DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaners

There are many reasons why you might want to make DIY eco-friendly cleaners. It could be because you want to avoid harmful chemicals found in your typical brand from the grocery store, or you want to avoid the plastic packaging. Or, perhaps it’s to save you some money, or you just ran out of your regular stuff and you don’t have time to run out to the store.

Whatever the reason, it’s very easy to make cleaners, and you don’t have to be a crafty Martha Stewart type either. Most of the ingredients are probably already found around at home, in either your kitchen or from your medicine cabinet.

Most of these DIY eco-friendly cleaners require baking soda and vinegar. They are two of the basics for at-home-cleaners. You might also like to read The Green Living Detective’s post on “How green is it to clean with baking soda”.

There are many ways to make DIY eco-friendly cleaners. I picked these because they have simple ingredients most people would have on hand, and they work.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• baking soda
• cornstarch
• grease-cutting dish soap
• lemon essential oil
• rubbing alcohol
• white vinegar
• water
• 3 spray bottles
• 1 funnel (optional unless you are messy like me)

All-Purpose Cleaner

Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water and 20 to 30 drops of lemon essential oil to a spray bottle. Share to mix. Spray and wipe clean.

This is the simplest of cleaners to make. You don’t need to add lemon essential oil. I have that one on hand and it makes things smell “clean” in my opinion. Other scents might work well too.

Shower/Tub Cleaner

Mix 1 cup of vinegar, 1/4 cup of grease-cutting dish soap and 30-ish drops of lemon essential oil to a spray bottle. Shake to mix. Spray shower or tub. Wait for 10 to 15 minutes then scrub and rinse.

One thing to note about this cleaner is it smells strongly of vinegar. I recommend cracking open a window or turning on the bathroom fan to ventilate. I know my kids complain about the smell of this one.

Toilet Cleaner

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda in the toilet. Follow with 1/2 cup of vinegar and a few drops of lemon essential oils (optional). Wait 15 minutes and scrub.

Toilet bowl cleaners are just too harsh. I’m more comfortable using this any day.

Window Cleaner

In a spray bottle, mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 3 tbs of rubbing alcohol, 1 tsp of corn starch and 3/4 cups of water. Shake to mix. Spray-on glass or mirror and wipe clean.

There are many recipes out there that do include cornstarch. When I first read about it, I thought that was kind of weird. I, of course, had to try it for myself, and it seems to be one of those secret ingredients that make this recipe work. From what I can tell, it probably works because it’s a mild abrasive.

Whether you want to save money, reduce your use of plastic or stop using harmful chemicals, now you are equipped with a few good alternatives. If you like these, download your copy here for quick reference or gift it to a friend who might be interested!

Do you have any tried and true DIY eco-friendly cleaners? Let me know what you use in the comments below!