Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes: How To Keep Your Home Clean Naturally
Cleaning the home can be a real drag. It takes time, energy, and money. To make things worse, the ingredients used in most commercial cleaners can contain harmful chemicals that are toxic for your family. These chemicals may cause respiratory problems, birth defects, and cancer. You might be thinking, what’s the alternative? The answer: Eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes!
Making these eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes is a terrific alternative to expensive store-bought products, and is much better for your family’s health and the environment.
Whether you’re looking for ways to make your own all-purpose cleaner, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, or cleaning recipes for the laundry room, we’ve got you covered. So grab some reusable glass spray bottles and start mixing up some natural cleaners!
Making Your Own Eco-friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes
These homemade cleaners are incredibly cheap, easy to make and offer impressive cleaning power. The key is to use a few basic ingredients that are often already available in your home or at your local store. These eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes use natural ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, and essential oils to do the dirty work without all of the harsh chemicals.
Step 1: Gather all the ingredients. Listed below is what you’ll need and why these ingredients work so well!
Ingredients for Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes:
1. Baking Soda
“Baking soda is a pantry staple with proven virus-killing abilities that also effectively cleans, deodorizes, brightens, and cuts through grease and grime.”
greatist.com
2. Castille Soap
“If grease and grime are a problem, this 100 percent plant oil soap can cut through it!”
3. Lemon Juice
“Lemons are also fantastic kitchen helpers — “nature’s little hand scrubbers,” as Dana once wrote — a natural, mild disinfectant that fits in the palm of your hand.”
4. Olive Oil
“Olive oil is just one of those natural cleaning products that work for almost everything, including simple tasks like fixing a squeaky hinge.”
5. White Vinegar
“Due to a pH of 2.0 and the acetic acid content, vinegar is an inhospitable environment for many microorganisms, so it is the perfect cleaner for your home.”
6. Salt
“Salt works as an effective yet gentle scouring agent. Salt also serves as a catalyst for other ingredients, such as vinegar, to boost cleaning and deodorizing action.”
7. Essential Oils
“Look for oil that is cold-pressed and 100 percent pure. Check the ingredients list before you make an essential oil purchase. An essential oil bottle should always clearly state where it’s produced.”
Tea Tree Essential Oil
“It is a 100% pure, 100% natural oil and a powerful antiseptic which inhibits a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi. That makes it the perfect base for a natural, non-toxic cleaner able to clean up to 99.9% of household germs.”
Lavender Essential Oil
“If you want to enjoy spotless and heavenly-scented surfaces, lavender essential oil could be your perfect companion. The antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of lavender essential oil leave your countertops, tables, and anything else that needs a quick clean, free from pesky germs and bacteria.”
Lemon Essential Oil
“A whopping 73% chose Lemon Oil. Lemon is a great natural cleaning essential oil. It’s no wonder, lemon oil has an aroma that is just so refreshing and clean smelling. This powerful oil is great at removing unpleasant odors and disinfecting the air, as well as surfaces.”
Orange Essential Oil
“Not only does orange oil have a happy scent, but, like lemon, it’s great against grease.”
Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes for Every Room
Nobody likes to clean. But who likes a dirty house either? Nobody! Cleaning the house doesn’t have to be hard. With some simple DIY recipes, anyone can clean their home without ever having to buy another bottle of cleaner again.
Check out our roundup of simple eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes for every room in the house!
Disinfectant Spray
“Skip the bleach and make a homemade germ-killer instead. Just mix 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid soap, and 20-30 drops of tea tree oil.”
Drain Cleaner / Unclogger
“To unclog a stuffed-up drain, start by boiling about 2 cups of water. Pour ½ cup of baking soda into the drain, and then add the water while it’s still nice and hot. If that doesn’t do the trick, follow the baking soda with ½ cup of vinegar, cover it up tightly (a pot lid should work nicely), wait until the fizzing slows down (when baking soda and vinegar come in contact, they’ll react by fizzing) and then add one gallon of boiling water.”
Walls
“To scrub down walls, mix ¼ cup white vinegar with 1 quart warm water, then use a rag to scrub those walls down. To remove black marks, simply scrub at the spot with a little bit of baking soda.”
Windows & Glass Cleaner
“For an all-purpose window cleaner, combine 1 part white vinegar with 4 parts water (feel free to add some lemon juice if you’re feeling citrusy), then use a sponge or rag to scrub away.”
Furniture Polish
“Olive oil works perfectly as a furniture polish. Mix together 1/4 cup of white vinegar, 3/4 cup of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.”
If you’re using bottled lemon juice, this equals about 1.5 TBS.
Wood Cleaner (Murphy’s Oil Soap alternative)
“Clean varnished wood by combining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and a quart of warm water in a spray bottle. Spray onto wood and then dry with a soft cloth. (Note: Since olive oil can leave behind some (slippery) residue, this one might not be the best option for wood floors.)”
