Homemade Household Cleaners – DIY Natural Cleaning Recipes

Homeowners always keep a number of household cleaning products. These help them eliminate harmful microorganisms from almost all surfaces in and around the house. Commercial cleaning products, however, can contain very harsh chemicals that can threaten the health of everyone in the home. A better solution will be to use homemade cleaners. Here are simple DIY all-natural cleaning recipes you can make on your own.

All-Purpose Cleaner

When it comes to cleaning and disinfecting almost any surface in your home, very few natural ingredients can come close to the effectiveness of white vinegar. Its acidity is often enough to kill microorganisms on contact. Leaving it for some time can further extend the germ-killing properties of this homemade cleaning solution.

For this homemade cleaning product, you will need:

• ½ cup of white vinegar
• ½ gallon of water
• ¼ cup of baking soda
• Rind of one lemon
• Few sprigs of rosemary

You can substitute the lemon and rosemary with about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. You can use lemon essential oil, lavender, or tea tree oil. This will help neutralize the strong acidic scent of the vinegar. It will leave your items smelling fresh, too. These oils also have disinfectant properties.

Combine all of the ingredients and pour them into an empty spray bottle. Give it a thorough shake to mix the different ingredients. If you are using fresh lemon and rosemary, it is important to leave the solution for about 5 to 7 days before using. This will help infuse the different ingredients into the vinegar-water solution. If you’re using essential oils instead, you can start using the DIY all-purpose cleaner immediately.

If you want a more powerful cleaning, you can reduce the amount of water to ¼ cup. For stronger formulations, you can leave the water out of the recipe. This is perfect for removing stubborn stains in the kitchen, the bathroom, and all around the house. It is a great homemade all-purpose cleaner that every household should have.

Disinfectant Wipes

Sometimes, there are messes that do not require extensive cleanups. All they need is a simple wipe using a disinfectant solution. Instead of spritzing a disinfectant into a rag, you will have a much better chance of eliminating germs if you make your very own disinfectant wipes. The secret in this recipe is the addition of essential oils with known antimicrobial properties. Add the disinfectant abilities of vinegar and you’ve got a versatile wipe.

For these natural cleaning products, you will need to prepare the following.

• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• 1 cup of water
• 8 drops of tea tree oil
• 8 drops of lemon essential oil
• 8 drops of eucalyptus essential oil
• 15 to 20 pieces of 6-inch squares of cloth
• Empty “baby” wipes container

For the cloth squares, you can use old t-shirts. You can also repurpose old dish towels as well as other similar materials. Make sure to cut the cloth in equal sizes. They should fit the width of the baby wipes container. For instance, if the container measures 4 inches by 6 inches, then cut the cloth to less than 6 inches so that there’s still allowance in the container. Fold the individual pieces of cloth squares in two. Make sure to overlap the fold of one cloth square with the fold of the cloth square on top of it. This will make for a continuous supply of “disinfectant” wipes.

Place the folded cloth squares into the container and secure the lid. Mix the water, vinegar, and the essential oils. Pour the mixture in the baby wipes container. Allow the cloth squares to soak up the liquid. Once soaked, you can start pulling one of the cloths out to disinfect a particular surface.

Do not discard the cloth squares. You can wash them after use and “recharge” them using the same recipe. This is one of those ingenious homemade cleaning products that you can use almost anywhere. Wipe and disinfect your tables, desks, cabinets, and car surfaces.

Liquid Dish Soap

Cleaning the dishes requires a different kind of solution. After all, you do not use the same all-purpose cleaner on the very same plates that you place your food on. In this homemade liquid dish soap, you will be relying on the disinfectant properties of both white vinegar and lemon juice. The addition of kosher salt also gives this cleaner its mild abrasive properties. It’s perfect for cleaning cast iron skillets and other kitchen items. Unlike calcium carbonate or pumice-based cleaners, kosher salt will never leave a gritty residue on your dishes.

This homemade cleaning solution requires the following ingredients.

