Today I’m sharing some of my favorite natural cleaning products and tools, as well as a few recipes I have for some DIY homemade cleaning products that I swear by.
I try to keep the amount of chemicals I use in our house to a minimum, without over-complicating my life and cleaning routine at the same time. With a baby who likes to lick the floors and eat everything in sight, it makes me feel better knowing she isn’t ingesting anything too dangerous. I don’t have a ton of extra time to allocate towards making several homemade cleaning products, but I do enjoy knowing exactly what’s in the few that I do make. It certainly saves me money too! Here are my favorite green & DIY cleaning products.
My Key Cleaning Tools
- Broom
- Vacuum – ours has no bags that need to be replaced, which is good for the earth and my budget
- Steam mop – comes with washable pads so you never have to buy more, and disinfects floors without having to use any other cleaning products
- Old rags – eliminates the need for paper towels
- Toilet bowl brush
- Non-toxic toilet bowl cleaner – if you’re wondering why I prefer non-toxic for this…my 9 month old pulled herself up on the toilet into a standing position and LICKED the outside of it this week. #momoftheyear
- My homemade all-purpose spray cleaner (recipe below)
- My homemade liquid laundry detergent (recipe below)
- Dryer balls – we use these in place of fabric sheets to reduce static (and chemicals) while our clothes are drying
That’s it, folks! That’s pretty much the basics of what I use to clean around our house and clothes. It’s easy to feel like you need dozens of cleaning products to accommodate all the different surfaces in your home, but I find it all much more manageable when I simplify the amount of products I need to use. It makes cleaning seem like less of a chore when it’s not such a complicated process with a million different tools and products involved.
Now, onto the recipes!
Homemade All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
Ingredients Needed:
- Rubbing alcohol (I use 70%)
- Water
- Essential oils such as lavender or orange (optional)
Directions:
Mix equal parts water and rubbing alcohol and then sprinkle in a few drops of essential oils if you desire. Done! It doesn’t get easier than that, right?
I use it on:
- Mirrors
- Windows
- Granite kitchen countertops (rubbing alcohol is safe to use on granite. However, vinegar is not)
- Stainless steel appliances
- Door handles
- Bathroom countertops
- Toilets (except for the inside of the bowl) – I spray onto a cleaning rag and then wipe down
I realize that rubbing alcohol isn’t the most natural cleaning product out there, but it’s also not the worst either. I use this spray most often on my kitchen countertops and needed something that was safe to use on granite. As noted above, rubbing alcohol is perfectly safe for granite, but common natural cleaners such as vinegar are definitely not. A cleaning solution with a vinegar ingredient instead of the rubbing alcohol would be considered more natural, but just isn’t practical for me to use on a routine basis. Cleaning has to be made easy in my house, otherwise it doesn’t happen 😉 .
If you aren’t the DIY type, I highly recommend Mrs. Meyers Multi-Surface Cleaner as a natural all-purpose spray. It smells really nice!
Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent
I’ve been making our laundry detergent for 3 years now, and we’ve saved a ton of money with very minimal effort by doing so. The entire process takes about 20ish minutes of my time, and the entire batch lasts almost a year for us! I find the process of making it therapeutic too, it’s honestly super easy.
Ingredients & Tools Needed:
- 4 Cups water
- 1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
- 1 Cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
- ½ Cup Borax
- 5 gallon bucket – I got mine at Home Depot for less than $3
- Empty jugs to store in (optional). Old milk and juice cartons work beautifully for this purpose!
Just a note – The washing soda and borax also last for making this recipe multiple times, so the only thing I need to consistently buy about once a year when I make this is the soap bar.
Directions:
- Grate the bar of soap and add to a saucepan with water. Turn on medium-low heat and continually stir until the soap dissolves and is completely melted.
- Fill your 5 gallon bucket halfway full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until everything is dissolved. Fill bucket to the top with more hot water. Then stir, cover (a cookie sheet works well), and let sit overnight to thicken up before using. After it thickens, I then pour it into my empty jugs. A funnel of some sort makes this process much easier!
- When you’re ready to use, fill your laundry soap dispenser halfway with the soap and then fill the rest of it up with water. Be sure to shake well before each use.
This recipe make 10 gallons of soap when all is said and done (5 gallons of soap mixed with 5 gallons of water since we’re adding them together in the dispenser).
I hope you found this helpful! Please let me know if you have any questions about how I use my cleaning tools or make my own products below, as I’m happy to answer them.
