I learned how to make this DIY All Purpose Spray Cleaner many years ago from a neighbor’s cleaning lady. I was visiting with my neighbor one morning when her cleaning lady, Beth, arrived and started into tidying-up my neighbor’s already spotless house.  Admitting I had a bit of envy here — she had a spotless house and a cleaning lady.  I had chaos , four charming rambunctious children and a cleaning lady named ‘Laura’ . 🙂

Noticing that Beth was wiping down the counters and cleaning the appliances and the mirror all with the same bottle, my curiosity was aroused.  What magic-in-a-bottle was she using?  So I asked..

She told me that because she had to bring her own cleaning supplies that she was using a cleaner that was cheap and easy to make and that she could use it on everything and it is what she used in her own home.

Get it Here | Make it at Home:

Dawn dishwashing liquid (or what is on hand)

Rubbing Alcohol, 16 oz.

Professional Plus Heavy-Duty Spray Bottle (32 oz)

DIY All Purpose Spray Cleaner

Ingredients:

1/4 cup rubbing alcohol

1/8 tsp Dawn dish washing liquid ( my fave, but use what you have.)

3 cups (24 oz) warm water.

Directions:

• Pour Rubbing Alcohol and Joy into a 28-32 oz. spray bottle and swirl to mix.

• Gently pour in warm water into joy mixture.

• Screw on sprayer and shake gently to mix.

Tips:  Spray directly directly onto counters and scrub with a cloth.  Follow with a clean rag or dishtowel to buff, if desired.  To use on mirrors and appliances, spray onto cloth or paper towel first and wipe down surface and follow with a clean dry rag.  Occasionally shake bottle a bit to keep ingredients mixed.

• You can use this on anything you would usually spray with a cleaner.
• I use it in the kitchen and the bathroom.
• I have even used to spray down the toilet inside and out for a quick clean.
• I’ve used it on windows when I ran out of Windex and it works great, just be sure to dry it completely.
• I’ve even used it as a floor cleaner in the kitchen and bathroom.

It is safe for granite counters, the PH of the rubbing alcohol is about the same as water and Joy has no real lemon in it. 🙂   I occasionally wipe down my granite counters with just water to remove any residue, though I’ve never noticed any build up at all.

The recipe was so simple that I found it hard to believe until I tried it myself.  The cleaning lady was very insistent that the dish soap had to be Lemon Joy.  Not ultra Joy, just lemon.   She’d tried Dawn and others but they all left a film.  She’s right, I’ve tried others too.– They leave a film.

A small bottle of lemon joy  and rubbing alcohol will make a lot of spray cleaner.  Right now it costs me less than 15 cents a spray bottle!  So Thrifty.

Well everything has its season.  My four children have all flown the nest. And my house is much tidier, and I love it when they and the grand kids visit.   And my cleaning lady?  She visits daily.  Her name is Laura. 🙂  — Enjoy!  Laura