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    Home » Green Cleaning » Evergreen Scented Vinegar for Cleaning

    Evergreen Scented Vinegar for Cleaning

    Published: Nov 15, 2018 · Modified: Mar 17, 2020 by Bren

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning (pine vinegar) can be made with just two simple ingredients: vinegar and fresh evergreens. Learn how to make this easy pine scented cleaner today!

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning can be made with just two simple ingredients: vinegar and fresh evergreens. Learn how to make this easy pine scented cleaner today! This post uses affiliate links, they don’t cost you a thing and help us bring you green cleaning tutorials. Learn more in policies and disclosures.

    Vinegar is one of my favorite weapons in the green cleaning war.

    Unfortunately cleaning with vinegar makes the house smell  like…

    well…

    VINEGAR.

    (Big shock!!!)

    Scenting Vinegar

    Some people flat-out REFUSE to clean with vinegar because of the ODOR. (If you clean with vinegar you know that the smell doesn’t last for long. Vinegar is a natural deodorizer… it dries scentless.)

    But I get it, it is MORE FUN to clean with yummy scents of flowers and refreshing forest odors drifting through your home.

    Luckily it’s easy (and cheap) to make scented vinegar that is a great natural cleaner AND is less offensive to the nose.

    How to Make Scented Vinegar for Cleaning. This DIY cleaner is easy to make and non-toxic. It cuts through grease with ease. Orange vinegar for cleaning combines the cleaning power of vinegar and orange oil. All-natural, non-toxic cleaning.

    Moving Beyond Citrus Scented Vinegar

    Orange vinegar was my first successful vinegar scent.  It’s easy to make from leftover orange peels and popular with DIyers (You’ve probably seen versions of it online.) Orange vinegar cleans great due to the orange oil it contains and has a light citrus scent from the peels. (Get my favorite orange vinegar cleaner recipes HERE)

    I cleaned with orange vinegar for years and even learned to make cleaning vinegar with other types of citrus fruit and herbs. Then I started to get a little BORED with citrus vinegar.

    I thought about other popular cleaner scents and decided that evergreen  or pine might be a nice addition to my cleaning routine. (Hello, PineSol and hundreds of other store bought cleaners!)

    How to Make Scented Vinegar for Cleaning. This DIY cleaner is easy to make and non-toxic. It cuts through grease with ease. Orange vinegar for cleaning combines the cleaning power of vinegar and orange oil. All-natural, non-toxic cleaning.

    Pine Scent Cleaners

    Do you love the smell of pine scented cleaner?

    PineSol was the original pine oil-based cleaner invented in 1929. It contained pine oil as it’s active ingredient. (Pine oil is is made by distilling pine stumps, boughs, needles and cones. It has a lovely piney scent and is a natural disinfectant.)

    Unfortunately, the pine oil was eliminated from PineSol in 2014 so the commercially sold cleaner is now petrochemical based and with artificial fragrance.

    A big whan-wa (that’s my verbal sound effect for failure) for those of us who avoid both of these ingredients.

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning can be made with just two simple ingredients: vinegar and fresh evergreens. Learn how to make this easy pine scented cleaner today!

    The Great Evergreen Smell Test

    I decided to make an ALL-NATURAL pine scented cleaner and, after a bit of brainstorming, decided to try steeping evergreens in vinegar to extract the scent.

     Evergreen Scent Tip

    Have you ever gotten up close and personal with a tree? If not, let me tell you a little SECRET –>

    • Some evergreens smell like Christmas and fresh clean forests (HOORAY!).
    • And some smell like cat urine (BLACH!).

    The Experiment

    I didn’t want my cleaner (or house) to smell like cat urine, so I conducted an evergreen vinegar scenting experiment: 

    1. I gathered branches from my dried up Christmas wreath and a neighborhood pine tree.
    2. I put the needles in separate glass jars and covered them with white vinegar.
    3. I allowed the vinegar to steep for several weeks in a dark cupboard then smelled the results.
    4. In the end, the vinegar steeped for 6 weeks (or more) for the best smell to develop.

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning strained

    Pine Scented Cleaner Results

    The DIY evergreen vinegar for cleaning smelled best when made with spruce branches from a Christmas wreath. It has a mild, piney scent. (Full disclosure: I am not a botanist… just a crazy DIYer! The wreath was labeled SPRUCE. )

    The fallen pine needles also produced a nice scent, but it was much milder and still had a lot of vinegar odor. (Stronger scents helps to better mask vinegar odor.)

