Homemade Cleaning Solutions
When I was growing up, my mom had a spray bottle with the hand-written words “Vinegar & Water” on it. Whether it was a sticky spill, pet “problem” or cleaning up after my siblings and me, my mom was quick on the draw with this tried-and-true solution.
Now that I have my own home, child and bank account, I too experiment with eco-friendly homemade cleaning solutions using ingredients within an arm’s reach like lemons, salt, baking soda and, yes, vinegar.
Are you hoping to make a clean sweep and replace conventional cleaning products or simply looking for more ways to streamline spending? Make your own earth- and wallet-friendly household cleaning products; it’s easy and you likely have everything you need around the house right now.
Here’s the dirt on a few common kitchen items that pull double duty.
Related—> 4 Ways to Get Housework Done Quickly
Baking Soda
Deodorizer: To absorb stale odors from carpets, liberally sprinkle with baking soda. Wait a few hours, then vacuum.- Leave an open bowl of 2-4 tablespoons baking soda in the fridge.
- Soak plastic containers in warm water and baking soda overnight to eliminate lingering food smells.
- Sprinkle some baking soda at the bottom of your kitchen trash can before putting in the garbage bag.
- Counter, Bathtub, Sink and Tile Cleaner: Apply baking soda with a damp sponge or rag. Let it sit for a few minutes. Scour and rinse.
Distilled White Vinegar
- All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle to clean most surfaces around the house. (Vinegar should not be used on marble surfaces.)
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Pour 1 cup vinegar into toilet bowl. Toss in a handful of baking soda. The mixture will foam. (Vinegar will clean hard water lime deposits if left standing awhile.) Scrub and flush.
Salt
Red Wine Spill Support: Pour a thick layer of salt over the spill to prevent it from setting. Let it sit for a number of hours to absorb the wine before vacuuming.
- Grease Cleaner for Pots and Pans: Sprinkle salt on cookware to absorb excess grease. Dump out the salt before washing as usual. (Not recommended for nonstick cookware.)
Lemons
- Drain Deodorizer: Put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal to eliminate odors.
- Microwave Cleaner: Fill a bowl with 1 cup of water and 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice. Place in a microwave and turn it to a high setting for long enough to allow steam to condense on the walls. Carefully remove bowl of water and wipe the inside of the microwave with a warm damp rag.
Essential Oils
- All-Purpose Cleaner. The simple 1:1 solution of water and vinegar mentioned earlier is an effective and affordable solution, however if you don’t care for the smell of vinegar, Kate Payne, author of The Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking, has a fantastic fix:
Add about 10 drops of a pure essential oil (no synthetic fragrances or you’re defeating the purpose of non-toxic cleaning) to your half vinegar-half water spray bottle. Of all the essential oils I’ve tried, peppermint is one of the few that actually masks the odor of the acetic acid in vinegar.
Note: If you’re not a mint fan, Kate also suggests eucalyptus or clove essential oils.
Shortcuts
If you want to leave cleaning solution mixology to the pros but are concerned about toxins, Whole Foods Market has you covered with our Eco-Scale™ rating system. These rated products list full ingredients on their packaging and are third-party verified based on safety and environmental impact.
Any go-to ingredients you couldn’t clean without such as club soda or mild vegetable soap? What’s your favorite homemade solution for cleaning clothes, scouring the oven or wiping windows and floors?
Let’s tackle the house together!
I use White Vinegar and Essential Oils in my cleaning solutions. You can’t beat going natural. Great post!
I regularly use vinegar and water as a cleaner in my home and while I don’t mind the smell my husband HATES it. I had played with a few different essential oils but felt like the smell wasn’t masked it just mixed and made it worse. I haven’t tried peppermint though! I seriously am going to go try it today! Thanks for the tip.
I love using lemons to clean, they smell so good.
I use peppermint and sweet orange in a lot of cleaning mixes. I love the way my kitchen smells when I mop with peppermint diy floor cleaner.
These are good tips. I buy the biggest boxes of baking soda I can get because it really is great for odors and doesn’t smell as overpowering as those carpet powders from the cleaning section of the store.
Thank you for the wonderful cleaning tips. I don’t like to use harsh chemicals around the kids and the pets.
I love the “grandmothers solutions” as we call it, I have many tips like those from her and I prefer to use that above chemicals. Thanks for this post!
Thank you for this post! I love learning new ways to use everyday household items to clean things you wouldn’t expect!