Photo: EkaterinaSid (Shutterstock)
Nothing beats the scent of a real Christmas tree in the living room. But what those pine tree needles could be used as a general cleaner? Pine disinfectant is a popular, old-timey DIY that’s perfect for the season. Here are a few ways to make it.
The traditional method of making pine tree cleaner
There are a couple of recipe recommendations out there, so we’ll start with the one that has the shortest prep time, but they all require those precious bits of pine. For the first recipe, you’ll need:
Pine needles and/or sprigs1 ½ cups of white distilled vinegar1 ¼ cups of water¼ cup of rubbing alcoholA big jarA spray bottlePer Gather and Grow, pack your needles into the glass jar, then pour the vinegar in there and put it in a sunny window for a week. When the week is up, strain out the plant material, put the remaining vinegar in your spray bottle, add the ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol, and fill the remainder with water.
Other methods ask that you work on this longer than a week, so use the one above if you want to start that pine-fresh cleaning well before your guests arrive. The version below, from TikTok user Creative Explained, calls for you to chop up your sprigs and leave them in white vinegar for about three weeks, but you don’t need the rubbing alcohol.
G/O Media may get a commission
Up to 35% off
Tile Item Trackers
Bluetooth-enabled
Tile has a number of trackers on sale which use Bluetooth to pinpoint their exact whereabouts. They’re great for keys and wallets, but also luggage tags and more.
And if you have a fake Christmas tree?
If you go the faux route and don’t feel like foraging for pine needles outside, you can still enjoy your own homemade pine disinfectant. According to author and natural DIY expert Sophie Uliano, here’s what you need to make your own modernized version:
A teaspoon of borax½ teaspoon of washing soda crystalTwo tablespoons of white vinegar½ teaspoon of liquid castile soap½ teaspoon of pine essential oilTwo cups of hot waterA spray bottleJust combine all those ingredients into your bottle, and you’ll have a great-smelling cleaning spray.