    The Evergreen Scented Vinegar Verdict

    Vinegar takes nearly twice as long to scent using evergreen needles instead of citrus peels. But it is such a simple and affordable project there is nothing to lose! (Plus it’s a fun experiment!)

    I will make evergreen vinegar again (especially around the holidays when I can easily get evergreen clippings).

    *2019 Update: I’ve now made  evergreen vinegar multiple time and have left jars to steep as long as 3-6 months. The spruce vinegar gets more and more pine scented (and more orange in color). The pine vinegar stays milder with a vinegar odor and light green color. Spruce is still the winner!

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning can be made with just two simple ingredients: vinegar and fresh evergreens. Learn how to make this easy pine scented cleaner today!

    How to Make Pine Vinegar

    You can make your own pine scented vinegar with 2 simple ingredients: evergreen clipping and white vinegar.

    Directions:

    1. Place evergreen branches or needles into a clean glass jar with a lid.
    2. Fill the rest of the jar with white vinegar.
    3. Allow the mixture to steep for at least 3 to 6 weeks in a dark, cool place. (*Speed up the process by heating the vinegar before pouring it over the evergreens.)
    4. Filter the branches or needles out of the vinegar.
    5. Store the vinegar in a cool, dark place and use for household cleaning.

    *I’ve left evergreen vinegar to steep for up to 6 months! The scent gets better and better!

    How to Make Pine Vinegar Quickly

    If you have no time to gather and steep evergreen needles you can make quick pine cleaner by adding a few drops of pine essential oil  or spruce essential oil to vinegar or vodka. (Pine oil was the original active ingredient in PineSol. It is made by distilling pine stumps, boughs, needles and cones and has a lovely piney scent, plus it’s natural disinfectant.)

    1. Combine in a dark glass spray bottle:
    • 1 cup of white vinegar or cheap vodka (using vodka will give the cleaner more of pine odor)
    • 1 cup of water
    • 5-10 drops of pine oil

    Evergreen scented vinegar for cleaning steeping

    Scented Vinegar Cleaning Recipes

    Use pine scented vinegar in your cleaning recipes. These are a few of my favorite:

    • Bathroom Cleaner – Use full strength to help remove hard water stains when cleaning the bathroom. Mix with dish detergent for a no-scrub shower cleaner.
    • No Rinse Multi-Purpose Cleaner – Mix 1/2 cup vinegar with 4 cups water and 1/4 tsp hand-washing dish detergent. Use to clean counter tops, sinks, toilets, and hard floors. Use mixture in  “quick mop” for ceramic tile and linoleum floors (get my hardwood floor cleaner recipe here).
    • Window Cleaner – Mix 1 cup water with 1 cup  vinegar and pour into a spray bottle. Mist windows and mirrors with the solution and wipe clean.
    • Stainless Steel Appliance Cleaner – Dampen part of a microfiber cloth with vinegar. Wipe against the grain of the stainless steel. Use the dry portion of the cloth to wipe dry.

    *Use caution when cleaning with vinegar. There are a few vinegar don’ts including natural stone, wood, electronics, and grout. Learn them all HERE.

    More Scented Vinegar for Cleaning

    Like cleaning with orange vinegar? Check out my other favorite DIY vinegar scents.

    • Orange Vinegar for Cleaning

    How to Make Scented Vinegar for Cleaning. This DIY cleaner is easy to make and non-toxic. It cuts through grease with ease. Orange vinegar for cleaning combines the cleaning power of vinegar and orange oil. All-natural, non-toxic cleaning.

    • Herb Infused Vinegar for Cleaning

    How to Make Scented Vinegar for Cleaning- This DIY cleaner made with citrus peels and herbs is easy to make and non-toxic. It cuts through grease with ease. Combines the cleaning power of vinegar and citus oil. If you love using vinegar for green cleaning but want to make it smell better, try this! All-natural, non-toxic cleaning. No essential oils.

    I hope you try making scented vinegar or scented vodka. A few jars can replace commercially scented cleaners for a greener, healthier home.

    Cleaning with Vinegar

    Learn more about cleaning with vinegar in this guide and get recipes for great vinegar based cleaners.

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christina H

      March 30, 2021 at 10:34 pm

      Have you ever considered doing pine *with* citrus peels? I was already making citrus vinegar (and also making my own ACV from apple scraps), but we have SO many pine trees here that I wanted to branch out (pun intended lol). I’m trying to figure out if the scents will compliment one another!

