As a Nashua garden supply store, we’re always interested in practical ways to use plants at Sunny Valley Farms. Although the Christmas season has passed, there are still evergreen trees and plants everywhere. Using pine needles and a few other items you have around your house, you can easily make an all-natural pine disinfectant cleaner from scratch.
Take some tips from your Nashua garden supply experts and put nature to work! Here’s how to make disinfectant from pine needles.
Make Your Own Pine Cleaner
What You Need:
- Pine needles
- 1 ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
- Lemon or orange peel or essential oil (optional)
- Quart mason jar
- Spray bottle
How to Make It:
Cut the pine needles so they fit inside your quart-size mason jar. Put as many of them as will fit in the jar, along with the vinegar and water. Make sure the pine needles are fully submerged in the liquid so they don’t grow mold while they are soaking. If you are using lemon or orange peels, add them to the jar now. If you’re using essential oil, you can add it now or later. Use 15-30 drops of oil, depending on how strong you want the scent to be. Put the lid on the jar and let the needles soak in the vinegar and water mixture for about a week in a cool, dark place.
After a week, remove the needles from the jar and then add the rubbing alcohol. If you didn’t add any orange or lemon essential oil (or use peels) earlier, add it to the mixture now. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle or submerge some squares of fabric to make disinfectant wipes.
Why Pine Needles?
Other than their refreshingly natural scent, what are the advantages of using pine needles to make disinfectant? Pine needles contain pine oil, which is naturally antibacterial and mildly antiseptic. It is effective as a natural disinfectant that does not contain harsh chemicals and is safe to use in food prep areas and throughout your home. Pine needles are also very easy to find, especially in New Hampshire. All you have to do is step into your backyard, and they’re everywhere, even in the winter.