14 DIY Natural Cleaners for Every Mess in Your Home

Everyone wants a clean home, but it’s equally as important to make sure your cleaning supplies aren’t harmful to your kids or pets. Natural, homemade cleaners typically utilize common household items like baking soda, white vinegar, essential oils and sometimes a few additional ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or Borax.

These recipes can be a safe (and cheap) alternative to options you can find at the big box stores. Here are the recipes you need to start making your own home cleaners.

All Purpose Cleaners

Every home needs a dependable handy all-purpose cleaner. It’s perfect for wiping down the counters or washing doorknobs during flu season.

1. All-Purpose Cleaner without Vinegar

Here is a simple recipe to get started.

Ingredients:

1 tsp liquid Castile soap

2 tsp baking soda
about 1 1/2 cups water
spray bottle

Directions:

Put the baking soda in a clean spray bottle. Add one cup of water and shake until the baking soda dissolves. Add Castile soap and swish it around gently. You’ll likely need to swish it around before each use because the ingredients can settle.

2. All-Purpose Citrus Cleaner

Sometimes it’s nice to have a refreshing scent. Here’s how to add citrusy notes to your cleaning solution.

Ingredients:
A spray bottle
White vinegar
Orange, grapefruit, lemon, or lime peels (any combination of these will work, too)
3-4 drops of lemon, grapefruit, or orange essential oil (optional)

Directions:

Fill a mason jar or other air-tight storage option half full with orange peels (add grapefruit too!). Top off the container with white vinegar. Shake well, and store the container for at least two weeks to steep. After sitting for a couple weeks, remove the peels and strain the vinegar to remove any bits and pieces of fruit. Add the one part vinegar with one part water into the spray bottle. Drop in essential oils if needed to increase the scent to your preference.

Bathroom Cleaners

One of the dirtiest rooms in the home with the most germs is typically the bathroom. The number one goal of a natural cleaner is making sure it is still strong enough to ensure the area is spotless.

3. All-Purpose Cleaner for the Bathroom

Cleaning starts with surfaces just like any other room. Here’s a natural cleaner that’s up for the job.

Ingredients:

2 cups warm water distilled (tap water is fine if it is for same-day cleaning).

1 Tablespoon of baking soda
2 Tablespoons of castile soap
30 drops of tea tree essential oil
20 drops of sweet orange essential oil
16 oz glass spray bottle

Directions:

Combine warm water and baking soda into a spray bottle and shake. Add the castile soap and essential oils. Gently shaking the bottle to combine the additional ingredients.

4. Mold Removal Cleaning Spray

Mold is a real problem in rooms with lots of moisture like the bathroom. Luckily vinegar is a great way to fight mold.

Ingredients:

Distilled white vinegar

Tea-tree oil

Water

Empty spray bottle

Directions:

If you can manage the vinegar smell, then make the mixture stronger (80-20) vinegar to water. Tea-tree oil is exceptionally good at helping fight mold.

5. Toilet Fizz Cleaner

Toilet fizzes are perfect for a quick clean and refreshing scent if the bathroom is starting to smell unpleasant.

Ingredients:

1½ cups baking soda
½ cup citric acid
1 orange, zested
25 drops orange essential oil or lemon essential oil
24 drops lavender essential oil
1-2 tsp. Water

Directions:

Combine baking soda, citric acid and orange zest in a large bowl. Add in the essential oil. Start adding ½ teaspoon of water and mix with fingers until the mixture easily holds together. Use a silicone mold and press the mixture into it. Let it sit overnight. Remove and store in a dry place until you’re ready to use them.

6. Alternative Toilet Fizz Cleaner

There is another way to make an effective toilet fizz cleaner that uses hydrogen peroxide, which might help whiten up the toilet bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cups baking soda
1/2 cup  citric acid
2  tbsp hydrogen peroxide
15  drops essential oils
Silicone mold or sheet pan and parchment paper

Directions:

Mix the baking soda and citric acid ingredients together well. Add hydrogen peroxide to baking soda/citric acid mixture a few drops at the time. Don’t dump the hydrogen peroxide all at once because it’ll activate the baking soda. Eventually, you should be able to clump the mixture together. Use a mold or create small clumps of the mixture and allow it to dry for six to eight hours.