• ½ cup of white vinegar
• ½ cup of warm distilled water
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• lemon essential oil, about 10 to 15 drops

The problem with this solution is that it will never form soap suds that can aid in the cleansing process. As such, you can try adding half a cup of a commercially-available biodegradable cleaner that contains plant-based surfactants.

Add the kosher salt to the distilled water and mix well to dissolve the salt. In another bowl, mix the vinegar, lemon juice, lemon essential oil, and plant-based surfactant. Once mixed, pour it into the water-salt solution. Keep on stirring until you get a viscous liquid. Recycle an empty bottle of liquid dish soap. Pour the solution into the bottle and get ready to wash the dishes by hand.

Oven Cleaner

While the vinegar-baking soda DIY all purpose cleaner can also do a good job of cleaning your oven, you will need a stronger cleanser to cut through the baked-on grime. This can be very challenging to remove, especially if you have not been cleaning the oven on a regular basis.

This homemade oven cleaner calls for the following.

• ½ cup of white vinegar
• ½ cup of baking soda
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of water

The idea here is to create a very thick baking soda paste that you can apply all over the oven’s surfaces. If you think half a cup of baking soda is not enough, then make the necessary adjustments. The amount of water you will use will depend on how thick you want the paste to be. Adding too little water can make the paste a bit drier and more brittle. It can crack once applied onto the oven’s surfaces. If this happens, then it will not be able to clean your oven. Too much water can make the paste very runny. It will not stick to the oven’s surfaces.

Once you have achieved the desired consistency of the paste, you can start applying it on the walls of the oven. Make sure to rub the paste onto the surface to help remove some of the debris. Leave it overnight.

When you’re ready to clean the following morning, pour the white vinegar into an empty spray bottle. Spritz vinegar onto the walls of the oven, making sure to saturate the baking soda paste on the surface. Watch the chemical reaction unfold as the acidic vinegar reacts with the alkaline baking soda. Let the fizz subside before you start wiping the surface with a damp cloth. Rinse it well to get rid of the baking soda and vinegar smell.

Glass and Mirror Cleaner

Cleaning non-porous surfaces like mirrors and glass can be very tricky. As much as possible, you do not want to use something that is very abrasive. This can create swirl marks or microscopic scratches on the surface of the glass. You may not notice these scratches at first glance but they are there. You will also need something that will evaporate quite fast. Otherwise, you will form streaks and haziness on the mirror or glass.

One of the homemade cleaners that you should have is this recipe for cleaning glass and mirrors. It consists of vinegar, alcohol, and cornstarch. You might not like the idea of using alcohol. But it is one of those ingredients that can dry up quickly. It also has a disinfectant property. The addition of cornstarch is one of the key elements in this homemade all purpose cleaner for glass and mirrors. Cornstarch can reduce the risk of streaking on your glassy surface.

For this cleaning agent, you will need the following ingredients.

• ¼ cup of isopropyl alcohol
• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• 2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 8 to 10 drops of lemon or tea tree oil

The essential oil is optional, although adding several drops will not hurt. Not only does it give your cleanser a nice scent, it can also aid in fighting germs on the surface of the glass or mirror.

Making this glass cleaner is as easy as combining all of the ingredients listed above. Pour this into an empty spray bottle and give it a good shake. Before using, make sure to give the bottle a very thorough shake to help integrate the cornstarch. You can then spritz the solution onto glass and start wiping the surface clean.

Air Freshener

All homes deserve a smell that is nice and fresh. While you cannot classify this homemade air freshener to be a DIY all-purpose cleaner or any other cleanser, it does a wonderful job of keeping your home smelling fresh. At the very least, you will be able to reduce the stench coming from your garbage can or the nasty odor from the kitchen.

The trick here is to use an essential oil that many of your family members like. Some of the more common choices include orange, grapefruit, lavender, and lemon. You can also use other essential oils if you want. However, it is also important to consider the antimicrobial properties of the essential oil you are going to use.

The nasty odor that you smell in the home is often the result of volatile compounds mixing with fumes from microorganisms. Killing these germs can help reduce the degree of bad smell in the house.

To make your very own air freshener, you will need only three basic ingredients.

