There are endless ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle around your home, from repurposing old containers to making the most of your leftovers. One sustainable advocate shared how she makes use of food waste to make an all-natural surface cleaner.
The scoop
Brennan Kai (@brennan.kai) shares recipes, budget tips, and eco-friendly hacks on her TikTok account. She's even used her page to educate about microplastics.
In one clip, she shows followers how to easily make a surface cleaner using orange peels and vinegar.
@brennan.kai one of my all-time favorite #zerowaste tricks! 🍊 #diy #sustainable #lowwaste #plasticfree #foodwaste #ecohome #cleaning #cleantok #nontoxic ♬ Buttercup - MixAndMash
The instructions for how to make this cleaning concoction could not be simpler. Next time you eat an orange, simply take the peel and put it in an airtight jar covered with white vinegar. Then, Brennan says to leave your mixture in "a cool, dark place for a couple of weeks."
"In my experience, the longer you leave them, the better it smells," she adds.
After that, you can sift out any solids (bonus tip: toss your orange peels in the compost). To finish your cleaner, make a 50-50 solution of your mixture and water, and voila, you've made a great-smelling surface cleaner.
How it's helping
Orange is a popular additive to cleaning products, partially due to the lovely citrus smell, but these fruits also have some cleaning properties.
CNET explained the magic of oranges, writing: "Orange peels produce a natural oil, called D-limonene, that's used in many cleaning products because it helps keep surfaces shiny, clean and sweet-smelling. And the peels have antibacterial properties for killing household germs."
Using food waste, like your leftover orange peel, is also an eco-friendly choice. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, around 8% of planet-warming pollution from human activities comes from lost and wasted food.
Without this hack, the orange peels would likely end up contributing to that problem, but now, you get to help the planet while avoiding expensive chemical cleaners. Since you are likely using vinegar you already have on hand, your new cleaning solution is virtually free.
In addition to being cheap and environmentally friendly, natural cleaners like this are healthier for your family. Many traditional cleaners contain caustic compounds known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause adverse health effects in humans and animals.
The Environmental Protection Agency stated that VOCs have been linked to "eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination and nausea" and a plethora of other issues.
What everyone's saying
Eco-enthusiasts loved how simple this tip was.
"Such a fantastic idea!" one person said.
"Oh yay! Thanks for sharing!" someone else wrote.
"Any citrus fruits work well for this, and so does pine!" another commenter suggested.
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