DIY Organic Cleaning Products for Your Home

I’m sure you’ve heard of the various toxic chemicals that make up your store-bought cleaning products. Phthalates. Ammonia. Ethylene. Chlorine. 2-butoxyethanol. A list of other chemical compounds you can barely pronounce.

These chemicals are present in many popular products such as Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaners, Drano, Glade air fresheners, Comet, Febreze, Mr. Clean, Ajax, and many more.

I don’t claim that all chemicals are bad for you. It’s simply not true. But there are way too many harmful ones that are being used liberally in households that can cause health issues in the long run.

If you’re looking for healthier alternatives, read on to learn how to make your own organic cleaning products.

What you’ll need for your DIY organic cleaning products

• Glass spray bottles
• White vinegar
• Water
• Tea tree essential oil (or any other essential oil)
• Rubbing alcohol
• Baking soda
• Measuring cup

DIY all-purpose cleaner

You can use a DIY all-purpose cleaner on most surfaces such as bathroom or kitchen sinks, counters, and laminate and metal surfaces.

However, it will not work well on glass or polished wood (it might even ruin the wood, so don’t risk it). It’s more of a multi-purpose cleaner if we’re being honest.

Recipe for DIY all-purpose cleaner:

• 1-part white vinegar
• 1-part water
• Several drops of your favorite essential oil or lemon rinds*

*If you use lemon rinds, you need to let the solution infuse in the refrigerator for a week before use.

DIY glass cleaner

One of the best organic cleaning products you can easily make is a glass cleaner. I’ve been using my homemade solution for over two years now, and I get streak-free results every time.

It works even better than the store-bought solution I used to use–no joke.

Recipe for DIY glass cleaner:

• 2 cups water
• ½ cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
• Several drops of your favorite essential oil

DIY toilet cleaner (surface)

You might be skeptical using a homemade organic toilet cleaner because a toilet is bacteria-ridden, right? I hear you, and I was skeptical, too.

But did you know that tea tree oil is a natural antibacterial? It contains a number of compounds that kill certain bacteria, viruses and fungi. I use it in all my DIY cleaners for an extra kick.

Recipe for DIY toilet cleaner:

• 1 cup vinegar
• ½ teaspoon tea tree essential oil

DIY toilet bowl cleaner

As for the inside of the toilet bowl, you’ll need a little extra help from our trusty friend baking soda.

You’ll also need a toilet brush to scrub the hard-to-reach areas, and you’ll have to let the solution sit for at least 30 mins before scrubbing and flushing.

Recipe for DIY toilet bowl cleaner:

• Baking soda (scattered on the inside of the toilet bowl – especially under the lip)
• DIY toilet cleaner solution (sprayed inside the bowl, creating a fizzy paste when mixed with the baking soda)

A word of advice…

As you may have noticed, all the DIY recipes call for vinegar. Although it is not toxic, it can be overwhelming, especially if you’re cleaning your entire bathroom with it.

If you have a window in the room, make sure it’s wide open to let in fresh air. If not, leave the door open.

The vinegar scent will take about 5-10 minutes to dissipate if the room is properly aired out, but it will take longer than that if you leave the solution to soak for 30+ minutes.

The essential oils you mix in will help a bit, but the smell of vinegar overpowers it no matter what.

Just remember–these organic cleaning products are non-toxic so you have nothing to worry about. As for the smell, it won’t linger for long.

If you want to learn more about sustainable living, check out my post on how to use less plastic at home.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links. The owner of the website will receive a small commission if items are purchased via these affiliate links at no extra cost to the buyer.