Vinegar and water go together like peanut butter and jelly when it comes to cleaning the house. So I say, why not ditch the nasty chemical and petrolum-based cleaners in your home and make your own eco-friendly products. Why you ask?
- There is less packaging waste. You are not buying new bottles over and over again.
- It is good for your wallet.
- It is less harmful or actually not harmful at all to humans, animals, and the environment.
- Homemade natural cleaners always smell better than store bought.
Did you know:
- White Vinegar: cuts grease, deodorizes, and disinfects
- Baking Soda: cuts grease, deodorizes, lifts dirt and whitens
- Essential oils (tea tree, clove, lavender etc): cuts grease, deodorizes, and disinfects
- Lemon juice: disinfects, and whitens
- Oil (olive, sunflower etc): lifts dirt
- Castile Soap (Dr.Bronners): cuts grease, and lifts dirt’
I pretty much use vinegar, water and lemon, oh and sometimes essential oils for everything! I am lazy like that. I can’t be bothered to mix all the different ingredients and have a zillions bottles.
Here are a few of my favorite DIY (do it yourself) cleaners. Feel free to mix and match and change it up. Do what works for you.
All purpose cleaner:
- 1/4 Cup Vinegar
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- optional: essential oils
Add to spray bottle and fill remaining amount with hot water.
Glass and mirror:
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- Spray and wipe with a cloth
OR
- just plain old water.
All purpose non-abrasive scrubber (tubes, tiles, sinks):
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup castile soap
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup vinegar
Mix in a spray bottle and clean away.
Disinfectant floor cleaner:
- 1 gallon warm water (bucket)
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- a small squeeze of castile soap
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- optional: 4 drops of tea tree oil
Furniture polish (test in wood before):
- 2 cup water
- 1Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
- Mix in a spray bottle
Oven Cleaner:
- 1 cup or more baking soda
- Water
- A squirt or two of castile soap
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven. Cover the bottom of the oven with enough baking soda. Let it sit over night to allow the the grime to loosen. Wipe up. Maybe add a little Castile soap on your rag to wash the remaining residue from the oven. If if doesn’t work well, try adding more baking soda next time.
Stainless Steel Cleaner (removes smudges from stainless appliances):
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- Put oil on a cloth and rub on surface to get rid of smudges. Dab white vinegar on the other side of the cloth. Wipe and let dry.
So there it is; versatile, affordable, non-toxic homemade cleaning recipes! These recipes all make me smile knowing the positive impact they have on the environment.
When will you make the switch and add a little more green to your life?
Thank you to Queen of Green for a few of her DIY cleaner recipes. Go check her out; it is so worth the read.
Photo Credit for white distilled vinegar: CafeMama- via photo pin cc
Source: Queen of Green Recipes
eco-friendly cleaners, green cleaners, non-toxic, vinegar
I am the Good Girl Gone Green. Seeing garbage cans overflowing with recyclables breaks my heart.
Great post Steph. Vinegar was what my mother ( your Nanny ) used as a base for all the house cleaning. It was inexpensive and did a fabulous job, sorry to say though, back then it was because of economic necessity for people. I must say that windows sparkle the best with vinegar.
I am going to share this post on my page !!!!
Thanks! Vinegar is the way to go!
Nice article! Truly, Vinegars do magic!
It is like magic! I use it in my laundry and even in my hair!
Thanks for these “recipes”! I usually use vinegar alone for a lot of cleaning and deodorizing and wanted to also use baking soda but haven’t gotten around to it. Now I have everything in once place!! And I have to agree about vinegar being the best window cleaner!!!
Water and vinegar is great for windows! hanks mel for stopping by…AGAIN! Yay!
I have enjoyed reading your blog and have awarded you the Versatile Blogger Award. I hope you stop by and accept this award and pass it along.
http://theordinaryaunt.blogspot.com/2011/08/i-am-so-excited.html
Thank you Belinda!
AGREED! I use vinegar and baking soda to clean EVERYTHING. Thanks for the other tips! I’ll have to try them.
Thanks! Vinegar and baking soda are a great combo!
Thanks for this. I have used vinegar a few times and then stopped for whatever reason, I am going to bookmark this post and start using it again!!
YAY~ You will wonder why you ever stopped!
Love these ideas. I need to take a minute or two or ten to figure out how to do more of this here in my own home!
Great! Start with plan water and vinegar for cleaning!
Oh thank you! I have been looking for some recipes but it is time consuming to find everything I need and I wanted simple recipes. This is perfect. I just printed it out so I can get started!
Awesome! Thank you, Beth!
This is a great post. My mother and I used vinegar for cleaning when I was young because we couldn’t afford fancy cleaning products. It worked just as well. In fact, we used apple cider vinegar instead of hair conditioner. Now that I have a baby, I am looking for more ways to save money and be better to the planet. Thank you for you blog.
I use apple cider vinegar in my hair too as well as baking soda…thats it, no shampoo! I
Great ideas! My husband is a vinegar junky and would really appreciate these.=) http://bellesbazaar-heather.blogspot.com/
Thanks Heather!
Hey, I use vinegar too! Following you back and I am on the Canadian Monday blog hop too. Better late than never…. he he. http://www.simplyshopandsave.ca
That’s great! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing! I didn’t realize there were so many easy ways to make DIY cleaners. Btw, I stumbled this!
-:¦:- Pirate Proposal Drawing -:¦:-
There are so many ways and it’s cheaper….bonus!
I love using vinegar and baking soda for cleaning! Awesome list of cleaners.
Stopping by from the Stop and Stumble Saturday Blog Hop…. I stumbled this!
Christina
Battle of the Leading Men
Vinegar is my favorite mixed with water!
Great recipes!! I can’t wait to try them out! I started using vinegar and baking soda a few years ago for my household cleaning and since then I’ve found there is nothing vinegar can’t do. I’m still shocked.
Vinegar does more than just clean!
Stumbled this. Thank you. I had only used it to clean my coffee pot before.
Coffe pot….great idea!
I really need to start making some of these homemade cleaning solutions. Thanks for sharing all the recipes.
Stumbled your post. Mine is at http://daybydayinourworld.com/2011/08/crazy-biker-boys/
Thank you. You should try a few of the recipes! So easy, fun and healthy!
Thanks for the recipes! I also use those free newspapers that come in the mailbox to rub over my windows when I’m done cleaning… if you let them dry you can still recycle them in other ways.
You are so welcome! I have never used newspaper before for cleaning windows, But I hear it does fantastic job!
This is a an awesome post! I can’t wait to try out some of these cleaners. I love essential oils too!
Thanks for the follow…I am following back! Have a great week!
Thank you!:)
Where do you buy your liquid castile soap? – I love using Calendula Oil!
Dropping by via Stop and Stumble!
Would you please return the favor?
http://www.libslibrary.com/2011/08/dancin-in-streets-jman.html
I buy it at my health food store! Most health food stores carry Dr.Bronners!
Great post! I’m a big fan of vinegar, I never thought of using apple cider & baking soda on my hair, I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks, Kelly! Let me know how it works out if you decided to try it!
Lovely to “meet” other like-minded folks! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for stopping by!
[...] All-Purpose, Glass Cleaner & Much more – another sista from the hood, Stephanie Moram offers several simple recipes using white vinegar to make effective household cleaners. [...]
I have not been buying any cleaning products of over two years now and do NOT miss it. You are so right. Our home made supplies work like a charm. Very nice page.
Thank you so much!
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