The main downside to eco-friendly cleaning products is that they tend to be more expensive than the traditional alternative. DIY eco-friendly cleaning products have the benefit of being inexpensive. They also have the added benefit of saving on fuel and manufacturing processes that even environmentally friendly products incur.
Below, we talk about how to make green cleaning products that will change the way you clean your home.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a common fix-all DIY eco-friendly cleaning product that should be in just about every home. Thought to help lift stains and stuck on gunk, it is a great, odorless way to fix a wide range of common household messes and issues.
Boiling Water
Boiling water is a free DIY eco-friendly cleaning product that is great for cleaning pipes, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures in your house. Baking soda can also be used in cooperation with boiling water to enhance its effectiveness.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can be introduced into any DIY eco-friendly cleaning products to improve the lifting potential, and add a pleasant fragrance to your regiment. The acid content of lemon helps make scouring more effective, and the smell will be reminiscent of Lemon Pledge.
Vinegar:
Full disclosure, vinegar as a DIY eco-friendly cleaning product may leave behind a smell that not everyone in your family will appreciate. However, if you can take the fragrance, you will be pleased to note that vinegar is highly effective at eliminating stains, and other unpleasant smells.
Glass Cleaner
You can create a DIY eco-friendly cleaning product for glass by combining a few simple ingredients. For best results, mix in two cups of water, half a cup of vinegar, and a few drops of orange extract to add a pleasing scent.
Kitchen Cleaner
If you are wondering how to make green cleaning products that work in the kitchen, this simple recipe may be for you. All that is really needed is 4 tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of hot water.
This solution can be used to effectively eliminate clogs, while also deodorizing sinks and even removing stains.
Cleaning Metal
If you are looking for something that will be great for polishing brass, you should consider using a simple combination of salt and baking soda. The amount of either solution you use is not particularly important as long as you combine them in equal parts.
Whisk both materials together and apply them carefully to the surface in question. Though it may take longer than traditional brass cleaner, it benefits from being free and environmentally friendly.
Diluted Citrus
Diluting citrus in a water mixture can make for a great all-purpose cleaning solution that can be applied towards lifting stains, and generally providing your home with a fresher look and scent. The recipe involves a spray bottle’s worth of warm water combined with a few drops of citrus solution.
Vegetable Oil:
In addition to cooking, vegetable oil can be used as a highly effective wood polish. Vegetable oil naturally hydrates wood, giving it a nice sheen while also improving the look. If you want to get eco-friendly bonus points, be sure to use organic vegetable oil.
Cornstarch:
Like baking soda, cornstarch is a good multi-purpose product that can be used in a wide range of different situations. You can add it to a spray bottle to clean your windows, or apply it liberally to your carpets as a natural shampoo and detergent.
Natural Air fresheners
If you are looking to avoid potentially harmful room sprays or candles, there are several different measures you can take to effectively improve the smell of your home. For example, chopping up citrus fruits and leaving them in a bowl can enhance the smell of your home.
Boiling cinnamon is another great way to naturally improve the scent of your home.
DIY Oven Cleaner
Cleaning your oven without exposing it to harmful chemicals is actually very easy. To perform this DIY eco-friendly cleaning products solution, simply heat the oven to 125 degrees and then spray liberally with vinegar. Stuck on gunk will lift naturally, at which point you can easily collect and remove the stains with a pass of your rag. Just make sure to turn the oven off first!
Garbage Disposal
Garbage disposals have a tendency to acquire bad smells. They are also a haven for bacteria which means care should be taken to clean them well. You can clean your garbage disposal effectively by exposing it to a hearty amount of baking soda.
Many people also like to throw in lemon juice. Not only will this enhance the solution’s ability to lift stuck-on gunk, but it will also improve the smell. Let the mixture sit for a while (at least a half-hour) and then activate the disposal with your water running to finish the job.
DIY Fabric Softener
You can improve the eco-friendliness of your laundry routine by using this DIY fabric softener. To make this add 30 drops of essential oil to a gallon of white vinegar. For best results, you will want to apply 1/3rd of a cup to each load of laundry.
DIY Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products: Conclusion
Who knew that making DIY eco-friendly cleaning products could be so easy? As you can see, baking soda, vinegar, and lemon can go a long way towards making your house fresh and sparkly clean. Not only are these products a lot cheaper than most traditional cleaning products, but they are significantly better for the environment.
They are also probably already in your kitchen. Granted, some jobs may require heavier duty products. If you aren’t ready to completely switch over to natural cleaning products, that is ok. However, the more you can supplement natural cleaning solutions the happier the planet, and your wallet will be.
