Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products
We all spend money buying toxic, chemical-laden products to clean our home. Even “green” or “natural” products contain chemicals or tend to just be overpriced versions of what you could make at home. Most of us have the simple, non-toxic, disinfecting household cleaning ingredients right in our very own kitchens. At AVA High Line, we love the idea of creating our own cleaning supplies, so read on for more tips about DIY cleaning products!
Housewives have known for decades the disinfecting properties of white vinegar. But who likes the acrid smell of vinegar? There are tons of different products you can make yourself that won’t have any harsh chemicals that could irritate your skin or nasal passages and exacerbate your allergies. Lemons, baking soda, and many different essential oils can be used as well as less potent smelling vinegars.
Image: Moon Woman Rising
Dr. Bronner makes a million and one organic products including toothpaste, shampoo, and soap, but the surface cleaner is a wonderful alternative for a natural disinfectant. Aja from the blog Moon Woman Rising shares with us a recipe to make an all-purpose surface cleaner to clean kitchen countertops, bathroom sinks, floor spills, and more. Here’s how to make it yourself:
Surface Cleaner
- Spray bottle
- Water
- 2 tbsp. of either Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint or Tea Tree soap
- 10 drops of tea tree oil.
For cleaning windows, The Daily Green suggests you use a combination of either vinegar or lemon juice and water to clean your windows. Mix 2 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice with a gallon of water. Use recycled newspaper to wipe down your windows instead of wasting paper towels.
Image: The Thrifty Couple
To clean tougher areas with soap scum and other types of built up residue, this natural soft scrub recipe from The Cleaning Crew will help buff your tubs, showers, and sinks back to new.
Soft Scrub
- 1 ½ cups baking soda
- ½ cup Dr. Bronner’s soap
- 2 tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice
- 10-15 drops of essential oil (try disinfecting ones like tea tree or lemon)
Mix all the ingredients into a thick paste and store in glass jar.
Bathrooms can be a place where people are weary of using natural cleaners for fear that it won’t clean all the germs and bacteria. Natural cleaners are great to use in any area, even the bathroom! To clean toilets you can use the soft scrub recipe listed above on the inside and the surface cleaner listed above on the lid and seat. You can really try any variation of acids (vinegar or lemon juice), disinfecting agents (tea tree oil, lemon oil), and cleaners (castile soap) in the bathroom. They all work great.
For cleaning floors and wood surfaces, Becky from Pure Vitality has 2 cleaning recipes you can try.
Floor Cleaner
- 1 gallon hot water
- 2 tbsp. Dr. Bronner’s castile soap
- 15 drops orange essential oil
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
Wood Polish (This can be used on floors and furniture!)
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 10 drops of lemon or orange essential oil
With simple ingredients, you can clean and disinfect your whole house from top to bottom. It’s cheap, easy, and non-toxic to you and all your pets. Buy a few spray bottles and small glass containers or even reuse well cleaned spray bottles you already have. Get a few essential oils like tea tree, peppermint, and lemon to start out with and once you learn more about their properties you can add more to your collection. Experiment with these recipes, substitute or mix essential oils, and clean the natural way!