There is something satisfying about making your own cleaning products, especially when they work well! It also doesn’t hurt that by doing so you’re helping your pocket, the environment, and protecting yourself and your family from exposure to toxic chemicals found in commercial cleaning products. You can do your part in saving the world by making DIY concoctions for all kinds of uses around the home.

“Refresh-Mint” DIY Recipe

Prep time: 2 minutes

What You’ll Need:
• 16-ounce glass spray bottle
• ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 ½ cup distilled water (or boiled tap water)
• 20 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 15 drops of lemon essential oil
• 15 drops of tea tree essential oil

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients in your spray bottle, shake to mix, and spray wherever you’d like. I use this on everything from our espresso machine, to mirrors, glass, and even plants for pest control. "Refresh-mint" is my go-to all-purpose cleaner!

Note: Keep this product away from pets as ingestion could cause toxicity.

Kara Montgomery, neurotoxicology researcher, product development specialist

Kara believes the small choices of what we expose ourselves to on a day-to-day basis have a profound impact on our overall health. As a published neurotoxicology researcher, Kara has studied the link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease, participating in studies that have garnered around $1 million in NIH funding. With this knowledge, Kara takes a critical eye to the products and habits all of us engage with on a regular basis. She holds a BS in Neuroscience from King University.