Homemade Earth Friendly Cleaning Products

The harsh cleaning products that we buy to keep our homes clean are not just toxic but many have been linked to physical problems, including cancer.

But it’s easy to keep your house clean and be good to the environment using earth friendly cleaning products.

Because we are a house cleaning company (you didn’t think we were just a cleaning website, did you?). We’ve got solid gold experience to help you clean your home up fast!

The best earth friendly cleaners are vinegar, borax, baking soda, lemon, mineral oil, baby oil and hydrogen peroxide. These are not just effective but natural cleaners that will help keep the house clean and germ free.

You will save a small fortune by using these basic cleaning supplies so you can toss your toxic commercial alternatives goodbye.

Vinegar

I love vinegar. We use it extensively at Mrs. Clean. To clean with vinegar, mix equal parts of plain white vinegar with water and put in a spray bottle.

Vinegar is a natural deodorizer, disinfectant and germicide. It is acidic and cleans streak free without leaving a residue like soap leaves behind.

I like the way vinegar smells, but if you don’t, don’t worry because the vinegary smell goes away as it dries.

Cleaning floors with Vinegar

We use about 1/2 a cup of vinegar to one gallon of warm water to clean wood floors. Try it and you’ll be surprised at how shiny your floors look.

Be careful not to use it to clean on stone surfaces because it could cause damage by etching the surface.

Borax

Borax is a natural mineral that is used extensively in commercial cleaning products. A common brand is 20 Mule Team. Borax is a multipurpose cleaner and is a water softener and conditioner and helps your laundry detergent work better – so you can use less.

It’s also a great deodorizer. Sprinkle some in garbage pails and cans to keep them fresh. I use Borax to make porcelain and fiberglass sparkle.

Baking Soda

You can use baking soda all by itself, or in conjunction with water and/or vinegar to create a fantastic abrasive cleaner that gets rid of dirt and grime.

Baking soda is also a natural deodorizer. When made into a paste, it works great to scrub caked on gunk off the sink or stove. You can put it in your washing machine with your regular laundry load and deodorizer your clothes and give your detergent an extra boost of power.

Lemon Juice

Lemons smell great and they have an antiviral and antibacterial effect as vinegar does.

A half a lemon tossed in the garbage disposal will deodorize and clean buildup that may be causing odor. Lemon juice will bleach away and remove stains, especially when placed in the sunlight.

Baby Oil or Mineral Oil

Baby oil and mineral oil are the same thing. Baby oil just has a fragrance added to it. Mineral oil is different from other oils as it’s extracted from the earth (petroleum) and it does not go rancid like all other oils that we use in food like vegetable, canola, olive oil, etc.

Mineral oil cuts through dirt and grease which is why it’s a great way to shine stainless steel appliances.

Only use a small amount- a little goes a long way.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide might be my favorite homemade cleaner ever. When stains or residue remain after cleaning, an application of regular household strength hydrogen peroxide will usually do the trick.

I’m not a chemist (surprise!) but hydrogen peroxide is water with an additional element. That’s H2O2 vs H2O. Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer and it works amazing as a bleach without the harmful effects like chlorine bleach has.

Hydrogen peroxide changes to regular water when exposed to sunlight, so you need to keep whatever you are working on out of the direct sunlight. That might mean you place a dark towel over it, or work on the stain in the evening.

You don’t have to rinse it because it has no residue, just pour it straight on the stain, cover it and check it in a couple hours.

There you have it! A list of environmentall friendly cleaning products (you probably already have in the house) that clean, sanatize, reduce odors, deodorize and remove stains.