Have you ever walked down the cleaning aisle at the supermarket and been overwhelmed with all the different kinds of cleaners? 

The choices are endless, but what is also endless is the list of ingredients and harmful chemicals that are used to make those cleaners.  What most of us don’t realize, until they come across an article like this, is that we don’t need all those overpriced products big companies have brainwashed into thinking we need to have a clean home. 

There are so many simple and inexpensive homemade cleaners that work wonderfully if we only take the time to mix a few ingredients together. The best part is most of the ingredients needed are already sitting on our pantry shelves.

Use the following list of homemade cleaning recipes that can help you make your home sparkling clean without using toxic chemicals.

Here are my all-time favorite homemade cleaners:

Homemade Bathroom Cleaners

• Shower Cleaner –  ½ cut grapefruit, ¼ cup Kosher salt – Place salt on grapefruit halve and scrub your tub and shower.
• Toilet Cleaner – ¼ cup baking soda, ¼ cup Borax, 1 cup white vinegar – Place ingredients directly in the toilet.  Mix gently with bowl brush.  Let sit for 30 minutes more before scrubbing and flushing.
• Toilet Cleaner – ½ cup Borax, 1/4 cup lemon juice – Place ingredients directly in the toilet.  Mix gently with bowl brush.  Let sit for 30 minutes more before scrubbing and flushing.
• Grout Cleaner – ¼ cup rubbing alcohol, ¼ cup white vinegar, and enough baking soda to form a paste. Apply paste using an old toothbrush.  Allow to sit 5 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
• Mold Remover – ½ cup hydrogen peroxide, 1 cup water. Mix and store in a squirt bottle. Spray on mold area and let sit for one hour before rinsing.

Glass Cleaners

• Glass Cleaner – ¼ cup rubbing alcohol, ¼ cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 cups warm water. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.
• Glass Cleaner – 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.
• Glass Cleaner – 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon ammonia. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.

All-Purpose Cleaners

• Surface Cleaner – 2 cups distilled water, ¼ cup Castile soap, 15 drops orange essential oil. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.
• Surface Cleaner – 1 cup distilled water, 1 cup distilled vinegar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, 15 drops orange essential oil. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.
• Surface Cleaner – 1/2 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 10 drops tea tree essential oil. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle.
• Heavy Duty Surface Cleaner – 2 cups hot water, 2 teaspoons borax, 1 teaspoon washing soda, 4 tablespoons white vinegar, ½ Castile soap, ¼ tree tea oil, 8 drops rosemary oil, 8 drops tangerine oil, 8 drops lavender oil. Stir to mix and use in a squirt bottle. 

Kitchen Cleaners

• Soft Scrub – 1 1/2 cup baking soda, ½ cup Castile soap, 10 drops tea tree essential oil.  Mix all ingredients until it forms a paste. Store in an air-tight container.
• Dish Soap – ½ cup distilled water, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, ½ cup white vinegar, ½ castile soap, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 10 drops lemon essential oil. Mix water and salt until salt is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and store in recycled dish soap container.
• Oven Cleaner – ½ cup baking soda, 3 tablespoons water, 1/4 white vinegar. Mix all ingredients until it forms a paste. Spread on oven walls and let sit for 12 hours. After 12 hours spray oven walls with white vinegar, this will create a foaming action and is ready to be wiped off.
• Oven Cleaner – 2 cups hot water, 1 tablespoon Castile soap, 1 teaspoon Borax.  Mix all ingredients and store in a squirt bottle.  Spray on oven walls and let sit for 20 minutes before wiping off.
• Oven Cleaner – ¾ cups baking soda, ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup water. Mix all ingredients until it forms a thick paste. Spread in oven walls and let sit overnight.   Remove with a spatula and wipe clean.
• Drain Cleaner – ½ cup baking soda, ¼ white vinegar. Sprinkle baking soda down the clogged drain, and follow with the vinegar.  Let the bubbling mixture sit for an hour, then pour boiling hot water down the drain to rinse.

