If you’re looking for a more natural approach, DIY cleaning product recipes are easy to make. In fact, most of the ingredients are things you might already have on hand or are generally pretty inexpensive.
- Water (tap is fine, but distilled might work better if you have hard water)
- Baking soda
- Table or sea Salt
- Epsom salt
- Distilled white vinegar (do not use on cast iron, aluminum, waxed surfaces, granite, marble, or other stone surfaces)
- Hydrogen peroxide – comes in a squirt bottle or spray
- Rubbing alcohol (aka isopropyl alcohol)
- Borax
- Essential oils (Use Caution – they may be harmful to pets)
- Castile soap – comes in liquid or solid bar
- Other bar soap, like Fels-Naptha® or ZOTE®
- Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
- Clean rags (old towels, washcloths, or t-shirts cut up into 5” x 5” squares)
- Empty spray bottles
- Funnel for mess-free pouring
- Containers that can be sealed, like glass or plastic food storage containers)
Notes
Always label your spray bottles to avoid product mix-ups.
Before using a cleaner on any surface for the first time, test it in a hidden area to make sure it won’t damage the material.
I occasionally use DIY cleaners, and I find they’re best made in small batches. Some products will turn on you before you can use them all. I usually get 2 – 4 weeks or so out of mine. However, powdered laundry detergent should last a good long time if it’s kept in a cool, dry place.
Mixing Ingredients
Now seems like a good time to talk about the ingredients that do not play nice with each other.
Combinations to Avoid
Bleach: I don’t have bleach in the list up top because it should not ever be mixed with anything but water or laundry detergent. Mixing bleach with other cleaning bases like ammonia, vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide can create toxic gases.
If you use bleach on a surface (in the tub or shower to combat mildew, for example), be sure to rinse thoroughly before applying other cleaners.
Vinegar + Hydrogen Peroxide: This is another important one to avoid. Mixing these two chemicals will create peracetic acid, a highly corrosive and irritating substance. You can use them on the same surface, but never mix them or apply them at the same time.
Vinegar + Castile Soap: Although this combination won’t create toxic gas, it will make a mess. The acid in vinegar will react with the castile soap, causing it to curdle. Using this combo will leave a gross, slimy film over your stuff that is hard to get off.
Borax + Vinegar and Baking Soda + Vinegar: Vinegar is an acid, while borax and baking soda are bases. Although mixing acids with bases puts on a great show, in the end, you’ll just have salty water that doesn’t do much. It isn’t dangerous, just a waste of ingredients.
DIY Cleaner Recipes
All-Purpose Cleaner
There are two basic recipes: one with vinegar and one with liquid castile soap or dish soap.
This multi-purpose cleaner can be used on most hard surfaces, like countertops, sinks, and appliances. If you have stone countertops, like granite or marble, use a soap-based cleaner to clean them.
Vinegar-Based: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then shake to mix. You may notice a strong vinegar scent; it will dissipate over time.
If you want, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Soap-Based: Mix two cups of water with 1 tablespoon of liquid castile soap or a few drops of mild dish soap. Shake to mix.
Degreaser
You can easily make a homemade degreaser using water, dish soap, and rubbing alcohol. I use this on the countertops around my stove to get rid of the grease that gets everywhere. It’s also great for tackling other sticky messes and cleaning labels off glass.
Pour 13 full ounces of water into a spray bottle. Add 4 tablespoons of dish soap and 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol. Replace the top and mix gently. Shaking vigorously will create too many bubbles.
Glass Cleaner
Most glass can be cleaned with just a microfiber cloth and some water. If you want to clean glass or a mirror that is extra dirty, you can use a vinegar-based cleaner.
In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar with a quart of water. Shake well before each use.
Floor Cleaner
There are two recipes based on your specific floor type.
General Purpose (Good for vinyl, tile, and linoleum): Mix ½ cup of white vinegar, ½ cup rubbing alcohol, and 4-5 drops of liquid dish soap. You can also use castile soap, just skip the vinegar.
Sealed wood: Add 1-2 drops of castile soap or mild dish soap to a gallon of warm water. Some people use vinegar instead of soap. Others say it’s too acidic and may dull the finish of polyurethane-coated floors. If you choose to use vinegar, make sure the solution is very diluted (¼ cup of vinegar to 1 gallon of water). Use a very slightly damp mop to avoid damaging the floor with excess water.
If your floors are waxed instead of sealed or finished, use a product specifically designed for waxed floors.
