10 All-Natural Cleaning Recipes That Work Better Than Chemicals

There are a whole multitude of cleaning products available nowadays all made from a mixture of chemicals. Chemical cleaners might get the job done, but do you really want your home smelling like a science lab? Let’s take a more natural approach, no lab coats required!

You might be thinking, “well, they won’t get mixed in my home!” and if you’re careful, that’s probably true. But what about when they leave your home? When they get flushed down the sink or toilet?

We have absolutely no control as to what happens to them once they reach the drainage system and out into our streams, rivers and seas. 

We all get hoodwinked by the latest wonder cleaner to come onto the market by the extravagant advertising campaign. But do we ever stop and think about what’s in those products? Well, we do. Which is why we decided to put this short article together.

Not to explain the harm some of these chemicals can cause, no one wants a horror story. No, this article is about using alternative, less harmful substances that we typically already have in our cupboards.

If you are mindful of the environment and want to preserve wildlife, as well as saving money on unnecessary cleaning products, this is the article for you.

The Products You’ll Need

Before we get into the application of the natural cleaning products we’re going to be using, we need to familiarise ourselves with each one. 

No fancy equipment or unpronounceable ingredients here, just good old fashioned elbow grease and pantry staples. Ready? Let’s get straight into it;

Bicarbonate Of Soda (baking soda)

Since the late 1880s bicarbonate of soda has been a household staple and has been used to clean and deodorise homes ever since. Bicarb can be used on its own to clean many areas including;

• Toilets
• Sinks
• Baths
• Fridges
• Worktops
• Floors

To name just a few. Baking soda: not just for making your cakes rise, but for rising to the challenge of tough stains too!

White Vinegar

White vinegar is another product that most of us already have at home and is also a great natural cleaning product. It will remove grease, dirt, stains, smells, mould as well as mildew. White vinegar, the cleaner so versatile, it could run for office. And honestly, it might get my vote!

Some of you might be thinking “but everything will smell of vinegar”, but the smell dissipates quite quickly. Or, if you’re still worried about the smell, you can add some essential oils into the mix.

Castile Soap

Castile soap is a vegetable soap which is free from any synthetic or animal products. It is a biodegradable liquid which can be used as a base for many cleaning products. 

Leaving you secure in the knowledge that it’s not going to do any harm to your home or the environment.

Olive Oil

Olive oil has been used for literally thousands of years and is an all natural product. It is great for polishing furniture as well as removing grease and stains from any number of surfaces.

Lemon Juice

Another all natural product and a strong acid. You can use lemon juice to remove germs and bacteria as well as a stain remover and natural whitener for laundry. 

When life gives you lemons, use them to clean! Who needs lemonade when you can have a spotless home?

Salt

Salt can be used as a natural scourer and mixes well with white vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.

Essential Oils

Essential oils, because cleaning doesn’t have to smell like cleaning. Make your home smell like a spa instead!

Soap Nuts

Soap nuts produce a natural soap called saponin which will foam up and remove dirt and odours when mixed with water. They have antibacterial and antifungal properties and will work well with other natural cleaning products.

Alternative Cleaning Products Using Natural Ingredients

Mixing your own natural cleaners: it’s like being a scientist, but without the explosions (unless you count the vinegar and baking soda fizz). 

Now we’re all familiar with the products needed to create all natural cleaning products, let’s look at 10 effective natural cleaners.

1. Multi Purpose Cleaner

This natural multi purpose cleaner has many uses around the home and is so simple to make. All you need is;

•  ½ a cup of white vinegar
• ½ a cup of water
• 10 to 15 drops of essential oil

Method

All you need to do is mix all of the ingredients together and either pour into a spray bottle or apply using a cloth. This product can be used to clean many surfaces but keep away from stone, granite or marble surfaces.

The acid in the vinegar can react with the stone surface and cause permanent damage.

2. Mould & Mildew Remover

This one couldn’t be more simple. Simply pour some white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray the affected areas. Allow it to sit for around 30 to 40 minutes. Before rinsing away with fresh warm water.

If the area is badly affected, you might need to use a cloth or old toothbrush to get rid of all of the mould. You can also add tea tree essential oil to the vinegar for extra cleaning antifungal power.

3. Toilet Cleaner

For an effective toilet cleaner simply sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda around the toilet bowl. Then pour white vinegar on top and close the lid for around 10 minutes.

These two will create a chemical reaction that will fizz. The fizzing action will help remove any stains from the bowl. Any remaining stains can then easily be removed using the toilet brush.

4. Microwave Cleaner

Put 1 cup of white vinegar and the juice of 1 lemon into a microwave safe bowl and microwave on full power for 2 minutes. Allow the steam to work its magic for another couple of minutes.

Before wiping the interior down with a damp cloth. Then wipe with a dry cloth to remove all traces of moisture.

5. Floor Cleaner

To get your floors clean, bright and bacteria free, simply fill a bucket with hot water and add ¼ of a cup of white vinegar and a short squeeze of Castile soap.

Mop or scrub the floor and then dry with a dry cloth to make the floor shine.