Have you ever tried making your own cleaning products before? If not, would you consider it now that you know how easy it can be? 🙂
I think it’s super important to use natural cleaning products. A few months ago, I purchased a gallon of Branch Basics all-purpose cleaner (because I’m too lazy to DIY, ha ha!) and it’s the best stain remover I’ve ever used in my life. I’m excited to try using it with laundry this week. 🙂 Kudos for making your own stuff!
That’s awesome! I’ve never heard of Branch, glad you found something that is working well for you Meredith 🙂
Wow! I’m so impressed! I’ve never thought homemade cleaning products could really clean as well as store bought stuff… The detergent sounds interesting, I’ll have to give it a try!
I definitely recommend it Chela, such a money saver!
Your series couldn’t have come at a better time for me! I’m currently getting in gear to clean and declutter my house this spring before we move and I’ve been saying I was going to make homemade laundry detergent for months. Your recipe seems super easy and it’s about time I get that done.
That’s awesome, thanks Chonce! I promise it really is easy!
I’ve only used baking soda and vinegar to clean, besides my Seventh Generation Dish Detergent for just about everything else. I think your way is MUCH cheaper and greener. 🙂
Your way sounds pretty cheap and green to me, Kay! 🙂
I haven’t fully ventured down this path, but my wife and I have definitely headed down the organic route when it comes to food, cleaners, etc. Steam mops are awesome. I have bad allergies so I’m looking forward to the day when we rip up all our carpet and our entire house is hardwood or laminate. Much better for allergies.
I have terrible allergies too DC! I think you’ll definitely notice an improvement when you rip up the carpeting. I actually love carpeting for the comfort factor, but noticed that my allergies significantly improved when we moved from our carpeted apartment to our current house with all hardwood floors on the main level (we live in a ranch and there’s carpeting in the basement).
Hi Christina,
While I’m all about green beauty and natural skincare, I guess I have yet to dabble into the world of natural cleaning products. Thanks for this post, I always love recommendations!
Xx, Tiffany | http://www.sunshinedaydreamphotography.com
I highly recommend it Tiffany, and you are so welcome! 🙂
This is great! I’m interested in trying DIY cleaning products, thanks for sharing, at least I know they are tried and tested already!
You bet!
Thanks for sharing the recipes. I also make my own laundry detergent although I use a powdered version and I’m intrigued by your spray so I’m going to give that one a shot myself.
I’ve been slowly trying to replace the store bought items with chemical free things. I figure if our ancestors could make due without so can I. I also don’t like that we are surrounded my these harsh chemicals day in and day out. I know they tell us it’s safe but I wonder just how true that is.
As far as your daughter don’t beat yourself up, we all have those moments. One day I was changing AJ’s diaper (he was 3 months old at the time) and I heard this splashing. I turned around and saw KC (then 22 months old) splashing and I mean SPLASHING in our toilet. He was drenched in just a matter of the couple of minutes that I had my back turned. He looked up at me and with a smile said, “I’m swimming!” To this day I have no idea how he got that bathroom door open. #motheroftheyear
Haha that is priceless, thanks so much for sharing your hysterical story Tennille. Life in toddler land, eh? I’m sure I’ll have some moments of toilet splashing as well, considering her new fascination with the porcelain beast lately lol.
I used to get freaked out over things like that. Then my mom looked at me one day like I was a two headed monster. She said,
“Tennille, SMART kids get dirty!”.
Since that day I have let the boys go exploring and get dirty. I figure as long as it won’t get them hurt or make them sick dirt can be cleaned. It’s made mothering so much more enjoyable. :o)
Your Mom is a smart woman! I’m trying to embrace the dirty a bit more too, which will probably really be tested this summer when we are playing in legitimate dirt 😉
Yes!!! I’m a huge fan of using natural cleaning products. My favorite product right now is white vinegar and/or baking soda– they’re incredible and they don’t give me a huge headache!
I’ve also come to realize that there’s a balance to defining what it means to “clean”. I think there was an age when Americans felt the need to sterilize everything; I’m much more open-minded now, and would rather a little dirt than chemicals that are toxic!
So true, Daisy! Some types of germs are definitely good for us and our immune systems 🙂
I’m going to have to try your rubbing alcohol based cleaner. I hate the smell of vinegar and this is a great alternative!
I do too Emmett! I definitely recommend the rubbing alcohol based one 🙂