I make my own cleaning solutions because most store bought cleaners can have toxic and harmful ingredients. Also, making your own cleaners is less expensive. It is very easy and you will know exactly what ingredients are in your home.
Benefits of cleaning with essential oils:
-Effective
-Toxin Free
-Safe to use around children and pets
-Positive side effects
-Inexpensive
I put together a list of 8 Cleaning Recipes and included a Free Printable with 2×3 labels.
Download: 8 DIY Homemade Cleaning Labels
Recipes:
1. All-Purpose Cleaner:
16 oz. glass spray bottle
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 3/4 cups water
30 drops essential oil
1 teaspoon borax
Recommended combinations include:
15 drops each of Lavender and Lemon
10 drops each of Eucalyptus, Peppermint, and Wild Orange
30 drops (Immune) Protective Blend blend
15 drops each of Grapefruit and (Immune) Protective Blend
Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake and use.
2. Wood Cleaner:
16 oz glass spray bottle
1/4 cup White Vinegar
1/4 cup Water
1/2 tsp Liquid Castille Soap
1/8 tsp Olive Oil
10 drops Orange or Lemon oil
Combine ingredients and pour into spray bottle.
3. Window Cleaner:
16 oz. Spray Bottle
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
8 drops of any citrus oil of your choice (Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Wild Orange, or a combination)
Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake and use.
4. Air/Linen Spray:
8 oz glass spray bottle
1 cup water
2 Tb vodka or witch hazel
20-30 drops of essential oils of your choice
Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake and use.
I like 15 drops each of Wild Orange and Peppermint.
The Prairie Homestead has more recipes for ideas for blends Here.
5. Disinfecting/ Sanitizing Spray:
8 oz. glass spray bottle
1 cup water
About 20 drops of Essential Oils. 15 drops (Immune) Protective Blend and 6 drops Lemon.
Pour ingredients into a spray bottle, shake and use.
6. DIY: Dish Soap
2 cups unscented castile soap
20 drops Lime essential oil
8 drops Lemon essential oil
6 drops Invigorating Blend essential oil
Directions:
1. Fill a large, clean bottle with castle soap; dilute according to instructions if using a concentrate.
2. Add essential oils. Shake bottle before each use.
3. You’re done! Just add 1-2 tablespoons to dish water for use.
7. DIY: Garbage Disposal Refreshers with Essential Oils
2 cups baking soda
1 cup salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup liquid castile soap (any scent)
30 drops Lemon essential oil
Directions:
1. Combine baking soda and salt into bowl.
2. Add castile soap and essential oil into mixture.
3. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time while stirring with hands until it forms into the consistency of “damp sand”. It should stay together when you press it together. If you add too much water just add some more baking soda and salt until the consistency is right.
4. Grab a tablespoon measurement device and scoop packed spoonfuls onto parchment paper.
5. Once the mixture has been scooped, let dry for 24 hours or until they are hard. One batch should make about 36 garbage disposal refreshers.
6. Put into glass jar and use the next time you do dishes! Just put 1-3 refreshers into the garbage disposal and turn it on. You will immediately smell the refreshing Lemon essential oil.
8. DIY: Carpet/ Mattress Cleaner
1 cup of baking soda
10-12 drops of your favorite essential oil. (bergamot oil, Cleansing Blend are good 2 options)
Directions:
1.Combine ingredients in an airtight container.
2. Mix the essential oils into the baking soda.
3. Sprinkle it on your carpet or mattress.
4. Let is sit for 10 minutes.
5. Vacuum it up.
Start saving money and clean your home safely with essential oils and natural ingredients! No toxic chemicals needed!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose,treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Here a few more post you may like:
These are great. I generally use soap, vinegar, and baking soda to clean my house. I will have to give some of these a go to see if they are more effective.
Those lbales are so cute!
Will the wood cleaner work on un-finished hardwood floors? I moved in to my husbands house 12 years ago. Since then I found out the house is over 100 yeas old. The floors have ovbiously been re-done. My husband has been here in the house for 30+ years, have try almost everything to get the floors clean (not shiney, have to have them refinished for that) and dirt lifted. Unless I get on my hands and knees with a scrub brush, I can’t get the floor clean. Any help would be appreciated.
Barbara, this is a recipe for furniture and dusting spray. For hardwood floors I would do Lemon, wild orange and clove essential oils combined with warm water and vinegar. I have not personally used this, but I know others who say it’s awesome on their wood floors. Hope this helps.
Compared to store bought disinfectant, how does the disinfecting power of essential oils compare?
Essential oils are naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial. Some like melaleuca are also antiseptic and antifungal. If you are comparing oils such a Purify blend, OnGuard, melaleuca, oregano and lemon-the oils are actually more potent naturally than store bought disinfectants.
A good one for leather is equal parts oil and vinegar with essential oil of choice! works great! Thanks for sharing Amber!!
I like to use Peppermint & Rosemary essential oils together. It’s a really nice scent. Thanks so much for sharing these awesome cleaning recipes!Golders Green Carpet Cleaners Ltd.
This is perfect. I always just write on my bottles with sharpie but these are so much prettier
Cute labels! Perfect for my green cleaning concoctions! Thanks!
I’ve just started making my own cleaners (as my current ones run out). I like looking at all of the various concoctions and mixes with all of the natural ingredients.
I love the containers and labels. They look very neat. Thanks for sharing!
Anyway i can not use borax at all? Or another subsituition please. Thanks
This is such a good cleaning idea. I like that it is easy to use.
What works well for cleaning up puppy accidents on hard wood? I had issues with my sitter not showing up a few weekends ago and came home to puddles and piles. I’ve tried every cleaner both chemical and natural and it still reeks in here 🙁
Hello Nicole, here is helpful link for a carpet cleaner that works for pet messes: http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2010/10/frugal-natural-carpet-cleaner.html
Which oils have to be used in s glass bottle and which are safe in plastic? I’ve heard some oils can be “hot”???
I believe i have read several different places that all EO mixtures should be in glass containers.
It is recommended to use only glass containers when using EO mixtures that include citric EOs like lemon, orange, lime…
Thank you for sharing these cleaning recipes.
Great tips, I find some tough cleaning tasks in my home recently, I think I should spend a week with these cleaning tips to complete cleaning all of them
Awesome tips Amber. Green cleaning always been my take on and now I can apply your tips to my daily cleaning.
For the Dish Soap it says “large” bottle… what does constitutes large? 32oz? Thanks!