Wood Floors
“Wood floor cleaner: Combine 1-gallon warm water, ½ cup white vinegar, and 2 drops lemon essential oil. Use a mop that is barely wet to wash wood floors.”
Tile Floors
“Tile floor cleaner: Combine 1 part white vinegar with two parts warm water in a bucket. Mop and go—no need to rinse! Note: Do not use this combination on wood floors.”
Tile Grout Cleaner
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
1 tsp. natural liquid soap (I used Dr Bonner’s Castile Soap – Tea Tree oil)
DIRECTIONS:
Mix ingredients in a resealable container.
For ease of dispensing onto grout place in a squirt bottle.
Shake well before applying onto grout.
Leave on for 15 minutes or longer.
Gently scrub with a brush or grout brush.
Wipe off with a wet sponge.
At Home with Vicki Bensinger
Carpet Cleaning Solution for Steam Cleaning
1. Mix your vinegar, water, and dishwashing liquid in the bucket or cup
2. Soak your rag in the liquid, and wring out.
3. Place the damp rag on your mystery stain and iron it for 5-10 seconds.
4. Lift the cloth to see if your stain is gone. If there’s still more residue in your carpet, iron again, using a clean portion of the cloth.
upstairsdownstairscleaning.com
Carpet Deodorizer
“Fill a jar with bicarbonate of soda and 10 drops of essential oil. Shake together and store for use on carpets when they need freshening up. Shake over carpet, leave for up to 30 mins and vacuum. Your carpets should smell really lovely and fresh.”
All-Purpose Spray
“This all purpose cleaner can be used all over the home to wipe down surfaces, and sanitise your home. Equal parts white vinegar and water. Add around 10 drops of essential oils to offset the vinegar smell, however this smell should disappear soon after cleaning down surfaces. Avoid use on marble, stone or granite surfaces.”
Air Freshener
”Defeat less-visible bathroom “uncleanliness” with this homemade, non-toxic air freshener. All you need is baking soda, your favorite essential oil, and an old jar with a lid you don’t mind poking holes in.”
27 Chemical-Free Recipes for DIY Spring Cleaning, Greatist.com
Leather Conditioner
“Leslie Reichert, aka The Cleaning Coach, shared a simple recipe: “Mix ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup brewed tea, and ¼ cup white vinegar in a spray bottle. Lightly spritz leather, let sit for 5 minutes, then wipe dry.”
Hand Soap
“To make a non-toxic, foaming hand soap, mix together liquid castile soap and water (and an essential oil if you feel like it) in a foaming soap dispenser. Fill about one fifth of the bottle with soap, then top it off with water.”
27 Chemical-Free Recipes for DIY Spring Cleaning, Greatist.com
Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes for the Kitchen
Cleaning the kitchen can be tough, especially when you have to spend hours scrubbing and wiping down every surface and appliance in the room. That’s why we created these easy eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes for the kitchen that help make your cleaning go by quickly and easily!
Kitchens can get grimy, fast. The grease from food, the dirt and dust that accumulate, not to mention the bacteria that lurks on every surface. Given all of this, it’s no surprise that kitchens are one of the germiest places in your home. It doesn’t have to be this way though!
Here, are 15 easy kitchen cleaning recipes that will make your life easier. From cutting boards to countertops, these recipes are perfect for all your dirty dishes and surfaces.
These are some of our favorite DIY recipes for the kitchen:
Oven Cleaner
“heat up your oven to 125 degrees F, fill your spray bottle with white vinegar, and spray the dirty areas. Then sprinkle salt or baking soda on the treated areas, turn off the oven, and use a wet cloth to wipe away the grime once the oven has cooled.”
Countertops
“For a simple, all-purpose counter cleaner, mix together equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. If your countertop is made from marble, granite, or stone, skip the vinegar (its acidity is no good for these surfaces) and use rubbing alcohol or the wondrous power of vodka instead.”
27 Chemical-Free Recipes for DIY Spring Cleaning, Greatist.com
Sink Disposal Cleaner
“This one is so cool. Pour 1 cup of vinegar into an ice cube tray and top off the slots with water. Once they’re frozen, toss a few down the disposal and let it run—doing so should remove any food that was stuck to the blades.”
Microwave
“Pour about ¼ cup white vinegar and two tablespoons of lemon juice into a cup and microwave it for 2 minutes. Keep the door closed for several minutes after it is done, then wipe down the inside of the microwave with a cloth or sponge.”
Dishwasher
“If you’re lucky enough to have a dishwasher, simply mix together 1 cup of liquid castile soap and 1 cup of water (2 teaspoons of lemon juice optional) in a quart-size glass jar. Add some of this mixture to one detergent compartment of the dishwasher, and fill the other compartment with white vinegar.”
Dish Soap
“If washing dishes by hand, simply combine 1 cup of liquid castile soap and 3 tablespoons water (a few drops of essential oil optional) in a bottle of your choice. Shake well and use like you would any other dish soap.”
