I am not a fan of dusting. Maybe it’s because I live in a dry arid desert and dust is a constant. Maybe it’s because I have to move everything off a surface before I can dust it and that means double the work. Maybe it’s because I generally distrust aerosols (like my can of Pledge) because I was told as a child that aerosols had created a big hole in the ozone and we were all gonna be incinerated by the sun. Or something like that. Anyway, I was excited when I found a recipe to make my own furniture spray with a just few cheap, non-toxic (and non-aerosol) ingredients.
I recently priced out a can of Pledge at the grocery store and it cost a whopping $5.99. What is in that can that costs so much? Not surprisingly, very little but it’s not listed on the can so I had to Google it. It contains water, mineral oil, silicone oil, and naptha (petroleum). It also contains butane, isobutane and propane that assist in propelling the liquid from the can (allegedly destroying the Ozone and terrifying millions of children who grew up in the 80’s). So basically it’s oil and water. Hah! I can copy that, no problem. I’ll just add a little white vinegar for it’s cleaning power and streak-free tendencies plus some lemon essential oil, a well-known cleaning agent for it’s disinfecting and germicidal properties. Lemon essential oil is also a great air-disinfectant which is a must during cold and flu season but only if it’s the real-deal, not the synthetic fragrance in Pledge and other store-bought cleaners.
Pour all the ingredients into the spray bottle using a funnel because no matter what you think your aim is not that good. Trust me on this one people! Screw the spray top on and your done. Oh, except you’ll want to shake it up a bit to mix it all together and then you’ll want to put a reminder on the bottle to shake before each use (see first photo).
Now that I’ve finished that little project I can dust away to my heart’s content. No worries about toxic chemicals, over-priced cleaning products or being incinerated by aerosol induced ozone damage. Okay, so I’m still not a fan of dusting but don’t worry, I just make my kids do it.
All-Natural Furniture Spray
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cups vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. vegetable glycerin
20 drops lemon essential oil
Using a funnel, pour all ingredients into a glass spray bottle. Shake well. Spray sparingly on surfaces and wipe with a clean soft cloth.
Note: I have been using this Furniture Spray for several months and really love it. I might be imagining things but it seems like I am having to dust less often now which makes me (and my kids) very happy.
I have also tried it on my stainless steel appliances and it works great on those surfaces as well.
I did a side-by-side test the other day using my old can of Pledge and my homemade version did a better job. Plus the smell of the Pledge was heinous!! Something you spray in your home should NOT smell like it could possibly kill you! Just sayin’…
Kristen says
Where can I get the brown spray bottle like that one?!?
Fabulous Farm Girl says
Hi Kristen–I buy them at a place local to me called Aroma Tools and you can order them online at http://www.aromatools.com. They come in different sizes with different style tops. The 16 oz. ones I use for cleaning plus a separate spray top will cost less than $2.00 total which is the cheapest I’ve found anywhere by far. Good luck!
–Leah
Erika says
Just tried this for the first time with my five year old right by my side insisting on helping me dust. LOVED knowing that we were getting icky fumes in our lungs. Thanks!
Fabulous Farm Girl says
Thanks Erika! I had to read your comment twice because you said you LOVED getting icky fumes in your lungs. Then I realized it was a typo and I got a good laugh. It was a typo, right? LOL
–Leah
amanda says
Hi! Where can I get vegetable glycerin?
Yanelys says
What is the serving size, so to speak, of these recipes? I see the bottle looks like it can hold more than just 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Should I double the recipe to fill an entire bottle like the Ones you us?
mitzi says
How does this work on antiques, I would hate to ruin the finish on my grandparents heirlooms.
Janet says
I love this and use thisrecipe allready but haven’t thought of putting glycerine in. Brilliant. For fun I tried a rapeseed oil mix stead of olive oil on our dining room table and I’m thrilled with the results. Thankyou so much for sharing your love of home made stuff with us. Xx
Leah says
Hi Janet–thanks for the idea. Next time I make a batch of dusting spray I’ll try your suggestion of canola oil and see how it works. Have a great day!
–Leah
Deborah hill says
TIP…THIS WORKS FOR ME….controls the dust..no choking….great smell…I use lavender.
sUSAN says
LOVE YOUR IDEAS
Alice Dozier says
Thank you for sharing this. I had this before, but, with the new format not able to find any of my friends or things I had saved before! Definitely FOLLOWING you