Who knew that this would be the year of hand sanitizer? The shelves have been empty for weeks. But never fear, homemade disinfectant spray is here to save your day. I've developed a pretty good habit of washing my hands each time I return home [she says, as she gets up to wash her hands because she totally forgot]. Dang! Keeping my hands clean during a pandemic is hard enough but what about my keyboard? My phone? There are numerous studies concluding that cell phones can transmit bacteria and even viruses. It's a slippery slope when it comes to the question: what-have-I-touched-before-I-washed-my-hands?
A disinfectant spray is a good thing to have around the house. The CDC recommends cleaning frequently touched surfaces (door handles, tables etc.) and offers helpful guidelines. In the spirit of being helpful and clean, we've got a homemade disinfectant spray recipe for you. Our team member, and fellow trailblazer, Kari, made a DIY video you to help you make a natural sanitizing spray for your home. You can use Kari's spray in place of other name-brand disinfectant products.
Add 10 drops of each essential oil into the continuous mist spray bottle
Fill the bottle halfway with everclear
Fill the other half with distilled water (distilled is preferable because it will not mold as quickly)
tips from the maker herself
I asked Kari some questions that dig more deeply into the process of a homemade/DIY spray and why it might be something you choose to make for your home. Also, if you're curious, Kari is wearing our 'hell yeah' bandana!
What are some of the benefits to using homemade, natural cleaning products? (are there concerns with mainstream cleaning products?
I utilize the Environmental Working Group website frequently. They even have an app for your phone to check questionable items immediately when shopping by scanning the product's barcode and getting a summary of the ingredients, and alters to any potential negative health effects and a rating scale.
what other homemade products do you use for yourself?
I regularly make my own foaming handsoap, wood cleaner, a multi-purpose cleaning solution (that works on counters, appliances, toilets, showers/tubs glass and mirrors) and hand sanitizer. I also make my own laundry detergent, beeswax candles, lip balm and have even dabbled in deodorant (still perfecting that formula) and dry shampoo.
do you have a personal journey or story around why this is important to you?
Yes, I have always loved aromatherapy. I loved smelling everything outdoors as a kid: Honeysuckle, sweetgrass, fruits-all of it. I have a highly sensitive olfactory system. When I found a lavender essential oil in Whole Foods some 15 years ago, I casually added it to a spray bottle with distilled water for a linen spray and was kind of hooked. Essential oils and aromatherapy have such a profound effect on humans because they tap into your limbic system which is responsible for emotions and memory.
I have a background in psychology and began researching my fascination with smells. Essential oils have the power to release stuck energy around negative memories and trauma, reduce stress, and help reset imbalance in body functions. One of the other benefits of essential oils are antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiseptic properties; it makes them great ingredient in home cleaning products! Around that same time, I became bothered with how much packaging we were consuming to operate the daily life of a family of four. The laundry detergent containers and the spray bottles were really getting to me. So, I set out looking for recipes to make my own laundry detergent first. Then, I began researching recipes for a cleaner that would not only clean but also reduce the number of products I needed for each cleaning task. [tip: glass spray bottles that you can fill with homemade sprays]
I really love helping people learn how essential oils can be used in a myriad of ways, from cleaning to affecting emotional and physical health. I make roller blends for folks to use alone or in conjunction with my energy healing practice. Essential oils are a really beautiful gift of the earth!
what are some other easy to make products?
Foaming hand soap, wood cleaner and the multi-purpose spray are really easy starters products.
Thanks for reading and for being one of our amazing trailblazers. Happy cleaning!
