Some of the very best all-purpose household cleaners can be made right in your own kitchen with simple ingredients that are easy and affordable to acquire. DIY household cleaners make for all-natural and toxin-free cleaning. Read on for the most common products that make for cleaning staples to keep in your home.
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Quick Disclaimer:
Before I ruin anyone’s appliance or counter top!
Please make sure you check to see if your item’s finish (glass, wood, metal, laminate, granite, etc.) can be cleaned with these products listed below first. THEN test in an inconspicuous area before going all in with any of these toxin-free cleaners!
1. Liquid Castile Soap
Castile soap is an olive oil or vegetable oil based soap originating in the Mediterranean region.
It is, hands down, the very best cleaner you can have in your home!
A bottle of liquid castile soap goes a long way and is a main ingredient in a lot of my non-toxic household cleaners. Makes for a fantastic all-purpose cleaner too! Bubbles help trap germs and take them out with the rinse or second swipe.
All-Purpose Castile Spray Cleaner Recipe
Spray bottle + 1/4 cup liquid Castile soap + 20 drops of your favorite essential oils + the rest with water. Shake and spray.
Two more easy liquid castile soap cleaners to start are:
From dish soap to body wash and a lot in between, I believe the reason this concentrated soap comes in a huge bottle is due to how much you can do with this one cleaner!
2. Baking Soda
What can’t you do with baking soda? From brownies to cleaning, baking soda is a must-have household staple!
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is an alkaline compound used as a leavening agent that reacts with acid to produce carbon dioxide, or make lots of bubbles.
Remember mixing baking soda and vinegar to create lava for that 3rd grade science experiment? A chemical compound known in the chemistry world as NaHCO3. Baking soda is safe enough to clean with and eat!
That same science experiments and hep unclog your sink drains too…
A few things around our home for toxin-free cleaning:
- DIY Face Scrub
- Deep cleaning of the sink plus the Castile soap all-purpose cleaner or a lemon cleaning (See below)
- laundry detergent powder
- dishwasher detergent
- dishwasher tablets
- scrubbing cast iron pans of any stuck on foods as needed
- soap scum removal
3. Washing Soda
Kin to baking soda but NOT edible.
Washing soda is sodium carbonate or Na2CO3. Similar to baking soda but different!
This chemical is found in plant ash so sometimes washing soda is called soda ash. It softens the water to allow the cleaning agents to lift dirt and grime off but leave them in the water to be carried out with the rinse.
Though it is similar to baking soda, it is a different chemical compound and must NOT be eaten or ingested.
Use caution when handling as washing soda is a powder. It may cause irritation of eyes, nose, and throat. Be in a well-ventilated area when mixing washing soda to make a homemade cleaner, perhaps even outside.
Washing soda is a wonderful addition to laundry day and kitchen clean up (and more!).
Laundry uses include:
- regular wash booster
- pre-treating tough stains when made into a paste with water
- 1 cup added to the washer helps hard water situations
Kitchen assistance with washing soda:
- tough to scrub oven and stovetop messes
- cleaning pots and pans (avoid aluminum anything in the kitchen)
- a good sink scrubbing
- 1/2 cup into a gallon of water yields a nice kitchen cleaner
Great for oil and grease spills! Sprinkle liberally over the spill then drizzle on water to form a paste and let sit overnight. Next day, scrub, rinse, and wipe down the stain.
4. Distilled Vinegar
The G.O.A.T. of toxin-free cleaning!
Vinegar makes for a good cleaning agent because it is acidic and breaks down gunk like mineral deposits, grime, grease, and soap scum.
It is biodegradable and great for deodorizing, especially laundry.
Ways to use vinegar for toxin-free cleaning:
- Infuse citrus peels and a few sprigs of rosemary in vinegar for a few weeks for a wonderful smelling, toxin-free household cleaner once diluted with water in a 50/50 solution mixture.
- Add distilled vinegar to the rinse aid of your dishwasher for sparkling dishes without the harmful chemical residue left on your dishes like from rinse-aids! Fill the compartment with unadulterated vinegar.
- One cup to the fabric softener of your washer for odor-free, soft clothes and linens. No, the vinegar scent isn’t left behind on your fabrics!
There are certain finishes that should never have vinegar used on them so beware! Even sealed countertops like granite and marble should not be cleaned with vinegar. Same for your electronic devices, some metals, and floorings. Please do your research on the material or finish before cleaning with vinegar simply because it is a toxin-free cleaning agent!