Laundry Cleaners

• Detergent Powder – 1 cup borax, 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup washing soda, 6 – 8 oz Fels Naptha soap bars. Finley grate soap bars and add remaining ingredients.  Store in airtight container. Use 2 tablespoons per load.
• Detergent Powder – ½ cup soap flakes, ½ cup Borax, ½ cup washing soda.  Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. Use 2 tablespoons per load.
• Liquid Detergent – ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup Borax, 1 bar Ivory soap. 2-gallon size bucket for storage. Finely grate soap bar in a large saucepan. Add 6 cups water and heat over medium heat until soap is dissolved. Remove from heat and add washing soda, Borax, and 4 more cups hot water.  Stir until combined.  Pour liquid into a bucket and add one more gallon of warm water. Let sit overnight until cool, and it thickens.  Use ½ cup per load.
• Heavy Duty Liquid Detergent – ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup Borax, ½ Dawn dish soap, 4 cups hot water, 1-gallon size jug for storage. Combine all ingredients and pour into a jug.  Fill the container to the top with cold water. Use ½ cup per load.
• Tough Stain Remover – 2/3 cup Dawn dish detergent, 2/3 cup ammonia, 6 tablespoons baking soda, 2 cups warm water. Mix together and store in a squirt bottle. Spray onto the stain, let it rest a bit, then launder as normal.  Always test fabric and do not mix with chlorine bleach.
• Fabric Softner – 5 ½ cups water, 15 oz hair conditioner, 2 ½ cups white vinegar. Combine all ingredients and store in a recycled detergent bottle. Use ¼ cup per load.
• Dryer Sheets – Old t-shirt cut into 8” x 8” squares. Use homemade fabric softer recipe above.  Layer squares in a container and pour fabric softener over them.  Squeeze out excess softner before tossing one square into the dryer with wet clothes.

Misc. Cleaners

• Disinfectant Wipes – Recycled baby-wipe container, 1 cup water, ¼ white vinegar, 8 drops tea tree oil, 8 drops eucalyptus essential oil, 8 drops lemon essential oil, 20 recycled old t-shirt squares. Add squares to wipe container.  Mix all ingredients and pour over squares.
• Furniture Dusting Spray – 1 tablespoon Castile soap, 2 cups water, 15 drops lemon essential oil.  Mix all ingredients and store in a squirt bottle.
• Wood Polish Lemon Oil – 10 drops lemon essential oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 drops olive oil. Use a clean recycled flannel cotton cloth dipped in oil mixture to dust wood furniture.
• Wood Polish – ¾ olive oil, ¼ cup white vinegar, 30 drops lemon essential oil. Combine all ingredients and store in a squirt bottle. Spray directly on wood furniture and wipe off with clean, soft cotton cloth.  
• Carpet Freshener – 2 cups Borax, 1 cup baking soda, 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Combine all ingredients and sprinkle on carpet prior to vacuuming.  Let sit for 30 minutes before vacuuming.
• Carpet Stain Remover – Sprinkle the stain with baking soda and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then vacuum it up. Next, mix 1 tablespoon Dawn dish soap, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 2 cups of warm water. Sponge this onto the stain and blot with a dry cloth, repeating until the stain disappears. 
• Heavy-duty Carpet Stain Remover – ¼ cup salt, ¼ cup Borax, 1/4 cup white vinegar. Mix until it forms a paste and rub into stain.  Let sit for six hours and then vacuum as normal.
• Natural Air Freshener – 3 orange peels, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cloves, a pot of water.  Bring a pot of water to a boil with orange peels, cinnamon, and cloves. Leave simmering on the stove to naturally freshen your air.

Thanks for stopping by!

Tracy Lynn

P.S. Do you like what you are reading?

Are you looking to slow down and live a simpler life?

I am so happy you’ve landed here and I can share some of the simple living principles that have made a huge difference in our lives. 

To give you a place to start I have created a “5 Steps to Simple Living Guide“ that I am offering to you free.  

Along with this free download, is included a complimentary subscription to our weekly Our Simple Homestead Newsletter. Each week you’ll receive simple living tips, homesteading ideas, old-fashion recipes and every once in awhile a touch of the Amish lifestyle.
 
Click here to receive your free download of 5 Steps to Simple Living today!

DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation from affiliate and sponsored posts on this blog.

Want more? Read on.