UPDATE:  I take back everything I said about this stuff just being OK.  It’s amazing.  I use it every day.  I like it because I don’t have to rinse it off like I do with the dawn vinegar spray.  And the longer it marinates in the orange peels, the better it works.  I was afraid it would eventually turn rancid, but instead, it’s just getting stronger and smelling better.  I like it so much that I’ve started another bottle brewing for me so that I hopefully won’t have an overlap in between bottles.  I’ve also started a smaller bottle brewing for my almost 4 year old daughter…  because it’s so safe that I’d be ok with her using it to “clean.”

—————-Original Post—————

OK, so I’ve seen several blog posts (like this one) encouraging you to put orange peels in a mason jar, cover the peels with distilled white vinegar, allow it to sit for two weeks, and then use it as an every day cleaner.  And I thought, “Why not just start off with a spray bottle?”

So here it is…  my Dollar Tree spray bottle…

I peeled a couple of oranges and put them straight into that bottle.

Then, I filled the bottle with distilled white vinegar…  just enough to almost cover the peels.

I then double checked to see that the cap was on tight and that the spray nozzle was completely closed, and then I put it under the cabinet with a note attached telling when it’d be ready. (Don’t get all jealous of my fancy labeling system.  It may be a scrap of paper, but “waste not, want not,” right?)

After two weeks, it looks like this:

Yes, I think the extension cord adds a lot to the picture, too.

 Anyway, I thought I’d give it a trial run, and luckily, I had a nasty highchair tray that had been left to dry over the holidays.

I sprayed the orange vinegar on the tray, let it sit for about 30 seconds, and wiped it off.

Not too bad.  Though it does have a nice orange scent to it, there’s still a strong vinegar scent (though the scent of the vinegar goes away once it dries.)  It’s a nice light weight cleaner, but I’ve gotten pretty spoiled to my dawn vinegar spray, which works amazingly.  So there you have it!  We’ll see if the peelings eventually turn rancid or if they will make this a stronger cleaning agent over time.  I’ll keep you updated on that one.

I’m planning on using this one for my countertops, table top, and high chair, since vinegar is great for disinfecting, and the combination of the orange and vinegar is ideal for light cleaning.  Anyway, hope this helps!  Let me know if you’ve tried it or if you have any other concoctions you’d like to share!