Natural All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)
Tired of breathing in harsh chemical fumes every time you clean? Natural cleaners get the job done without irritating lungs or leaving behind toxic residues.
This easy homemade all-purpose cleaner recipe uses just a few simple ingredients to create a safe, eco-friendly, and highly effective cleaning solution. Keep reading to learn the benefits of natural cleaners and how to make your own that works for every surface in your home.
Why Choose a Natural Cleaner?
Conventional household cleaners are packed with toxic chemicals linked to asthma, allergies, respiratory irritation, headaches, burns, and other health issues.
Ingredients like bleach, ammonia, formaldehyde, phthalates, and volatile organic compounds get the job done but have many downsides:
– Irritate lungs, eyes, skin, and nasal passages
– Contribute to indoor air pollution
– Trigger asthma attacks and allergic reactions
– Are poisonous if ingested by kids or pets
– Pollute groundwater, lakes, rivers, and oceans
– Damage the environment and harm wildlife
Natural cleaners made with plant-based ingredients offer a much safer alternative. Choosing natural cleaning products benefits your health and the planet.
Benefits of Natural Cleaners:
– Non-toxic for humans, animals and aquatic life
– Won’t trigger allergies or asthma
– Don’t release harsh fumes
– Biodegradable and eco-friendly
– Safe for septic systems
– Cheaper than commercial cleaners
– Customizable for your unique needs
Let’s look at how to make a simple but highly effective all-purpose natural cleaner.
Natural All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe
This homemade cleaner only requires a few simple ingredients but can tackle any cleaning job: counters, appliances, floors, bathrooms, windows, mirrors, and more!
Here’s what you’ll need:
– 1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
– 1/4 cup baking soda
– 1/2 gallon (64 oz) hot water
– 5-10 drops essential oil (optional)
– 16 oz reusable spray bottle
That’s it! Just a few basic kitchen staples create this multi-use cleaning powerhouse.
Let’s look at the magic behind the ingredients…
Vinegar – Cuts Grease and Disinfects
Vinegar is the star of this all-purpose cleaner recipe. The acetic acid in vinegar cuts through grease, soap scum, hard water deposits, and grime.
Studies show vinegar is an effective disinfectant against bacteria like E. coli and S. aureus. Acetic acid destroys cell membrane function and denatures proteins in bacteria.
Both white and apple cider vinegar work well in cleaners. Choose white vinegar if you don’t want any leftover aroma. Apple cider vinegar adds a slight tangy scent.
Baking Soda – Scrubs and Deodorizes
Baking soda acts as a gentle abrasive to lift dirt from surfaces. Sprinkle it on a damp cloth and use for scrubbing tougher messes.
It also neutralizes odors naturally. Sprinkle baking soda in smelly areas of carpets, fridges, trash cans, etc and let sit before vacuuming up. The soda absorbs and deactivates odor molecules.
Adding just a tablespoon of this mild alkali to your cleaner balances vinegar’s acidity. This prevents surfaces from getting etched over time by vinegar.
Hot Water – Maximizes Cleaning Power
Hot water makes the vinegar and baking soda molecules more energetic. This increases their ability to break up grease, grime, and residues.
Let hot tap water run for a minute to get nice and steamy before adding to your spray bottle. While not hot enough to kill bacteria, the extra heat helps this cleaner cut through messes better.
Essential Oils – Add Natural Scent
Essential oils are optional but add a light, fresh scent. Good choices like lemon, lavender, orange, peppermint, tea tree oil, eucalyptus, or pine oils also have antimicrobial properties.
Use 5-10 drops of your chosen essential oil(s) per 16 ounce spray bottle. Citrus oils help clean and degrease while lavender and mint oils add calming aromas. Mix and match for your own personalized scent.
How to Make and Use This Natural Cleaner
Now let’s put it all together! Follow these simple steps:
1. Fill spray bottle 1/3 full with hot water from the tap. Let it run until steamy.
2. Add vinegar and baking soda. White vinegar (1/2 cup) is best for cleaning and deodorizing. For scent, use 1/4 cup white vinegar + 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.
