How to Make a 2-Ingredient All-Purpose Cleaner

Making your own all-purpose cleaner is easy. This version is scented with rosemary you can source from home gardens.

It’s perfect for sinks, bathrooms, and countertops, because rosemary and vinegar have antibacterial and antifungal properties—so not only does the cleaner have a lovely aroma, but it disinfects too. This recipe comes to us from Stefani Bittner, owner of San Francisco Bay Area’s Homestead Design Collective and co-author of Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants.

Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 5 to 7 days infusing time

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh rosemary or herb of choice (lavender and thyme are also good options)
• 2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 2 cups filtered water

Supplies

• Mason jar, plus an additional jar
• Fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth
• Funnel
• Glass spray bottle

1. Harvest

Cut enough rosemary to fill 2 cups. Bittner prefers Chef’s Choice Rosemary, part of the Sunset Western Garden Collection (sunsetwesterngardencollection.com), because of its high oil content.

2. Rinse

Be sure to rinse the herbs, checking for any pests and debris. Dry thoroughly on a clean towel.

3. Infuse

Pack the herbs into an airtight mason jar. Pour distilled white vinegar into the jar until it is close to the top. Secure the lid tightly and place jar in a cool, dark place for 5 to 7 days. Give it a good shake daily.

4. Strain

Filter the infused vinegar by pouring it through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth draped over a funnel into a clean glass jar. Store in a cool, dark place; the cleaner will keep for up to 1 year.

5. Mix

To make the all-purpose cleaner, use a 1 to 1 ratio of rosemary-infused vinegar and filtered water. Mix together in a glass spray bottle and shake to blend well. Shake before each use. If you want to use the cleaner on granite or stainless steel, add 5 drops of infused lavender oil per cup of cleaner (the oil really makes these surfaces shine).