6. Oven Cleaner

To make a chemical free, effective oven cleaner just mix ¼ of a cup of bicarbonate of soda with 1 teaspoon of salt and mix with enough water to create a paste.

Apply the paste to every surface of the oven and leave overnight. The following morning just scrub or wipe clean the paste and finish with a damp cloth to reveal a bright clean oven.

7. Chopping Board Cleaner

To clean and disinfect your chopping boards, cut a lemon in half and rub all over the full surface of the chopping board. Then simply wipe clean with a damp cloth before drying thoroughly.

If there are particularly heavy stains or pungent smells (like onions), squeeze lemon juice onto the area and leave to soak in for a few minutes before wiping clean.

8. Window & Mirror Cleaner

For clean, streak free windows and mirrors, just make a solution of ¼ of a cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of water. Pour into a spray bottle and use it on all of your windows and mirrors.

Then wipe with a soft, dry cloth. Avoid cleaning windows on hot, sunny days as this can leave your windows with streaks.

9. Furniture Polish

To polish wooden furniture, mix ¼ of a cup of white vinegar with ¾ of a cup of olive oil and the juice of ½ a lemon. This can either be poured into a spray bottle or applied with a soft cloth.

After applying, wipe the surface with a soft, dry lint free cloth.

10. Carpet Deodoriser

Fill an air tight jar with bicarbonate of soda and sprinkle 10 to 15 drops of the essential oil of your choice. We find lavender or bergamot works really well for this but you can use whatever essential oils you prefer.

Shake together to ensure the bicarb gets coated with the oil, and shake all over the carpet and allow to settle for 20 to 30 minutes. Then vacuum the carpet, leaving your carpet smelling fresh.

Bonus Tips

That’s our 10 all natural cleaning recipes that work better than chemicals. Feeling ambitious? These bonus tips are like extra credit for your eco-friendly cleaning efforts. 

Air Freshener

FIll a spray bottle with water and add 10 to 15 drops of your favourite essential oil. We like citrus oils like;

• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Orange
• Bergamot

But you can use whatever you prefer or have at hand. Lavender works well too!

 Start with 10 drops and shake the bottle to ensure it mixes in. Then spray and see if the fragrance is strong enough. If not, add a few more drops of essential oils.

We have found that any more than 15 drops can make the smell overpowering, so be careful.

Natural Laundry Detergent

Soap nuts are an all natural and traditional way to wash clothes. When soap nuts are mixed with water in your washing machine, they release saponin which dissolves dirt and cleans your laundry at the same time.

You can either put the soap nuts in a small bag or pouch and then place the bag in with your laundry in the drum. Or grind the soap nuts up to make a homemade liquid detergent by just boiling them in water.

Soap nuts can be reused for a few washes (typically 4 or 5) before they turn a grey colour. Once they turn grey they should be discarded. The old soap nuts can be composted which is great from an environmental standpoint.

Natural Washing Up Liquid

Castile soap is a great natural washing up liquid alternative. Just make a solution of 4 parts Castile soap to 1 part water, store in any container that’s handy (preferably an old washing up liquid bottle or similar).

Then just use in the same way that you use washing up liquid, a brief squirt for each sink load of dishes.

Drain Cleaner

If your drain is blocked, pour 1 to 2 cups of bicarbonate of soda directly into the drain followed by 1 to 2 cups of white vinegar. Allow the chemicals to react and fizz up for about 10 to 15 minutes. This will help remove any grease, dirt or soap scum that’s causing the blockage.

Once the 15 minutes has passed, pour at least a full bucket of hot water down the drain to flush it through properly. Unclogging drains has never been so satisfying, or so science fair like. Who knew plumbing and fizz could be a match made in heaven?

Natural Stain Remover

If you need to pretreat stained clothes or need to remove stains from carpets or upholstery, mix 1 tablespoon of Castile soap, ¼ of a cup of bicarbonate of soda,  ¼ of a cup of white vinegar and 2 cups of water together and pour into a spray bottle.

Apply a good spray to any stains on clothes before washing in the usual way.  For stains on upholstery or carpets spray the solution and then wipe off using a dry soft cloth. Work from the outside of the stain in towards the middle as this prevents spreading the stain any further.

Wrapping It All Up

There you have it, 10 all natural cleaning recipes (plus bonus tips) that are not only kinder to the environment but also safer for your family, easier on your wallet, and just as effective (if not more so!) than their chemical laden counterparts. 

From sparkling surfaces to fresh smelling spaces, these simple, eco-friendly solutions prove that you don’t need a cabinet full of commercial cleaners to keep your home spotless.

By swapping out harsh chemicals for natural alternatives, you’re not just cleaning your home, you’re cleaning up your impact on the environment too.

Your Next Steps

Now it’s your turn! Try out one (or all!) of these recipes and see the difference they make in your home. Start small with a multipurpose cleaner or tackle a bigger project like oven cleaning. 

Don’t forget to share your results and tips with friends and family, you might just inspire someone else to make the switch!

Got a favourite cleaning hack or an all natural recipe of your own? Drop it in the comments or share it with us. Let’s make cleaning greener, one recipe at a time!

SEE ALSO: 32 Genius Washing Up Liquid Hacks You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner!

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