• ½ cup of water
• ½ cup of white vinegar
• 12 to 15 drops of preferred essential oil

These measurements are not absolute. You can tinker with the recommended dosages to suit your needs. For example, you can adjust the ratio of vinegar to water to make the solution more powerful against germs and for neutralizing bad smells. If you cannot tolerate the strong acid smell of vinegar, then you can increase the amount of water in the mixture. An alternative will be to use more essential oils.

Pour the water and vinegar in an empty spray bottle. Shake well before adding the essential oil. Give it a thorough shake and begin spraying the solution in your room. Every time you use the air freshener, make sure to shake the bottle very well.

Fabric Stain Remover

One of the homemade cleaning products you should have is a fabric stain remover. There are many potential solutions to that stain on your clothes. First and foremost is 3.0% hydrogen peroxide. Soaking the stain with hydrogen peroxide is often enough to get rid of it.

Many households also find using white vinegar and washing soda to be effective in removing fabric stains. Cover the stain with baking soda and then spray it with a solution made of equal parts water and white vinegar. Scrub the resulting paste into the fabric stain and leave it there for about half an hour before washing.

However, when it comes to stubborn fabric stains, you will need a more efficient cleaning agent. This requires the following:

• 2/3 cup of ammonia
• 2/3 cup of dish detergent
• 2 cups of warm water
• 6 tablespoons of baking soda

You can use almost any other dish detergent for this recipe. However, most homeowners recommend using Dawn dishwashing liquid soap. If you’re not a fan of the brand, then you can substitute it with an equally-effective dish detergent.

Combine the ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Shake it very well and spray the solution onto the fabric stain. Leave it for about 20 to 30 minutes before washing.

If you’re looking to remove stubborn stains on your carpet, then you will need a different recipe for that.

• ¼ cup of kosher salt
• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• ¼ cup of borax

Create a paste using salt, borax, and vinegar. Rub this onto the carpet stain and let it stand for 5 to 6 hours. You can then vacuum your carpet afterwards.

Dusting Spray

Households with members who are allergic to dust and other airborne particles can benefit from a dusting spray. Instead of buying a product from the store, however, you can make one yourself. This homemade dusting spray solution is one of those natural cleaning products that you should always have available.

As the name suggests, dusting spray helps trap dust, pet dander, and other potential allergens. This allows for easier removal of these substances using an ordinary duster or a piece of cloth.

A homemade dusting spray requires the following ingredients.

• 2 cups of water
• 15 drops of lemon essential oil
• 1 tablespoon of castile soap

Castile soap contains sodium hydroxide and olive oil. These two substances can create an impregnable layer on your surfaces, trapping dirt, allergens, and other small particles. On a side note, castile oil can also serve as a DIY all purpose cleaner, while also acting as a dish soap and a shower scrub. The lemon essential oil can give you that fragrance you need in a cleaning agent. It can also neutralize the allergens that are present on your surfaces.

Like everything else, mix all of these ingredients and pour them in a spray bottle. Make sure to shake the bottle very well before using. There are two ways you can use this solution. First, you can spray it onto the surface that you want cleaned before wiping it off. Second, you can spray the solution into a piece of cleaning cloth for wiping onto surfaces. Either way, you still get a great dusting spray.

Wood Polishing Spray

Another homemade cleaning solution you may want to have is a DIY wood polishing spray. There are many ways you can polish wood surfaces using all-natural ingredients. You can use a combination of turpentine and beeswax or a blend of mineral oil and lemon oil. Either methods work fine on wood materials.

However, if you also want to clean your wood surfaces, then you’ve got to adopt this recipe.

• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 3/4cup olive oil
• 300 drops of lemon, lavender, or orange essential oil

The vinegar cleans the wood’s surface, while the olive oil nourishes it and gives it its characteristic shine. Pour the ingredients into an empty spray bottle and shake very well. Spray onto your wooden surfaces and use a piece of dry and clean cloth to buff it.

These homemade cleaners are very easy to make. They also do not require very expensive materials and ingredients. Having a ready supply of these all-natural cleaning solutions can make your household cleaning chores a breeze.