3. Add 5-10 drops essential oil if desired. Start with less and add more based on scent strength preference.
4. Top off spray bottle with more hot water until full. Screw on spray top and shake gently to mix.
5. Label bottle so everyone knows it’s safe to use.
6. Use this solution as you would any all-purpose cleaner! Spray directly on surfaces or wet a cloth first for more scrubbing power.
That’s all it takes to make this effective eco-friendly cleaner in minutes. And so versatile…
Where to Use This Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
This vinegar-baking soda spray can clean virtually any hard, non-porous surface in your home:
Kitchen:
Counters, appliances (avoid stainless steel), tables, sinks
Bathrooms:
Counters, sinks, showers, tubs, toilets, tiles, mirrors
Other Rooms:
Hardwood, laminate, tile, or sealed concrete floors
Baseboards, doors, walls, finished cabinets, painted furniture
Windows, mirrors, glass surfaces
Carpets:
Spot clean stains and deodorize by spraying directly on area. Blot dry with towel, don’t rub. Test on inconspicuous area first. For wall to wall carpet cleaning, add 1 cup of vinegar to laundry machine rinse cycle.
This natural cleaner should NOT be used on:
– Marble or granite (etching risk)
– Unsealed wood (risk of water marks)
– Stainless steel (strips protective coating)
– Leather (can discolor and dry out)
– Painted car surfaces (removes wax coatings)
Tips for the Best Results:
– Shake bottle before each use to remix ingredients
– Start with a weaker dilution and increase vinegar if needed
– Apply with reusable cloth or paper towel to minimize waste
– Use old toothbrushes, grout brushes, or scrub pad for tough grime
– Rinse surfaces after cleaning windows, mirrors, and stainless steel
– Make fresh batches every 2-3 weeks for maximum potency
This natural all-purpose cleaner is safe for kids and pets once surfaces are dry. Store out of reach of young children.
Why This Natural Cleaner Works
What’s the science behind this simple but highly effective homemade recipe? Let’s recap:
– Vinegar dissolves grease, soap scum, hard water lime, grime, and bacteria
– Baking soda deodorizes and balances pH without harsh chemical odors
– Hot water maximizes the cleaning power of vinegar and baking soda
– Essential oils add a fresh, natural scent with antibacterial properties
Together these ingredients lift dirt from surfaces safely and naturally using basic chemistry. No need for toxic chemical cleaners when you have simple, natural solutions that work this well!
Other Easy Natural Cleaning Recipes
Once you realize how well natural cleaners work for all-purpose cleaning, you can use similar recipes to make specialty cleaners:
Glass/Window Cleaner – Mix 1/4-1/2 cup vinegar with 1 gallon water. Add 15-25 drops essential oil if desired. Apply with cloth or reusable paper towels.
Stainless Steel Cleaner – Mix 2 Tbsp baking soda with 1 quart warm water. Rub gently with soft cloth. Rinse and dry immediately.
Drain Cleaner – Pour 1 cup baking soda down drain. Add 1 cup vinegar and let fizz for 10-15 minutes. Flush with hot water.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner – Sprinkle toilet bowl with 1/4 cup baking soda. Drizzle with 1/4 cup vinegar. Let sit 5 minutes then scrub with brush and flush.
Mold/Mildew Spray – Add 15 drops clove, rosemary, tea tree or other antimold essential oils to 16 oz spray bottle filled with distilled white vinegar.
Reusable cleaning cloths and towels prevent waste while saving money. And making your own natural cleaning products reduces plastic waste from all those store-bought bottles!
The Bottom Line on Natural Homemade Cleaners
With just three basic ingredients – vinegar, baking soda, and hot water – you can make a safe, eco-friendly, non-toxic all-purpose cleaner that works on nearly any hard surface.
Vinegar disinfects, cuts grease, and removes residues while baking soda scrubs and deodorizes. Simply mix with hot water in a reusable spray bottle. Add several drops of essential oils for a fresh, natural scent if desired.
This natural homemade cleaner offers powerful cleaning action without volatile chemical compounds that pollute air and waterways. And so much cheaper than commercial products!
Give this simple recipe a try. Once you see how well natural cleaners work in your home, you can expand to make other natural solutions for windows, drains, stainless steel, and more.
Keep your home sparkling clean without exposing your family and pets to toxic chemicals or harming the environment. Make the switch to safe, effective natural cleaners!
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