How to make homemade cleaning products

Making homemade cleaning products is easy. All you need are a few basic ingredients and about two minutes to whip up each recipe. With inexpensive items like baking soda and fresh lemons, you can have a remarkably clean, fresh-smelling home without any of the toxic ingredients from commercial cleaners.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency warns that many household products pose some risk, potentially affecting the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Aside from being safer, making your own cleaning supplies also saves lots of money! Try out these recipes and find out how convenient green cleaning can be.

Essential ingredients for homemade cleaning

What should you keep around the house for all your homemade cleaning needs? Lemons and white vinegar can be used to destroy bacteria, remove mild stains, and clean surfaces. Baking soda gets rid of odors. The gritty texture is also useful for scrubbing away dirt and grime. Essential oils can be added to homemade cleaning products for antiseptic benefits as well as fragrance. Lemon, tea tree oil, lavender, and peppermint are all excellent for home cleaning.

Basic all-purpose cleaner

When it comes to picking up messes quickly and keeping surfaces clean, who doesn’t grab the all-purpose cleaner? To make a homemade version of this essential cleaning product, you will need an empty 16-ounce spray bottle. Pour in one-half cup of white vinegar and 10 drops of lemon essential oil. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.

Shake well and then spray on surfaces to clean. White vinegar is a disinfectant and it helps remove stains. Lemon essential oil has antibacterial properties, but it also helps to cut grease, making this homemade cleaner perfect for cleaning the kitchen.

Lemon and baking soda for tough cleaning jobs

For serious cleaning jobs, you will need the deodorizing and scouring action of baking soda and the antiseptic power of lemon?and some elbow grease! To make this natural citrus cleaner, combine the following ingredients: Swirl the baking soda and lemon juice into the water. Grab your cloth or sponge and conquer dirt and bacteria.

This cleaner is perfect for washing the entire bathroom. For smaller cleaning jobs, cut the recipe in half. Once you have the basic ingredients on hand and you become familiar with how these natural ingredients work, you can create your own recipes to meet all your cleaning needs. For example, try four drops each of lavender and peppermint essential oil in a small spray bottle with water for a non-toxic air freshener.

Add lemon essential oil to olive oil for a natural wood polish. The possibilities are endless. Go get your ingredients, be creative, and make your home a little healthier for your family.

Photo source: Flickr