Are you looking for a more chemical free home? Is your skin irritated after using commercial cleaners? Do you have a cabinet overflowing with bottles? If this sounds like you, these eco-friendly homemade cleaners are exactly what you need in your home!
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I can name a total of 3 store bought cleaners I have in my home right now: dish soap, bleach and laundry detergent.
Obviously dish soap and laundry detergent have a pretty straightforward use and can’t be used for everyday cleaning. The bleach is reserved for deep bathroom cleanings and pet messes.
In the near future I hope to get away from store bought laundry detergent to further achieve a chemical free home. I’m not sure how that will go due to my child’s super sensitive skin. Right now we have the best luck with Ecos Free and Clear Detergent.
In this article I’ll be sharing a couple different recipes for homemade cleaners. From a pine scented all purpose cleaner to DIY wood polish, you’ll be able to keep your entire home sparkling clean with these.
Why make my own when I can buy them?
People choose to make their own cleaning products for a number of reasons. These can range from price, avoiding potential irritants and eliminating those harmful VOCs from your home.
It’s no secret that commercial cleaning products are widely accepted as irritants. But why do we keep paying for something that’s going to hurt us and our families? I’ll tell you why, convince.
But it doesn’t seem very convenient to me to continue using products that have potential to cause permanent damage. These chemicals can cause anything from skin burns to death (think using bleach + ammonia or your child wondering what that colorful bottle tastes like)
Switching to homemade cleaners was the best decision I’ve made for the health of my family and myself.
I no longer have to worry about the irritating effects on my skin, eyes and throat. Goodbye to searching for a product that is safe for both my child and my pets, most of which are not.
No more having to keep the spray bottle in my hands at all times while cleaning so my toddler doesn’t grab it.
Gone are the days of wasting my money on 5 different products that I can replace with one I make myself.
All Purpose citrus Pine Cleaner
What You’ll Need:
Spray Bottle
Glass Jar (old pickle jars work great)
White Vinegar
Water
Citrus Peels
Pine Needles
Directions:
- Pack citrus peels and pine needles into a jar and cover with white vinegar. Let sit for 3+ weeks in a dark cupboard.
- Once your peels have lost some color and your mixture smells like pine and citrus it’s ready to use. Strain cleaner into a spray bottle and dilute with water (about a 50:50 ratio) Clean away!
I use this mixture on my tile floors, countertops and stainless steel appliances. It leaves everything smelling fresh and clean while leaving a fantastic streak free shine. This is also my favoite window cleaner.
Pine needles are a great additive for a couple of reasons.
First and most obvious is for scent. There’s a reason pinesol is soo popular.
Second is the antimicrobial and antifungal properties pine oil carries. This mixed with the acidity of vinegar and citrus peels makes for a fabulous disinfect.
Diy wood Dusting spray
Things You’ll Need:
Spray Bottle
1 C Olive Oil
6 TBS White Vinegar
30 Drops Rosemary Essential Oil
Directions:
- Add 1 C olive oil, 6 TBS White Vinegar and 30 drops essential oil to a spray bottle and shake well
- Spray on wood furniture and wipe dust away!
This furniture polish will clean and condition your wood leaving your furniture shiny for days to come.
I know that doesn’t sound like a very long time but if you think about how you can dust one day and the next it looks like you didn’t do a thing, this is pretty great.
White vinegar acts as a powerful, natural cleaner. Just know that adding too much will impact the shine and over time will damage your finish. You don’t want to use undiluted vinegar on any of your wood, whether it be floors or furniture.
The olive oil will act as a conditioner and add a protective coating to your surface. This coating will help stop dust from accumulating quickly. However, adding too much oil can leave an unpleasant residue.
Not only does rosemary essentil oil add a pleasant scent to your cleaner, it helps kill dust mites.
This will keep your furniture looking fresher for longer. If you’re not a fan of rosemary you can substitute it with eucalyptus oil or clove oil. Both of these oils kill dust mites. Did you know that clove oil kills mold spores? That’s an added bonus if you’re looking to shift to a chemical free home if you ask me!
diy beeswax Wood Conditioner
Things You’ll Need:
Double Boiler
4 OZ Glass Jar
1/4 C Beeswax Pellets
2/3 C Coconut Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Directions:
- Grab your double boiler and add coconut oil and beeswax. Cook over low heat until both ingredients have melted fully. Add 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and mix well. Pour into your glass jars and let cool.
- Using a clean dry coth, apply to wood furniture and polish to bring out it’s natural shine.
* This will make about 2 jars of polish
Beeswax will condition and restore dull wood surfaces. It will also leave a protective barrier to keep dust from accumulating quickly.
My favorite jars to use for practically everything are glass mason jars. For this wood conditioner I like to use the 4OZ Ball Jars. They’re shallow enough to get a rag to the bottom without making a mess.
diy silver polish
Things You’ll Need:
Small Jar
Baking Soda
Water
Soft Cloth
Tarnished Silverware
Directions:
- In a small jar, mix baking soda and water until a thick paste forms.
- Apply to tarnished silver and polish with a soft cloth until clean. Rinse and dry.
This one is my favorite because it’s soo quick and simple! Literally all you need it baking soda and water. For this platter I didn’t even mix the paste in a container beforehand, I did it directly on my silver tray!
All these DIY recipes have helped me switch to a chemical free home…for the most part. If you had good luck with any of these cleaners, let your friends know by sharing this page!