Bathroom and Toilet Cleaner
Gentle Scrub: Mix a small amount of baking soda with water to create a thin paste. Apply it to the surface of your tub or sink using a sponge or brush, and scrub gently. Rinse or wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Pour ½ cup – 1 cup of white vinegar into the bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Scrub with a toilet brush or a cleaning rag, and then flush.
Laundry Soap
Laundry soap is simple to make and, depending on how much laundry you do, can last quite a long time. Although some of the ingredients aren’t always something everyone has on hand, they are easy to get and aren’t terribly expensive.
Some caveats
Commercial laundry detergents are made to work in all water types (meaning temperature and hardness). Homemade versions are not regulated. Areas with hard water and newer HE machines may not perform as well.
Hard Water: If your area has hard water, the soap may react to the minerals in the water, creating soap scum. Adding ½ cup to the rinse cycle can help break down the alkaline soap residue.
HE Machine Use: Although people report using homemade laundry soap in their HE washing machines without issue, others report problems with residue buildup. I strongly recommend not using the soap version in an HE machine. I’ve mentioned that I’m kind of a nerd, so I researched homemade HE options. Always consult your HE manual before using.
What you’ll need:
For standard machines (SM):
- 1 bar of soap (Fels-Naptha®, Zote®, or a natural bar like Castile soap are popular choices)
- 1 3/4 cup of washing soda
- 2 cups of borax
- Optional: 20-25 drops of essential oils for fragrance (e.g., lavender, lemon)
For HE machines:
- 1½ cups washing soda
- 1½ cups baking soda
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- Optional: 20-25 drops of essential oils for fragrance (e.g., lavender, lemon)
What to do:
- Grate the soap (SM only): This goes faster in a food processor, but you can also use a box grater. Try to get the soap grated into very fine pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier they will dissolve in the wash.
- Mix the powders:
- Use a spoon or protective gloves, as the powders can be drying
- SM: Mix the grated soap, washing soda, and borax in a large bowl or bucket
- HE: Mix washing soda, baking soda, and borax in a large bowl or bucket
- Add fragrance (optional): If you want your detergent to have a scent, add 20-25 drops of your favorite essential oil to the mixture, stirring well to distribute it evenly.
Store the powder in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry place.
To use, add 1-2 tablespoons for each load of laundry. Store the finished powder in an airtight container. Keep it in a cool, dry place.
Dryer Sheets
Commercial dryer sheets often leave a residue on your dryer, lint trap, clothes, and end up in landfills. Homemade, reusable dryer sheets are effective at reducing static, and essential oils add a fresh scent to your laundry.
What you’ll need:
- Clean rags, like towels, washcloths, or cut-up t-shirts, cut into 5” x 5” pieces
- A container you can seal
- 1 1/2 cups of white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 cup of water – distilled works best for this
- 20-25 drops of essential oil (e.g., lavender, lemon)
What to do:
- Cut your cloth scraps into squares and put the dry cloths in your sealed container.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, water, and essential oils, stirring well.
- Pour the solution over the cloths in the container, making sure the cloths are dampened but not dripping wet. They will eventually absorb the liquid.
- Seal the container and store it near your dryer.
How to Use:
- Transfer your wet clothes from the washing machine to the dryer. Pull out one of the wet cloths, squeezing out any excess liquid.
- Add the cloth to the dryer with your wet clothes.
- When you remove your clothes from the dryer, put the used cloth back into the container so it can reabsorb the liquid for the next use.
Vinegar has a strong odor, but it dissipates during the drying cycle, leaving behind the scent of essential oils.
Drain Cleaner
Commercial drain cleaners are very corrosive. You may want to use a more natural solution.
This recipe calls for vinegar and borax or baking soda. Now, I know I just said mixing these is a waste of ingredients, and you’d be right if the final product were what we were using. But in this case, we’re after the physical reaction. The two ingredients react, producing carbon dioxide gas (CO2). The bubbles and fizz create a physical scrubbing action that helps get rid of the gunk in your pipes.
Science!
Pour ½ cup of baking soda or ¼ cup of borax + ¼ cup of salt down the drain. Add ½ cup of white vinegar. The mixture will begin to fizz. Cover the drain with a stopper or cloth and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. Pour boiling water down the drain to flush the debris.
Overall, homemade cleaners can save you some money down the road. Is there a particular recipe you’re looking for? Let me know in the comments!
