TOP DROPS: Yesteryear Plantations has a wide range of eucalyptus oil and oil-based products. Photos: Rachel Webb.
Andrea Sturgess is proud of what she and her husband have achieved on Valley Views with their eucalyptus operation, Yesteryear Plantation.
Paul Sturgess does a bit of weeding on some young eucalyptus plants.
One of those achievements is her recipe for her Everyday Radiata Eucalyptus Spray and Wipe Cleaner, which she shares with Smart Farmer below.
- In a 500ml spray trigger bottle add 60ml of pure Radiata eucalyptus oil, 60ml of Methylated Spirits (Metho speeds up the drying time) then have a smell of the mixture (your nose is the best indicator you have). If you like the aroma, fill to the top with water.
- Shake well before use and every so often to keep the three ingredients mixed.
- Keep with the cheap spray-trigger bottles as over time pure eucalyptus oil will weaken the inside of the trigger head to cause leaking. Once leaking starts, go buy or find another cheap one.
- I use this and paper towels to clean my windows, mirrors, stainless steel, grease off the cook top splash back and range hood, bench tops, tiles, front of the oven and microwave oven doors and white goods in the kitchen. Then I change to a Chux cloth to spray and wipe any marks off kitchen cupboard doors and walls while moving into the bathroom to do similar surfaces in the same way.
- Being on septic, I do not have toilet blues or any other toilet cleaners. I only use the eucalyptus spray and wipe by spraying inside the toilet then scrubbing with the toilet brush, flushing then spraying all around the outside including the seat and lid, then wipe with a Chux cloth.
- You can even do the inside of your car, leather/vinyl seats, plus windows and mirrors. A good pure Australian eucalyptus oil will not streak or stain; it's non-residual, making it an excellent natural cleaner.
Paul fires up the steam boiler at Valley Views.