Here's how to save money by making your own vinegar cleaning spray

If you're going greener with your home cleaning, you've probably wondered about using white vinegar as a replacement for commercial cleaning sprays. You'll also save a ton of money since water + vinegar is CHEAP.

Here's how to mix up your own vinegar cleaning spray at home that actually smells nice…

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 to 24 drops of essential oil in the scent of your choice (I like orange, lemon, and lavender)
• Spray bottle (I use glass)
• Funnel

How to make vinegar cleaning spray:

1. Using a funnel, add the vinegar and water in a one-to-one ratio and mix well by shaking.
2. Add the essential oil into the spray bottle.
3. Shake well to combine.
4. Label the bottle and store out of direct sunlight.

Tips:

• Save even more money by ditching single use paper towels and using reusable cloths (even old t-shirts work!).
• You'll see solutions out there using less vinegar, but my understanding is that you need a pretty high percentage of vinegar to get the cleaning and disinfecting benefits.
• Let the solution sit on surfaces for 60 seconds to disinfect, but avoid leaving it too long on latex grout.
• Never mix vinegar with bleach. Wear gloves and avoid contact with your skin and eyes.
• Don't use vinegar on marble, natural stone, and granite, and test it first before using on hardwoods.
• Put vinegar and water in a bowl to clean microwaves and ovens. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, then pour them into a heat-safe bowl. Microwave or heat the filled bowl until it boils. Let it cool a bit, remove the bowl, and more easily wipe away built up grime.