      Reply
      • Bren

        April 01, 2021 at 11:24 am

        Great question, Christina! I have made citrus OR evergreen but never tried combining the two. It would be pretty cheap to try a jar, let me know if you do and you like the scent!

        Reply
    2. Lisa

      February 16, 2021 at 8:18 am

      As a Christmas tree grower, I make this all the time, along with a Christmas scent for my customers. Use Grand fir and green or blue spruce.

      Reply
      • Esther

        December 06, 2021 at 11:05 am

        Hi will white pine work as well? That’s all I have Thanks

        Reply
    3. Lisa Cooper

      January 02, 2021 at 9:14 pm

      I am wondering if you have to use a glass jar or if I can use a food grade 5 gallon bucket?

      (Sorry if I sent this twice)

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 27, 2021 at 9:16 am

        You can use either (as long as the plastic can hold vinegar). I prefer glass so I can see the results!

        Reply
      • Jan

        June 06, 2021 at 6:44 pm

        How about redwood banches – anyone tried that?

        Reply
        • Bren

          July 20, 2021 at 9:40 am

          I have not tried Redwood. Let me know if you do!

          Reply
    4. Deborah

      May 25, 2020 at 12:42 am

      I’m really curious to know what wound up smelling like cat urine. We are surrounded by Douglas Fir trees, and I’d love to use that unless it turns out to be the culprit in the cat urine smell. We already have a cat who has pee issues. 😜

      Reply
      • Bren

        May 26, 2020 at 11:37 am

        Deborah, if the tree doesn’t smell like cat urine when it’s damp or you crush a few needles you should be fine. I did not use the tree that smelled like cat urine to make the scented vinegar. I used trees that smelled good.

        Reply
    5. Alicia

      April 06, 2020 at 9:44 pm

      Bren,
      Yay spruce! Pine is one of the best scents ever and these recipes are fantastic. thank you for time and efforts and bringing them to us.

      Alicia

      Reply
      • Bren

        April 14, 2020 at 1:29 pm

        Thanks, Alicia!

        Reply
    6. e

      April 03, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      I just bought a bottle of original pin-sol from home depot and the ingredients contain long leaf pine oil.

      Reply
      • Bren

        April 14, 2020 at 1:49 pm

        Interesting! According to Clorox (the manufacturer of Pine-sol), “We will be selling the old formula of Pine-Sol® Pine directly to consumers at PineSolOriginalPine.com. We’ve decided to manufacture a limited supply of the old formula of Pine-Sol® Pine because we wanted to acknowledge the concerns voiced by a group of our long-time loyal fans, and provide a way to purchase the product they love, since it is no longer available in stores.” They also say “Original Pine-Sol” now contains these ingredients: https://smartlabel.labelinsight.com/product/6094147/ingredients . Hope this helps!
        Bren

        Reply
    7. Julie C

      May 03, 2018 at 11:30 am

      I use distilled white vinegar and pine needles. In fact, I just started a new batch–went outside and pulled enough fresh pine needles to fill a half gallon Mason jar (took less than 5 minutes) then rinsed them several times with the hose to remove pollen, dust, and bird droppings. I shook all of the water off and then used an old pair of scissors to cut each handful 3 times. Then I filled the jar to within a half inch of the top with white vinegar, labeled the contents, added the date and the date when it should be ready (about 6 weeks). I usually mix half water/half infused vinegar for a spray cleaner and to mop my hardwood floors. I also make infused cleaners with orange peels, rosemary, and sage from my herb garden.

      Reply
      • Bren

        May 03, 2018 at 12:00 pm

        Great ideas, Julie! I want to try rosemary vinegar this summer. I’ve tried herbs with citrus but never alone.

        Reply
    8. Kate

      January 31, 2018 at 11:40 am

      Hi some great ideas in use vinegre for so many things so an’t wait to start infusing. Would fresh rosemary work and maybe Lavender too?

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 31, 2018 at 6:07 pm

        Yes, you can use herbs to scent vinegar. You can read about my herb scented vinegar here. I also love scenting vinegar with oranges and other citrus fruit peels. PLease let me know how your herb versions turn out! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Donna G.