Silver Polish (Utensils)
“Put silver utensils and jewelry back to good use the non-toxic way. Line a sink or bucket with aluminum foil, lay out the silver on top of the aluminum, and pour in boiling water, 1 cup of baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Let it sit for several minutes and watch as—like magic—the tarnish disappears! Note: If you’re concerned about immersing a particular item, simply rub it with toothpaste and a soft cloth, rinse it with warm water, and allow it air to dry.”
Cutting Board
“Perhaps the most critical item to keep clean in your kitchen is your cutting board. Use a cut lemon on plastic or wood boards. Rub the cut fruit on the board, let it sit for 10 minutes and then rinse with water.”
Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes for the Bathroom
Bathrooms are a never-ending battle. The bathroom tends to be one of the dirtiest places in our homes. If you’ve ever had to clean the toilet, then you know how gross it can be. It can be tough to keep your bathroom looking clean with all the harsh chemicals and strong odors that are available.
Even the most experienced DIYers may have trouble whipping up the perfect formula for a natural, eco-friendly bathroom cleaner. Here, are some eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes for homemade bathroom cleaners that use common household items to create a powerful clean without harsh chemicals.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
“For a heavy-duty toilet scrub that deodorizes while it cleans, pour ½ cup of baking soda and about 10 drops of tea tree essential oil into the toilet. Add ¼ cup of vinegar to the bowl and scrub away while the mixture fizzes.”
Tub & Shower Cleaner
“Tubs and showers can produce some of the toughest grime, but it’s no match for the cleaning power of vinegar. To get rid of mildew, spray pure white vinegar on the offending area, let it sit for at least 30 minutes, and then rinse with warm water (don’t be afraid to use a sponge if rinsing doesn’t clear away the grossness on its own). Alternatively, try mixing together baking soda with a bit of liquid castile soap, then scrub and rinse.”
Tub & Shower Daily Cleaning Spray
“For daily cleaning or to get rid of soap scum, mix 1 part water with 1 part vinegar (and a few drops of essential oils if you’re not into the smell of vinegar) in a spray bottle. Spray, let it sit for at least several minutes, and then wipe away.”
Eco-Friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes for the Laundry Room
Often, laundry detergents are expensive and contain harsh chemicals that can cause skin irritation. Homemade laundry detergents are cheap and safe for your family’s skin and they work just as well as store-bought detergents.
Fortunately, you don’t need to buy expensive cleaning solutions or laundry detergents when you already have everything you need for natural DIY cleaners right at home. You can make your own natural cleaners using ingredients from your kitchen and save money while also helping the environment.
Make your own eco-friendly DIY cleaning recipes in just minutes with these easy recipes.
Laundry Detergent
“Ingredients
* 2 (4 oz.) Bars of Unscented Castile Soap (in recyclable paper)
* 2 lbs of Baking Soda (in recyclable cardboard or bought bulk)
* 1.5 (7 lb) Boxes of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (in recyclable cardboard)
* 20-30 drops of your favorite essential oil (clementine or lavender are both nice options)
Instructions
1. Finely grate your bars of Castile soap. Either use a food processor or cheese grater.
2. Mix your grated soap together with baking soda, washing soda, and essential oils. I recommend wearing a face mask to avoid inhaling any dust from the mixture.
3. Use 1-3 Tablespoons per load of laundry, depending on its size and soil level.”
How to Make Zero Waste Laundry Detergent (+ Recipe!), Zero Waste Memoirs
Fabric Softener
“Skip the liquid fabric softener and make clothes nice and snuggly the non-toxic way. Make a big batch of softener by adding 20-30 drops of the essential oil of your choice to a one-gallon jug of white vinegar. Add 1/3 cup to each laundry load (just be sure to shake the mixture prior to each use).”
“Tips: Add 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to rinse as a fabric softener. For a whitener, use hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach. Soak your dingy white clothes for 30 minutes in the washer with 1/2 cup 3% peroxide. Launder as usual.”
Stain Remover
“Mix together 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup bicarbonate of soda, a squeeze of castile (or any liquid) soap, and 2 cups of water. Give it a good shake and keep in a spray bottle to use whenever you have a tough stain on your clothes or the carpet.”
Enjoy a Clean House with Eco-friendly DIY Cleaning Recipes!
A clean house is a happy house. We all know this old saying. It is just so true.
When it comes to maintaining a tidy and healthy home, there is no better way of using natural ingredients than by making your own homemade cleaners. For those who are committed to transforming their home into a healthier environment, these DIY recipes are the best way to get your home clean naturally.
Cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. With these natural, homemade cleaning recipes, you can clean your entire house while saving money! Not only are they cheap and effective, but they are also chemical-free and eco-friendly. These DIY recipes will leave your home looking shiny and new while also protecting the environment. Now that’s what we call a win-win!
How does cleaning with these DIY cleaning recipes compare to using store-bought products? What is your favorite natural DIY cleaning recipes? Check out more eco-friendly parenting ideas here.