How many cleaning products do you have in your house? I used to have dozens! Years ago I started replacing pricey, toxic, specific-use products with easy homemade multi-taskers. I’m going to share four simple, natural cleaning product recipes I hope you’ll love as much as I do!
1. Vinegar Disinfectant Spray
You’ve probably heard of this one, but it’s my go-to kitchen surface cleaner. There are lots of complicated recipes online that involve essential oils or orange peels, but all you need is:
- Spray bottle
- Distilled white vinegar
- Filtered water (Ideally distilled, but my Berkey water works fine. You’re looking for lower mineral content.)
Instructions:
Combine equal parts (half vinegar; half water) in a spray bottle and use it to clean almost anything. Vinegar spray does need to sit for 2 minutes to kill some of the nastier bacteria, so I always spray and leave it for a few minutes after working with raw meat. Then I just wipe it away.
Great uses: Windows and Mirrors, Ceramic, Countertops*
⚠️*Don’t use vinegar on grout, natural granite, or metal fixtures, as the acid can damage the surface. Keep reading for a safe surface cleaner for those.
✨I got this spray bottle over a decade ago at a dollar store, and the sprayer still works. But use whatever you’ve got.
2. Tub and Tile Scrub
Way back in college, a roommate (Nikki) told me about this one, and it continues to be the best solution to soap scum I’ve ever tried. At my college, our showers had to literally squeak each week, and I would be miserable from all the chemical products–not to mention elbow grease–I used when it was my turn. Nikki would often volunteer to clean the shower, and when I asked if she ever got headaches, she said no. She just mixed some fragrance-free laundry soap with baking soda, and the layers of crusty film wiped right off!
That marked the end of dreading bathroom-cleaning duty. I have been using this easy mix ever since. I’ve tried it with powdered laundry soap and even laundry soap sheets (just add a little water). It works great, and it’s much cheaper than anything else you could buy to clean with.
What you’ll need:
- An old plastic jar (This is a great use for plastics. No one wants to drop a slippery glass jar on the tile.)
- Baking soda
- Liquid laundry detergent (or powdered plus a little water) – Fragrance-free is best
Instructions:
Mix enough together to make a paste. It doesn’t need to be exact. A little on the dry side is fine. If it dries out a bit before the next time you use it, just add a little water and stir. Put a gob on a cloth and rub the tub or sink to clean. Rinse well; it may be slick if not well rinsed.
Great uses: Tile, Acrylic, Ceramic, Quartz Composite.
⚠️Avoid grout, metal fixtures, and natural granite, as these can be affected by the alkaline baking soda. Keep reading for a safe cleaning recipe for those surfaces.
3. Gentle Cleaning Spray
You might have witch hazel in your bathroom cupboard. It’s often used as a natural toner or to soothe bug bites. But it’s a great gentle cleaner for surfaces too! Technically, it does not disinfect, but it kills some germs and it does dissolve grime so you can wipe those germs away. Keep reading for a disinfectant.
[I think the evidence is pretty strong that our wholesale carpet bombing of microbes is not leading us anywhere good, but that’s a rant for another day.]
- 16-oz bottle of witch hazel (NOT the alcohol-free kind)
- 2 drops dish soap (if you’ve been here long, you know I’m going to say fragrance-free)
- Optional:6 drops essential oil (I like mint and bergamot)
Combine in a spray bottle and shake.
Use on almost any surface. (Test in an inconspicuous area first if you’re unsure.)
4. (Cheating): Hydrogen Peroxide
This is a total cop-out. Not a recipe at all. Just good old H2O2 in a spray bottle. But it is an excellent disinfectant, safe for grout, metal fixtures, and countertops. It works like a gentle bleach. Try spraying peroxide on stained white fabric and let it sit an hour or two before washing in cold water*.
The only place I have found that sells hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle is Walmart, but the dark plastic is important, because light breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water. The good news is, the lid can be manhandled (womanhandled) off for refilling, so I’ve had this one for just about ever, refilling with bulk bottles from Costco.
*Test first in an inconspicuous place. I’ve had great results on cotton and linen, but haven’t tried other fabrics.
Cleaner Cleaners
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are lurking in most of the cleaners you find at the store. When you replace conventional cleaners with these non-toxic options, you give your family cleaner air and safer surfaces. Large companies convinced modern families that they needed to spend a significant portion of the budget on toxic cleaners that make the air smell like chemicals and fragrances. Try making your own cleaners and see how easy it is to reclaim fresh, clean air.
*This information is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional before making any changes.