DIY ECO-friendly cleaners

Here are 12 natural homemade cleaner recipes to try:

1. Floor cleaner

Take a huge bucket and pour in a gallon of warm water, along with 1½ a cup of white vinegar, 1 tsp of natural dish soap (made of soapberries) and a few drops of lemon essential oil. Then, dip your hand mop into this mixture (mix it up a little), wring out the excess water and use this water to mop your flooring, once or twice a week. (do not use this on hardwood floors)

2. Mold/Mildew Cleaner

Into a mug or container, add in 2 cups of vinegar, along with 2 teaspoons of tea-tree oil. Give it a mix and transfer into a spray bottle for use. Spray the areas with mold or mildew generously and leave it to rest for 24 hours.

Mix 1/2 cup baking soda with 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1/2 teaspoon tea tree essential oil and 1/4 cup water. Stir the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. and apply this over the mold/mildew infected area and use an old toothbrush to scrub out the mold mildew and then wipe with a damp cloth to get rid of the mold/mildew.

3. Multi-purpose cleaner

Apart from glass surfaces, you can use this cleaner to clean any surfaces. You will need to mix together 3/4 cup of water along with 1 teaspoon of natural dishwashing liquid (made of soapberries), 1¼ cup of rubbing alcohol and a few drops of any essential oil of your choice. Mix well and transfer the contents into a spray bottle and use this to spray onto any surfaces and wipe it clean with a damp towel or cloth.

4. Sink cleaner

Into a bowl, add in 2 cups of baking soda, 10 drops of clove essential oil, 10 drops of lemon essential oil, 1 tosp of castile soap liquid and give it a mix.

Store this mixture in an airtight container and sprinkle this mixture al over your sink whenever required and scrub using a scrubber and rinse off with plain water

5. Laundry detergent

Bring 4 cups of filtered water to a boil and add 1 cup salt to the boiling water. Mix well until the salt is completely dissolved.

Add 1.5 cups of baking soda to the water along with 1 cup of Sal Suds or castile soap. Add in 1 tsp of lemon essential oil to the mixture. Mix really well and add in 16 cups of filtered water to it and pour everything into a large container. Use 1/4 cup of this detergent for your laundry and in the fabric softener compartment use distilled vinegar for a natural fabric softener.

6. Kitchen cleaner

For heavy-duty kitchen cleaning, you can mix together ½ cup of dishwashing soap liquid (preferably one made from natural ingredients), along with 1 teaspoon of water, a few drops of clove essential oil and 1/4 of a cup of baking soda, in a bowl. Give it a mix and apply this on kitchen surfaces using a rough sponge and then scrub.

Lastly, wipe it dry using a damp kitchen towel or cloth.

7. Dish washer Pods

Mix 1 cup super washing soda, 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup table salt, 1 teaspoon herbal or natural dish soap ( made of soapberries), 10 drops each lemon essential oil. In a spray bottle add in some water and spray it on the mixture until the consistency of wet sand and it naturally starts to clump.

Press the mixture into silicon molds or ice cube tray and set aside to dry for at least 24 hours.

Remove from the mold and store the pods in a container.

To use, place 1-2 dishwasher pods in the detergent compartment and run your dishwasher as usual.

DIY Dishwasher Rinse Aid for spotless dishes and glasses

Fill the automatic rinse agent dispenser with undiluted distilled white vinegar or place a small dishwasher-safe bowl on the top rack of the dishwasher. Add one-half cup of distilled white vinegar and run the cleaning cycles as usual.

You can also use citric acid - simply add one tablespoon of the powder to the extra detergent dispenser well or sprinkle it directly in the bottom of the dishwasher before running a cycle.

8. Tile and grout cleaner

Make a semi-thick paste of 2 parts baking soda and 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 1 part dish soap to make a paste and using an old toothbrush, use it to clean your grouting and a bigger brush to clean your tiles. Let it rest for an hour or overnight and rinse off with warm water.

You can also mix 4 cups of hot water, 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 30 drops of lemon essential oil.

Spray it on the grout or tiles. Leave it on for a few hours and rinse it off.

9. Disinfectant cleaner

Into a spray bottle, add in ½ cup of vinegar, 1½2 cups of water, 1 tsp of olive oil, 10 drops of lemon essential oil and 10 drops of lavender essential oil.

Give it a mix and spray it all over your surfaces and leave it on for 10 minutes and thereafter, wipe off with a clean microfiber towel or microfiber cloth.

10. Glass cleaner

Mix into a spray bottle 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup running alcohol and 1 tablespoons of cornstarch. Shake it well before each use, apply directly on to the glass, or onto a microfiber towel and wipe it all over your glass surfaces and leave it to air dry. There is no need to clean it again thereafter. Cornstarch is slightly abrasive, making it an excellent scrub to clean glass from dust and dirt and polish it without scratching the surface.

11. Degreasing cleaner

Apart from wooden surfaces, you can use this cleaner to clean any surfaces. You will need to mix together 2 cups of water along with 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and 12 a teaspoon of castile soap liquid. Mix well and transfer the contents into a spray bottle and use this to spray onto any surfaces and wipe it clean with a damp microfiber towel or microfiber cloth.

12. Toilet cleaner

Mix baking soda 1 cup with 1/2 cup of critic acid, add 1-2 tsp of castile soap, few drops of lemon or tea tree essential oil and mix everything together.

Press the mixture into an ice cube tray or silicon tray and and allow to sit out and harden for a few hours. Transfer to a jar or an airtight container.

Drop one pod in your toilet bowl, allow it to frizz and then flush.

For a liquid toiler cleaner - Mix water 2 - cups, baking soda 1/2 cup, 1/2 cup of critic acid, 1/2 cup castile soap, few drops of lemon or tea tree essential oil and mix everything.

In a spray bottle, add hydrogen peroxide and spray it all over the toilet seat and toilet cover, Allow the hydrogen peroxide to sit for a few minutes before flushing to disinfect and clean any stains.

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