      November 20, 2017 at 10:59 am

      Hi Bren,

      I am hoping that you can recommend some essential oil/oils to use on pine cones that have been treated and dried according to your directions. I am planning on making some pine cone decorations for around the house and I would love for them to smell “like Christmas”. We do not put up a tree anymore – just the two of us – kids are grown and gone – most out of state, but I really do miss having the smell in the house. Any advice would be appreciated – also is it okay to use the cheaper essential oils for this or are the more expensive ones better? I totally enjoy your postings. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 20, 2017 at 12:36 pm

        I love the smell of Christmas too! I like using cinnamon, clove, pine needle, balsam fir needle, and/or orange to make the house smell like Christmas. You can add a few drop to a diffuser or dried pine cones, Have you seen my other tips for scenting your home with oils? There is no need to use expensive oils. I’m a big fan of the NOW brand.

        Reply
    10. Clarissa

      December 14, 2016 at 5:07 pm

      Ohh I’m excited to try this! The forest-y, pine-y, scents of this time of year are my absolute favorite (note to self: stop buying “Balsam Fir” candles at bath and Body Works)

      -Clarissa

      Reply
    11. Marcella

      September 02, 2016 at 6:06 pm

      I have so enjoyed all the comments about the vinegar and putting I the oranges, lemons, and pine needles! My bathroom floor is always stickie, I do use hairspray and I have used vinegar on the floor but it doesn’t smell real good. Hoping this helps!

      Reply
      • Bren

        September 02, 2016 at 6:28 pm

        Thanks for commenting, Marcella. You should also check out my favorite floor cleaner recipe.

        Reply
    12. Doug

      June 25, 2016 at 10:05 am

      If you crush the needles before using them they will diffuse faster. They are naturally designed to hold moisture and so are slower to release the oils that scent the vinegar.

      Reply
      • Bren

        June 25, 2016 at 8:42 pm

        Excellent suggestion, thanks Doug!

        Reply
    13. Brooke

      March 05, 2016 at 12:27 pm

      I don’t know why I didn’t think to use pine needles. I’ve been making mine with orange or lemon peels, and sometimes Rosemary, when I get it, for some time now. This works well for my after shower spray, the straight vinegar is a little much. The spray is a mix of 2 C vinegar, 1 Tbls dishwasher rinse aid (cheap works fine), and the rest of a 32 oz bottle is filled with warm water. I also add a few drops of lemongrass essential oil and tea tree to disinfect even more. I can go a full 3 weeks without needing to clean the bath/shower, as long as my DH remembers to use it after he showers too! It also destroyes odors. I used the same recipe, without the rinse aid, to spray the air around the house and also on the curtains, beds and cloth furniture, like Fabreeze.

      When I make the smell good vinegar I heat the vinegar for about one min in the microwave before pouring it into the jar with the peels. This allows me to make it in about an hour or two. The citrus scent is usually too strong if I leave it longer than six hours and find I have to add more vinegar to make it less potent. When I use Rosemary it takes about three to four hours and no more than nine hours. I hope this idea will help shorten the amount of time it takes you to make yours.

      I will be cutting some branches from our pine tree soon and will have to keep all those needles to try this out. What’s left over will go in a zip bag and into the freezer for later use. Also, when spring comes I will be picking lavender branches to try those out too, along with some other herbs!

      Thanks so much for this idea! My mind is now open to all the possible scents out there!

      Reply
      • Bren

        March 05, 2016 at 2:26 pm

        Great tips Brooke! Thank you for stopping by to share. I will definitely be trying them out!

        Reply
    14. Birte Jahn

      January 06, 2016 at 7:37 am

      Hi, thanks a lot. Your Blog is amazing! Greetings from Birte Jahn

      Reply
      • Bren

        January 06, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thank you for the lovely compliment and welcome! I am so glad you are here!

        Reply
    15. Andrew

      December 26, 2015 at 7:45 pm

      Those are fir needles, not spruce. Good idea though. I bet most conifers would work.

      Reply
      • Bren

        December 27, 2015 at 9:02 am

        I agree, Andrew. I think most conifers would work.

        Reply
    16. Júlia

      December 19, 2015 at 8:15 am

      Excellent tip!
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Bren

        December 19, 2015 at 6:46 pm

        Thanks Júlia!

        Reply
    17. judith

      November 21, 2015 at 7:56 am

      Love this idea! I’m going to scour the neighborhood for pine trees. I’m thinking of maybe scoring the cedar twigs with a knife to open the bark a little. Maybe this will allow more of the resin to release into the vinegar quicker. I’m excited! I love the smell of pine.

