Learn How To Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Learning to make your own cleaning products is not only great for the environment but it is also inexpensive, fun to do and imperative for your health (did you know that many common cleaning products are carcinogenic after prolonged exposure?). Before you begin to make your own cleaning products, take this opportunity to reuse household items to serve as cleaning aids.

You can use old stained clothes and towels as rags, (reducing the reliance on products made of trees) clean out spray bottles that contained old commercial cleaners, and save your old toothbrushes for scrubbing hard to reach places!

Things you will need to make your own cleaning products:

  • micro-fiber cloths
  • extra spray bottles if you need them,
  • Baking soda,
  • Borax,
  • White vinegar
  • lemon juice bottled or more preferably fresh squeezed lemons
  • washing soda
  • olive oil
  • hydrogen peroxide

    • Whatever products that you use, i.e. commercial or if you choose to make your own cleaning products, be sure to keep in mind the difference between natural and non-toxic. Ammonia, for example, is a natural, powerful cleaning substance; however it is toxic and can burn your skin, eyes and cause respiratory irritation. Ammonia can be fatal if swallowed so keep them away from kids and pets. All Purpose Cleaner There are many good all purpose cleaning formulas; here are a few to choose from:

  • Mix 1 cup of vinegar, ½ cup of baking soda and 1 gallon of water. You can add lemon juice as well for extra cleaning plus a fresh scent. Pour into a spray bottle and store indefinitely.

  • For a stronger formula add ¼ cup of ammonia to the above or simply increase the above ingredients except for the water (remember be careful with the ammonia, its natural but toxic).

  • Combine 1/2 teaspoon of biodegradable liquid soap, 1/2 tsp. washing soda and 2 cups of water into a spray bottle. Shake well, spray on desired surface and wipe clean with a sponge or cloth.

    Window or Glass Cleaner A mixture of white vinegar and water will do the trick (about ¼ cup for every 2 cups of water). Just spray on and wipe with a cloth or crumpled up newspaper. You can substitute the vinegar for 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice if you wish. To avoid streaking don’t clean glass when it is warm.

    Furniture polish Make a mixture of 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Or, use a mixture of lemon oil and mineral oil. You can store these in either a jar or spray bottle. Apply the formula to a cloth rather than spraying directly on the wood, and work in to polish and shine your furniture naturally.





    Tub and tile cleaner You can use the all purpose cleaner or just baking soda and hot water. Scrub with a hard bristled brush and rinse. Another option is to use a halved lemon dipped in Borax or baking soda to scrub clean.

    Toilet Cleaner. Pour white vinegar and baking soda into the bowl and let sit for a while. Then use a toilet brush to scrub away stains as usual.

    To Clean Metals For brass and copper use a paste made of vinegar and salt. Apply to metal and wipe clean with a soft cloth. For Stainless steel, substitute the salt for baking soda. Wipe away with a damp cloth.

    Microwave Place a glass of hot water in the microwave and bring to a boil. Then wipe clean with a cloth with or without the all purpose or glass cleaner (depending on how dirty it is).

    Oven Cleaner Spray all purpose cleaner and let stand overnight. Spray again and wipe clean.

    Carpet Cleaner/Deodorizer Sprinkle cornmeal and borax on carpet, let stand and vacuum

    Air Fresheners:

  • House plants
  • Baking soda in fridge and garbage
  • halves of citrus fruit and salt (lemon, lime, orange) Scoop out pulp and sprinkle with salt to preserve.
  • Make an orange or lemon pomander. Stick cloves into the surface of the fruit and hang from a string. This will give off a refreshing fragrance for years to come-they won’t rot. They also work to deter moths!

    • Non-toxic Substitutions for common household chemicals ; Use hydrogen peroxide or citrus based sanitizers instead of chlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide works great to pre-treat blood stains and is safe for colors.

    When you make your own cleaning products keep in mind that white vinegar can be used for and in almost anything. White vinegar can be used safely and effectively in many different ways and the smell will dissipate after a couple of hours. Here are just a few not mentioned above:

  • To kill mold; use full strength on mold and mildew
  • To remove urine odor from fabrics and carpets. Spray vinegar on problem areas, let set a while then clean up with warm soap and water.
  • As a degreaser
  • Removes spots from dishes
  • Perspiration stains; presoak stain in vinegar before washing

    • Please feel free to share your green cleaning tips or how you make your own cleaning products. Just contact us and your ideas will be posted on this page along with your name!



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