Repurpose Your Christmas Tree: Make "Spruce-Sol" Cleaner
Many of us love bringing home a fresh, fragrant Christmas tree to fill our homes with that cozy holiday vibe... and I’m definitely one of those people! But as an herbalist, I’m always looking for ways to bring more of nature into my everyday life. I just knew my Christmas tree had more uses than just being pretty. I couldn’t simply toss such a beautiful Christmas tree out without repurposing it somehow, which led me to create this DIY that has become a seasonal staple for me.
You can even use this DIY as a multipurpose cleaner, glass cleaner, or even fabric softener! It's perfect for keeping the holiday spirit alive in every room and it will leave your clothes smelling amazing when used as a fabric softener. Oh, did I mention it costs just a fraction of the price compared to conventional cleaners?
One more thing before we dive into this DIY... I’ve tried using longleaf pine in the past, but the scent just wasn’t strong enough for me. After experimenting with spruce and now cypress, I’ve found both give off an amazing, fragrant scent! Any type of spruce will work, but keep in mind that Christmas trees are usually a mix of spruce, pine, or fir, and some varieties are more aromatic than others. Also, DIY is more of a concentrate, so one batch will last you a while!
Watch me put it all together!
Ingredients:
- Fresh or dreid Spruce, Fir, Cedar, Cyprus or Pine leaves.
- Citrus peels (optional)
- White Vinegar
- Air-tight jar
Instructions:
- Press leaves (you can just roll them around in your hands) to extract oils.
- Add citrus peels (optional)
- Fill jar up with leaves.
- Cover leaves with white vinegar.
- Let sit for 2-3 weeks.
- Strain the liquid out and dilute as needed for whatever cleaning product you are needing!
*Remember, this recipe is more of a concentrate, so dilute with distilled water or more vinegar as needed.
Main uses:
1. Multipurpose cleaner. I like to cut it in half with some water and a few drops of castile soap. I would not recommend using this on granite.
2. Fabric Softener (works well in HE washers!). Use as is, no need to dilute it for fabric softener.
3. Glass & window cleaner It smells great and is way healthier than pine-sol and other chemically-filled cleaners. Cut it in half with water and you can even add a tsp. or two of rubbing alcohol for extra pa-zazz.
Happy holiday cleaning,
Chelsea Henderson
Founder & Formulator
Skin Balm Apothecary