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 21, 2015 at 9:36 am

        Great ideas Judith! Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    18. Cathy

      November 06, 2015 at 5:36 am

      What a wonderful and simple idea, I exclusively use vinegar and baking soda for cleaning. Why didn’t I think of scenting it 😉
      Thank you, Cathy

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 06, 2015 at 11:05 am

        Thanks Cathy! I am glad you enjoyed the tutorial!

        Reply
    19. Meadow Walker

      November 05, 2015 at 10:24 am

      I add several rosemary sprigs to white vinegar and allow it to infuse for 14 days. Remove the rosemary sprigs and pour the vinegar in a spray bottle. Lovely fragrance. I also make a vinegar cleaner using 3 tablespoons of dried lavender buds and white vinegar. Or 3 tablespoons of dried mint and white vinegar. All of these control odors and eliminate common bacteria in the kitchen and bathroom. Dried sage works well and so does thyme.

      Reply
      • Bren

        November 05, 2015 at 11:59 am

        Great tips! I have often wondered about using rosemary or other dried herbs. Do you use fresh or dried rosemary?

        Reply
        • Meadow Walker

          November 05, 2015 at 12:23 pm

          I like both. When the rosemary is at its peak in spring and summer, I’ll use the fresh. In autumn, I’ll dry the stems and leaves on paper towels, and once they are dry, I’ll add them to the vinegar. The fresh rosemary has a distinct and very piney fragrance, but the dried reminds of the holidays with spruce and cedar.

          By the way, I love your website.

          Reply
          • Bren

            November 05, 2015 at 2:41 pm

            Thank you so much for the information and lovely compliment! You’ve made my day!

            Reply
    20. Daedfruma

      August 19, 2015 at 4:38 pm

      May I ask how long does this last? As in, will it get moldy? Sorry if this is a very stupid question.

      Reply
      • Bren

        August 19, 2015 at 8:03 pm

        It last quite a long time. I have kept it in the cupboard for 6 months, it did not mold. I would not leave the solids in for that long!

        Reply
    21. bekah

      May 04, 2015 at 12:52 pm

      Hi! I’m just starting my journey on a cleaner more natural home. I was wondering if I could mix essential oils in vinegar to use as a floor cleaner?

      Reply
      • Bren

        May 04, 2015 at 4:02 pm

        Thanks for commenting, Bekah! Yes, vinegar and essential oils are a great base for floor cleaner. For vinyl or tile floor cleaner → mix 4 cups warm water, ½ cup white vinegar, and ½ teaspoon liquid dishwashing soap (not Castile) with 5 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle or spray mop (To use: spray floor and immediately wipe clean with an absorbent mop or cloth pad, rinse floor pad as needed while cleaning). For hardwood floor cleaner → mix 2 cups warm water, ½ cup white vinegar, and 5 drops of essential oil in a spray bottle or spray mop. (To use: spray floor and immediately wipe clean with an absorbent mop or cloth, rinse floor pad as needed while cleaning.) You can also make my hardwood floor polish/restorer using olive oil, essential oils, and white vinegar. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    22. Jamie Jewell Walther

      May 22, 2014 at 2:22 pm

      Hi Bren – hope you and your beautiful family are well! This is such a great blog name & idea. Glad I hit the link off your FB post! Curious – do u think the steeping time might be shorter if you sniped the needles into smaller pieces? Thinking the cutting will open up the essence better – similar to chopping rosemary?????

      Reply
      • Bren

        May 22, 2014 at 5:38 pm

        Great idea, Jamie! I haven’t tried it but it might work. When I use orange rinds they are in pieces, so you are probably on to something. If you try it please let me know how it turns out.

        Reply
    23. Dawn @ Reveal Natural Health

      May 21, 2014 at 3:43 pm

      You are so creative, Bren! I clean with vinegar but I had never thought of scented vinegar. That’s got to be way better than the vinegar smell.

      Reply
      • Bren

        May 22, 2014 at 9:05 am

        Thanks Dawn! It’s either creativity or lunacy that tell me to collect stray branches on my walk and try putting them in vinegar… 🙂

        Reply
      • Maria Chandler

        June 28, 2017 at 4:28 am

        I clean my hardwood floors with warm water, vinegar and half a squeezed fresh lemon, Throw the lemon into the bucket after squeezing. Add a few drops of lemon oil. I ran out of lemon oil and used peppermint oil. The house smelled devine and bugs dont like it.

        Reply
        • Bren

          June 28, 2017 at 3:38 pm

          Great tips, Maria!

          Reply

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