cup of distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup of baking soda
• Laundry detergent

For both high efficiency and regular washers, sprinkle the measured baking soda inside. Load the white sheets and add detergent as needed. If using a high efficiency washer, add the white vinegar inside the softener well. If using a regular washing machine, pour the vinegar during the rinse cycle. Let the machine run to completion. After washing, the sheets can be hung to dry or can be placed in a dryer.

Independent Chemical is a proud chemical supplier in New York. Learn more about the diverse range of high-quality cosmetic and food products that are offered here.