How to Make Homemade Disinfecting Cleaner (Homemade Pine Sol)

This homemade pine sol needle cleaner busts through dirt wipes it all away, and leaves a lovely pine smell behind! You can whip it up easily using basic, natural stuff!

Homemade Pine Sol Cleaner

When I became a mom, I wanted to make sure our home was safe and clean for my family. So, I started looking into ways to make eco-friendly cleaning products. But guess what? You can make your cleaner at home without spending a lot of money!

This DIY homemade pine sol needle cleaner is super easy to make. You only need a few essential ingredients that you already have. And the best part? It’s good at getting rid of dirt and germs!

Pine needles are great because they naturally fight bacteria. So, not only does this spray clean your surfaces, but it also helps to kill germs. And the smell? It’s amazing! It leaves your home smelling like fresh pine trees.

We have a bunch of pine trees in our yard, so I was excited to try this out. And let me tell you, it works like a charm!

6 Benefits of Natural Pine Cleaner:

1. Safe from toxins
2. No fake smells
3. No strong chemicals
4. Perfect for using old Christmas trees
5. Cleans and kills germs
6. Smells nice

TOOLS YOU MAY NEED

• Quart mason jar with a lid
• Measuring cups
• Scissors
• Flannel or cotton fabric (optional)
• Amber spray bottle (optional)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Pine needles
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
• 30 drops of lemon essential oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Put pine cuttings in a mason jar until complete, but you can still close the lid.
2. Pour white vinegar into the jar until it covers the pine needles.
3. Drop in 5 drops of lemon essential oil and close the lid tight.
4. Shake the jar to mix everything.
5. Keep the jar in a cool, dark place like your pantry for at least two weeks to let it soak.

How To Use Homemade Pine Needle Cleaner

• Once your homemade pine sol cleaner is soaked, remove the lid and strain out all the pine needles.
• Pour the liquid into a spray bottle until it’s about 2/3 full.
• Fill the rest of the bottle with filtered water.
• Please give it a good shake to mix everything up.
• Now, your homemade cleaning spray is good to go!

Tips and Tricks

Frequently Asked Questions

Do pine needles have cleaning benefits?

Pine needles naturally fight germs and bacteria. They also give this cleaner a lovely, gentle smell. When you mix them with lemon, it makes the cleaner smell unique and works well.

What kind of pine tree should I use?

Pine trees are a type of evergreen tree that has cones with seeds. We often call these “pine cones,” even though not all evergreens are pine trees.

To make a cleaning spray from pine needles, you can use any evergreen tree, like fir, spruce, or even old Christmas tree clippings! Just make sure the Christmas tree isn’t covered in fake snow. 

What surfaces can I clean with natural pine cleaning spray?

Before using any new cleaner, it’s wise to test it on a small area first to ensure it’s safe for your surfaces.

We like using our pine needle cleaner on the following:

Kitchen counters

Bathroom surfaces like toilets, showers, and sinks

Kitchen or laundry room sinks

Avoid using it on:

Wood surfaces, like antique furniture or hardwood floors, because vinegar-based cleaners might not suit them.

Unsealed or porous surfaces.

Stainless steel appliances, as vinegar-based solutions might not be suitable for them either.

DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE DISINFECTING CLEANER

1. First, grab some pine needles from any tree you like. Then, chop them up to fit into a quart-sized mason jar.
2. Next, let the pine needles sit in the vinegar mix in an excellent, dark spot for a week.
3. After that week’s up, remove the pine needles from the vinegar.
4. Now, mix in rubbing alcohol and any essential oils you want (if you have them).
5. Pour your homemade disinfectant into a spray bottle or use fabric scraps to make DIY disinfecting wipes.
6. Time to get cleaning! Use your homemade disinfectant on countertops, in the bathroom, and anywhere else that needs a good scrub.

NOTES

Keep your homemade pine sol cleaner in an excellent dark spot.

You can pick any pine needles you want for this recipe. Some smell stronger than others, but use what you have.

If you don’t have pine needles, citrus peels like lemon or orange can work, too, for cleaning.

Be careful, though. This disinfecting cleaner might make the metal lids on your mason jars rust. I prefer using plastic lids to avoid that.

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