According to a recent post on TODAY.com, Pinterest has declared DIY cleaners as one of the biggest home trends of 2015. Not surprising–after all, more and more people are looking for all-natural, cost-effective solutions for their home and the DIY cleaner is at the top of the list. While there are some good green commercial alternatives (checkout our products!), we are sharing our 4 favorite DIY cleaning recipes:
All-Purpose Cleaner
This is an easy and effective recipe for an all-purpose cleaner from Leslie Reichert, author of “The Joy of Green Cleaning.”
Ingredients
- 3 drops liquid castile soap
- ¼ cup washing soda, not baking soda (click here for tutorial on turning baking soda into washing soda)
- 1 cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup vodka
- 4 drops tea tree oil
- 8 drops essential oil for scent (optional)
Instructions
Microwave vinegar until boiling. Add washing soda and stir until totally dissolved. Add castile soap, tea tree oil, vodka and essential oil. Then shake.
Glass Cleaner
WellnessMama has perfected the all-natural glass cleaning solution, a product she proudly boasts is as “good (or better) than conventional cleaners.”
Ingredients
- 2 cups of water (distilled or filtered is best so it doesn’t leave residue)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 10 drops essential oil of choice-(optional- but it helps cut the vinegar smell)
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a spray bottle (preferably glass) and use as needed to clean windows. A microfiber cloth works best with this recipe. If you have always used commercial window cleaners, consider mixing a couple of drops of liquid castille soap in some of the mixture the first time you clean to remove detergent residue.
Bathroom Wipes
Nothing is quicker than wiping down the bathroom with the very convenient bathroom wipe. Many of the commercial brands are filled with toxins which is why we love this recipe from PopSugar (includes a DIY decorative container to keep them in!).
Ingredients
- 64-ounce plastic container (an extra large yogurt container is perfect)
- Newspaper
- Spray paint
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 tablespoon rubbing alcohol
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Dr. Bronner’s soap (or your favorite dish soap)
- Roll of paper towels
- Serrated knife
- Scissors
Instructions
Wash, dry and spray paint your plastic container & lid. Set aside to dry. To create the solution, mix together the water, lemon juice, vinegar and rubbing alcohol in a small bowl. Now add the baking soda and the soap. Cut the paper towel roll in half with a serrated knife, remove the cardboard center and place one half inside your container. Pour the mixture over the half roll. Using sharp scissors, cut a small hole in the middle of the plastic lid and feed the center of the paper towels through the hole.
Carpet Cleaner/Deodorizer
Carpets harbor more than just dirt, they also trap smells. This recipe from DIY Natural is a quick way to keep your carpets fresh and deodorized.
Ingredients
- 2 cups baking soda
- 30 drops lavender essential oil (or your favorite scent–we love a citrus smell of lime, lemon & orange)
Instructions
Combine baking soda and essential oil in a mason jar, cap and shake well to combine. Remove cap and replace inner lid with construction paper. Secure rim and cut off excess construction paper. Poke holes in the construction paper. Apply liberally to carpets and wait at least 1-2 hours. Vacuum thoroughly. You can reuse other containers as well–like an empty parmesan cheese container that already has holes built into the lid.
image courtesy of flickr CC/Susy Morris