There was a point where I realised that most of the products I was using to clean my home didn’t actually sit comfortably with the way I wanted to live.

I was wiping down kitchen surfaces where food is prepared, spraying tables little hands lean on, and misting rooms where my child plays — all with products I couldn’t fully understand when I turned the bottle around and read the ingredients.

That was the moment I started looking more closely.

I came across beautifully branded cleaners like Purdy & Fig. They’re lovely, and I understand the appeal. But when I broke down the ingredients, I realised two things:

1. The formulas are often very simple
2. The cost is largely in the packaging, marketing, and convenience

And that sparked a question: Could I make something just as effective, safer for children, and far more affordable — at home?

The answer was yes.

My surface cleaner is made from ingredients I already had: vinegar, water, essential oils, and sometimes a little alcohol for disinfecting. It cleans brilliantly, smells fresh rather than overpowering, and doesn’t leave me worrying about what’s lingering on the surfaces my family touches every day.

There’s also a quiet satisfaction in using something you’ve made yourself. It feels grounding. Intentional. A small reclaiming of autonomy in a world that constantly tries to sell us solutions we don’t actually need.

This wasn’t about perfection. It was about being more conscious. And once I made the switch, I never really looked back.