Tip of the Week

Got Lemons?

…Make furniture polish.

I come from a family of antique dealers, therefore my little apartment is chock full of oak, cherry, pine and walnut. In return for an inheritance of irreplacable furniture, I am determined to provide proper love and care – frequent polishing. My grandmother used to use a simple concoction made from lemon juice, olive oil and vinegar, and the citrusy smell of her freshly polished house was intoxicating. So, rather than hunting down the greenest, cleanest furniture polish at the store, I decided to make my own.

Oil based formulas leave furniture feeling sticky, so stick to a vinegar-based or lemon juice formula. Here is one I found in Annie B. Bond's book, Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living.

1/4 Cup white distilled vinegar or lemon juice
A few drops jojoba or olive oil
3 to 5 drops fragrant essential oil (optional)

When considering the right fragrance, choose an antiseptic essential oil. I added sweet eucalyptus for a clean summer scent. And if you want to give your cleaner an unlimited shelf life, opt for vinegar (lemon can turn rancid).

The Green Guide offers many more Do-It-Yourself Household Cleaners.

© The Green Guide, 2008

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