Cleaning products that promise you they’re the ‘best’ in the market are a dime a dozen these days. And it’s also no secret that many of the commercial cleaners you can buy at the shops are loaded with harsh chemicals that can negatively impact your health and the environment.

So, for the health-conscious out there (or those with sensitive noses), we’ve gathered 12 natural cleaning solutions for you to try – no harsh chemicals required.

Recipe #1: Pine cleaner for surfaces

Adding a bit of a festive flair to your cleaning, pine needle cleaners are great for wiping down tables and countertops. All it takes is pine needles, white vinegar, water, rubbing alcohol and a few other ingredients. You’ll need:

• Pine needles and/or sprigs
• 1 ½ cups of white distilled vinegar
• 1 ¼ cups of water
• ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol
• A big jar
• A spray bottle

Make a pine cleaning solution to wipe down tables and countertops. Credit: Mateusz Feliksik/Pexels

Recipe #2: Orange cleaner for surfaces

Oranges may be great for eating, but they make a pretty effective cleaner as well. Combine leftover citrus peels from oranges or mandarins, with white vinegar and water. Simply fill an airtight container with the peels, cover them with white vinegar, and wait two weeks. The measurements are completely up to you, depending on how citrusy you want your room to smell.

For other handy uses for orange peels, click here. My favourite is number six!

Recipe #3: Dish soap or vinegar for windows

We’ve talked about this in a couple of our articles before, but it really is a great cleaning solution that needs repeating every now and then. You can take care of your windows, mirrors and glass surfaces with a few drops of dish soap and optionally, white vinegar.

Mix vinegar with water to clean windows or mirrors. Credit: Sindre Fs/Pexels

Simply mix 10 parts of water with one part of white vinegar, add a few drops of dish soap, and your homemade solution is ready. Don't forget to keep a dry, clean cloth on hand to fully dry the surface after wiping it. For more tips on how to clean mirrors or glass surfaces, you can check out this story, or this one.

Recipe #4: Black tea for hardwood floors

Do you have dirty, scratched hardwood floors? All they need is some nice, steeped black tea. Boil water, add around 8 tea bags and wait 10 to 15 minutes. Apply to the areas of your floor that need a bit of work. Black tea comes from the Camellia Sinensis plant and contains polyphenolic compounds that prevent microbial growth, plus the tannins can enhance the warm colouring of wood and help hide small scratches.

Recipe #5: Vinegar for surfaces

For another all-around cleaner (not just for glass surfaces), combine white vinegar, water and some 15 or so drops of your favourite essential oils in a spray bottle. Essential oils are safe to clean most furniture with and will help make your home smell good.

Recipe #6: Castile soap for ovens

Make your own 'easy off' oven cleaner with Castile soap and baking soda. Mix them in equal amounts to form a paste and apply to the inside of your oven. Wait for half an hour, and then wipe away everything with a wet cloth. Next, spray everything down with vinegar and wipe it dry.

You can make your own oven cleaner with Castile soap and baking soda. Credit: Tabitha Mort/Pexels

Recipe #7: Alka-Seltzer for toilets

Yes, you heard right. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into your toilet, wait ten minutes and give it a scrub with a toilet brush and you’re done! No chemicals required.

Recipe #8: Borax for liquid-detergent-free laundry

To clean your laundry without detergents, combine 2 cups of borax with 2 cups of washing soda (also known as soda powder or sodium carbonate), one cup of grated bars of soap (also called soap flakes) and water.

Recipe #9: Lemons for microwaves

Give your microwave a thorough de-gunking with some lemons. Squeeze lemon juice into the water, (pop the sliced lemons in the water as well) and microwave for three minutes. Let the steam fill your microwave and then give your machine a wipe-over with a sponge afterwards.

Recipe #10: Citric acid for dishwashers

You can also use citric acid from lemons to clean your dishwashers. The acid washes away hard water deposits, and it makes it easier to clean grime and grease.

Recipe #11: Tea tree oil (and more) for showers

A good solution for cleaning your showers involves mixing white vinegar, rubbing alcohol, dish soap, lemon essential oil and tea tree oil. Fill up a spray bottle with:

• 1.5 cups water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 teaspoon detergent
• 15 drops lemon essential oil
• 15 drops melaleuca (tea tree) essential oil

Shake the solution well, and spray it onto shower surfaces every day after use.

Recipe #12: Mineral oil for wood

Cleaning your wood furniture is easy when you mix two teaspoons of mineral oil (or coconut oil), ¼ cup of white vinegar, a cup of water, and 15 drops of lemon oil together. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle, spray it on wood furniture, and use a microfibre cloth to wipe the excess off.

Key Takeaways

• Many commercially produced cleaners are loaded with harsh chemicals that aren’t great for you or the environment.
• DIY cleaning recipes can be surprisingly effective and chemical-free.
• Different ingredients such as pine needles, vinegar, water, rubbing alcohol and essential oils can be used to make homemade cleaners.
• Homemade cleaners can be used to clean surfaces, technology, windows, floors, dishwashers, showers, wood and more.

Well, members, will you try one of these recipes? Let us know in the comments if you do!

 

[Cheezil]

I particularly like making my own laundry detergent (very economical) very similar to the recipe here. It has worked well for me for several months now & saved me a fortune!

 

[Jennylolo]

I hate the smell of vinegar. I do have some essential oils but never tried them with it. Might see if that masks the smell.