7. Bathtub Cleaner

Ingredients:

3 dozen eggshells to make about 3/4 cup of calcium powder
1/2 cup baking soda
15-20 drops of your favorite pure essential oil

Directions:

Rinse your eggshells with regular tap water, and bring a large pot to boil with three or four gallons of water. Reduce the heat and add the eggshells. Let them cook for about 10 or 12 minutes. Remove the shells and put them on a baking sheet to dry for 8-12 hours. Then, put them in an oven at 200° for about 10 minutes. Put the shells in a coffee grinder until they are powder. Mix the calcium powder with baking soda and essential oils. You can sprinkle the mixture in the tub to soak before you start your scrubbing.

8. Daily Shower Spray

The best cleaning strategy is to prevent tough stains. A daily shower spray is one way to keep mold and scum at bay.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1 teaspoon liquid dish soap

15 drops of your favorite essential oil
15 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil

Directions:

This natural cleaner is easy. Mix all the ingredients together in a quart-sized spray bottle. Spray down all the surfaces in the shower after use.

Natural Floor Cleaners

You don’t have to use harsh cleaning supplies to have sparkling clean floors.

9. Citrus Floor Cleaner

Enjoy this citrusy floor cleaner. Spoilers, it’s a bigger recipe of the all-purpose cleaner.

Ingredients:

1 gallon of hot water
2 tablespoons liquid castile soap
15-20 drops sweet orange essential oil
8-10 drops lemon essential oil

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a large bucket to pull around the kitchen or other rooms where you need to mop.

10. Floor Deodorizers

Carpets can get smelly, especially during the winter months when mud is more likely to find its way inside.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups baking soda

10 drops of your favorite essential oils (lemon is a good choice)

Mason Jar with lid

Hole Punch

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and thoroughly mix. Punch several holes into the lid of the mason jar. Pour the ingredients into mason the jar and seal tightly. Sprinkle mixture on the carpet and let sit for up to 8 minutes before vacuuming thoroughly.

Natural Kitchen Cleaning Supplies

The one room that needs the most frequent cleaning is the kitchen. Here are some natural cleaners to help with all of the chores.

11. Liquid Dish Soap

Dishes are a daily chore. Here’s a natural option.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup distilled water
1 Tablespoon white distilled vinegar optional
1/2 cup Sal Suds This ingredient is also available at most health food stores.
1 Tablespoon of a  moisturizing oil: sweet almond, fractionated coconut oil, or olive oil, (optional).

Directions:

Pour the water and vinegar into a soap dispenser. Shake the bottle to combine the ingredients. Add the Sal Suds and oil, and gently swish the bottle again to combine the ingredients.

12. Non-Toxic Dishwasher Detergent

You can clean your dishes with homemade dishwashing detergent.

Ingredients:

1 cup of Borax
1 cup of Baking Soda

1/4 cup of sea salt
1/2 tsp of citric acid

Directions:

Combine the borax, salt, baking soda and citric acid in the quantities in a large container. Then simply add to the dishwasher and start the cleaning cycle.

13. Cleaning Solution for Granite Countertops

You can clean and disinfect your granite countertops with a simple green solution.

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup 70% Rubbing Alcohol

3 Cups Distilled Water

Spray Bottle

Directions:

Clean the entire surface with warm water. Pour the solution into the spray bottle and shake lightly. Spray the solution on the surface and wipe try with a clean cloth.

14: Cleaning Solution for Stainless Steel

Many appliances and surfaces in the kitchen are steel, and you might need to use a different solution to ensure it is clean.

Ingredients:

1 cup Vinegar

1 cup Water

Spray Bottle

Olive Oil

Directions:

Mix Vinegar and water in the spray bottle and spray onto the stainless steel surface. WIpe down the surface along the grain. Once the surface is cleaned off, put a little olive oil on a clean cloth and rub the surface along the grain.

At Custom Maid, we care about the families we serve, which means we always choose the safest and best cleaning supplies.

To learn more about our services, call us today at (918) 376-4114 or visit us online at custommaidok.com.