When life gives you lemons, make a home cleaning solution. Do it when life gives you vinegar and dish soap, too. According to Sonora Refillery owner Marissa Figueroa, these three ingredients—and a little patience—are all you need to jump-start your cleaning routine.
“A big mistake people make is not letting the cleaner soak in,” Figueroa says. “We’re all in such a hurry. Even the store brands filled with chemicals have a suggested soak time to allow the product to soften up grime. Take a breath, focus on something else, and circle back around.”
Figueroa shares three easy ways to apply these everyday ingredients, along with a few other helpful pointers to keep your space shining!
Remove stains with lemons
“Lemon is a great disinfectant,” she says. “It’s also safe enough to consume and makes a great fruit and vegetable rinse.” But her go-to application for straight citrus is as a stain remover. Use it on your cutting boards and on your white clothes—for the latter, try a mix of one part lemon juice and three parts water, then leave it in the sun to bleach naturally.
Cut through grease with vinegar and dish soap
Vinegar and dish soap could be considered the perfect marriage of at-home cleaning agents, especially when it comes to creating solutions that cut through kitchen grease and bathroom scum.“The dish soap helps the vinegar stick to the surface longer, while also working as a degreaser,” Figueroa says. For both applications, create a 50/50 mix in a spray bottle, apply, let it sit, and scrub if desired. “I always recommend cleaning brushes made of coconut husk. It’s antimicrobial, so it never smells and lasts a long time, reducing waste and money spent.”
Clean windows with vinegar
“Vinegar should always be diluted, since it’s highly acidic. Higher concentrations can even eat through countertops,” Figueroa warns. “When cleaning windows, dilute it by 50 percent with water.” For these applications, simply treat it as you would any other glass cleaner: Spray, wipe, and admire the streak-free view.
DIY – Refillery
Erik Baldwin
