Make Your Own Natural Cleaners
Creating your own cleaning supplies is another safe, inexpensive way to stop purchasing harsh chemical cleaners. Anyone can make their own natural cleaners at home. Ingredients are as simple as something you might already have from your pantry.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a versatile cleaning agent that is good for many purposes. The smell of vinegar can be too overpowering for some people, a few drops of citrus or essential oil will make it much more pleasant smelling.
- Add castile soap, filtered water and essential oil (optional) to vinegar for cleaning. Effective for cleaning anything in the house — floors, windows, bath, kitchen, etc.
- As a deodorizer, a cup of white distilled vinegar once a week can keep the drains fresh. Let it sit for 30 minutes before flushing with cold water.
- In laundry, diluted vinegar can be added as a fabric softener and for protecting colored fabrics from fading.
Castile Soap
Made from a base of vegetable oil, castile soap is an example of a versatile and excellent cleaner. It is all natural and works great at cleaning almost anything in the house. Important to note that castile soap comes in concentrated form that has to be diluted before use.
A few recommended dilutions guide:
- Floor Cleaner: Mix ¼ castile soap to a bucket of warm water
- Laundry Detergent: Add ½ cup castile soap to a load of laundry
- Dish Soap: For general use, dilute 1 part soap to every 10 parts water.
Baking Soda
A baking ingredient that doubles as a cleaning agent, baking soda is great for scrubbing many things. It can be used for cleaning hard surfaces such as the sinks, stoves, tiles, pots and pans, and even stains on coffee mugs!
- Combine with water to make into a paste and scrub on the intended surface with a brush or sponge. Optional: Add in a few drops of your choice of essential oil. You can use lavender or tea tree oil for its antibacterial properties.
- For added strength, use with vinegar or soap instead of water.
