Natural Cleaning Solutions (Safe & Effective DIY)

Commercial Cleansers are full of toxins and chemicals that are bad for the environment and bad for your family's health. Many cleaners require you to wear a mask or use in a well-ventilated room to use them; the fumes are toxic and can cause dizziness and breathing problems.What does that say about how good these chemicals are to use on surfaces that will then be used to cook on, eat off of, bathe on, etc.? Go Green and save money by making your own all-natural cleaning solutions at home.These 14 natural cleaning recipes will make your home look and smell great while keeping your family safe from harsh chemicals.

Streakless Window Cleaner

Ingredients:

¼ cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
¼ cup rubbing alcohol
1 Tbs. cornstarch
2 cups water
8-10 drops of essential oils (orange and lemon add a refreshing citrus twist!)

Mix the ingredients together in an old commercial bottle or a spray bottle from the local dollar store. Be sure to give the bottle a good shake before each use as the cornstarch will settle and can clog the nozzle.This recipe won the great battle of homemade glass cleaners performed by Crunchy Betty, check out her review Super Brightening Natural Bleach Alternative

Bleach is known for its ability to make your whites whiter, and it's a fan favorite among surfaces that need serious disinfecting. This three-ingredient natural alternative provides amazing results without the fumes and harm to your home's septic system.

Ingredients:

12 cups water
¼ cup of lemon juice
1 cup hydrogen peroxide

Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour some into a spray bottle to use as a household cleaner. For laundry, add 2 cups of the solution to each load of laundry.For maximum whitening and disinfecting, hang your laundry to dry in the sun!

Slow Cooker Cleaner (Minus the Elbow Grease!)

You clean the insert to your slow cooker after every use, but the inside beneath the insert often goes neglected. Skip expensive cleaners and endless elbow grease and opt instead for a little ammonia.Place a small bowl half-filled with ammonia in the slow cooker and put the lid on it. Let this sit overnight, and in the morning the grime will be easy to wipe out.For any areas still giving you fits, mix a paste of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. If you prefer not to use ammonia, this baking soda peroxide paste will loosen the grime, making it easier to scrub away with a brush or sponge.

Natural Oven Cleaner

Commercial oven cleaners make it difficult to breathe while scrubbing your oven. Clean your oven naturally with this little miracle and skip the chemical residue! Check out the before and after results Ingredients:

½ cup natural liquid soap
1½ cup baking soda
¼ cup white or apple cider vinegar
3-5 drops of your favorite essential oils (optional)

Mix the vinegar, baking soda, liquid soap, and essential oils together in a glass bowl. Add enough water to make a paste you can brush onto the surface of your oven.Using a paintbrush or pastry brush, coat your oven liberally with the mixture. Let sit overnight and scrub the lifted grime away. Wipe clean with water, and your oven will sparkle!

Natural and Inexpensive Carpet Cleaner

Shampoo for carpet cleaning machines can be pricey and contain harsh chemicals that aren't safe for your little ones and pets. This natural carpet cleaner is great for removing tough stains and leaving your carpet looking fresh and bright.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup hot water (not boiling)
¼ cup of hydrogen peroxide
1½ tbs white vinegar
1½ tbs natural dish soap
5 drops of your favorite essential oil

You can add 1 Tbs of fabric softener to boost suds if you prefer. Mix all ingredients together, saving the dish soap for last.Add the dish soap to the water mixture and pour into your carpet cleaning machine and follow manufacturer instructions to clean carpets.

Homemade Scouring Powder

If you love the scouring power of Borax or Comet but prefer a more natural approach, this green option busts dirt better than store brands and is cheap and easy to make. Shake together in a jar:

1 cup baking soda
½ cup salt (non-iodized)
½ cup washing soda
5 drops of lemon essential oil. (optional)

*Wellness Mama* suggests poking holes in the top of the lid to create a shaker. To use, spray the surface lightly with water or white vinegar and sprinkle scouring powder over the area to be cleaned.Let the powder sit for five minutes and scrub clean with a sturdy brush. Rinse thoroughly with water or vinegar.

Easy Urine Stain Eliminator

When your little one has an accident it can seem impossible to remove the stain and odor without toxic chemicals. Try this natural recipe and your mattress will be clean and fresh in just ten minutes.In a heavy-duty spray bottle, mix 8 ounces of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 3 Tbs of baking soda, and one drop of liquid dish soap. Gently swish (don't shake) the ingredients together in the bottle and spray on the stain immediately.Empty the remaining liquid immediately after use as it will leak from the nozzle if stored. Let the spray sit on the mattress for 5-10 minutes and wipe or vacuum any residue away once it has dried.Related:

All-Natural Toilet Fizz Bombs

The toilet is by far our least favorite thing to clean, but these all-natural toilet fizz bombs from You need:

2 cups baking soda
½ cup citric acid
2 tbsp hydrogen peroxide
1 tsp white vinegar
30 drops of your favorite essential oil
Mini muffin pan
Mini muffin liners
Spray bottle filled with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar

Mix together the citric acid and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate glass container mix the hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, and essential oils. Gradually add your liquid mixture to your baking soda mixture and combine them.There will be some fizz, just go slowly to keep this to a minimum. Once all liquid has been added, you should have a moist, sandy mixture. Place your liners into your muffin pan and spray the liner with the vinegar/water solution. Fill each liner and press firmly.Spray the top of each fizzy bomb with the water/vinegar mix to create a crust and solidify the bomb. Let dry overnight and drop one or two fizzy bombs in your toilet to clean.Let the bomb fizz for about ten minutes and brush clean. You can also check out a video tutorial Natural Dryer Sheets

Commercial dryer sheets are wasteful and contain harmful chemicals. This natural alternative leaves your clothes feeling and smelling great and can be used again and again.Grab some old t-shirts, flannel sheets, or blankets and cut them into pieces the size of a dryer sheet or baby wipe. Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into a mason jar and add 30 drops of your favorite essential oil.Place the lid on the jar and shake well. Open the jar and add your pieces of fabric one by one to soak in the mixture. Replace the lid and use one sheet per load of laundry. Replace used sheets back into the jar and refill solution as needed.

Homemade Non-Toxic Dish Soap

Even if you always use your dishwasher, there are times a messy pot just won't fit or you need to do a quick wash and need liquid dish soap. This green alternative to commercial dish soap recipe from Ingredients

½ cup of liquid castile soap
1/8 cup water
4 drops of your favorite essential oil
1 tsp. of vinegar or homemade all-purpose citrus cleaner

Pour all ingredients into an old dish soap bottle. Shake well to mix. It does take a little more than commercial dish soap, but gets the job done and keeps harsh chemicals off your dishes!

Citrus Infused All-Purpose Cleaner

For an all-purpose cleaner that will have your windows, mirrors, floors, and any other surface gleaming, try this all-natural citrus cleaner.Fill a jar with citrus peels and pour undiluted white vinegar over them until the jar is full. Place the lid on the jar and let it sit for up to two weeks. Drain the citrus-infused vinegar into a spray bottle and use to clean and disinfect.

Natural Grease Stain Remover

Nothing seems to spell the end of a favorite shirt like a grease stain. Fortunately, these beloved clothing items can be saved using one natural ingredient!Just apply 1-2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to the stain and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash in any temperature water and allow to air dry. The stain should be gone, but more set-in stains may require a second application.Learn more about how this works at 100% Natural Hard Water Stain Remover

The best tool for removing hard water stains is right in your kitchen or in the produce aisle. Simply cut a lemon in half and rub it across stubborn hard water stains.The citric acid in lemons breaks down the mineral deposits and leaves your bathroom gleaming!