Honey Fermented Lemon and Ginger for coughs and colds and even allergies (from the picture above)
See my Disclosure Statement.
5. Borax
Borax is another white powdery substance needing adequate ventilation when handling called sodium tetraborate. It comes with two other techincal chemistry names too.
The internet has lots to say about borax that isn’t so nice and some recent research is showing, isn’t true.
Borax is made of boron, sodium, and oxygen and while it is a great household cleaner, should be handled carefully. Use gloves and a mask to be on the safe side. But know I use Borax in my laundry powder and absolutely do not wear gloves or a mask when doing the wash. Neither do my children.
To make a basic all-purpose household cleaner with borax:
- mix together 1/2 cup borax and 1 1/2 cups of hot water to create a solution.
- Pour solution into a spray bottle and then add 2 teaspoons of Castile soap with 4 teaspoons of vinegar.
- Feel free to drop in 5-15 drops of your favorite essential oil for scent and/or more germ-fighting properties.
Use this borax cleaner to fight soap scum and mildew in the bathroom, clean outdoor furniture, clean carpet, and clean stainless steel surfaces, too.
Borax is a great companion to any laundry detergent. To help whiten and brighten clothes, add 1/2 cup per 1 gallon of water, allow borax to dissolve, then add in your garments that need whitening. Allow it to sit for 1-2 hours before laundering as usual.
6. Salt
Stain treater, odor absorber, mineral deposit remover. Salt can do a lot as a toxin-free cleaner!
Combine salt with a lemon for a powerhouse cleaning duo. Same for salt and vinegar. The two pair well together outside of a bag of chips too!
Depending on the salt used, it can be a great mild scrubber.
Again, be sure to test an inconspicuous area before going all in on your cleaning of that particular item.
7. Lemon
As with any acid, there are some finishes that cannot handle lemon’s acidity.
With that said, lemon is fantastic for pairing with salt to scrub the kitchen sink and wooden cutting boards and utensils. Allow wooden kitchen items to dry then seal them with a toxin-free wood conditioner.
Lemon works well with cleaning a stainless steel sink, too.
Cut a lemon in half and use one half, cut side to sink surface, and scrub like you’re using the lemon as a cleaning rag. Rinse the sink well then use the other lemon half to repeat the process. Add a grease and stuck on food fighter to the mix by adding 1/8 cup of baking soda OR salt before scrubbing with the lemon.
Lemon essential oil is a natural degreaser.
Don’t you love how store put their paper price tags right on the glass of a picture frame? Peel off what you can then use a cotton ball and 1 drop of lemon essential oil to get the paper and adhesive off the glass. Use another cotton ball with rubbing alcohol to clean off the oilyness lemon EO can leave behind.
8. Hydrogen Peroxide
Pairs well with blue Dawn. Not exactly toxin-free, I admit! But is a fantastic stain and grease remover in clothes when used with hydrogen peroxide.
- Dot the stain with Dawn then use an old toothbrush to dip in hydrogen peroxide and scrub the stain well. Allow garment to sit for 30 minutes then launder as normal in the washer.
- I use hydrogen peroxide with my whites in the washer for an added whitening boost.
- Hydrogen peroxide and baking soda make a great paste for cleaning the stove top as well as tea and coffee stained mugs; and whitening grout lines.
- Sanitize cutting boards and even tooth brushes with hydrogen peroxide.
We no longer use bleach for a host of reasons including that it’s not healthy for lungs, skin, and research shows it can actually promote the growth of fungi when used with other detergents in places like showers. The same place a lot of people use bleach to sanitize.
Three percent hydrogen peroxide is a great alternative to bleach that will sanitize and kill mold and mildew growth. Be mindful to use proper equipment when handling mold and mildew like masks, gloves, and eye wear.
I am not a doctor or scientist but you can use your own discernment after you do your own research in to topics such as bleach usage. Also, my disclosure statement is linked at the bottom of every page of this blog.
9. Essential Oils
I’ve been a consistent user of essential oils in my daily life since 2014 when I first purchased the “flu bomb” as one company’s consultant referred to them as:
Peppermint, Lavender, and Lemon
Snag those three oils to start and you’ve got the 3 amigos of toxin-free household cleaning helpers that also help with headaches, calming, and energizing. SEE MY DISCLOSURE! I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
Add tea tree oil and you’re really getting down to business with the toxin-free cleaning!
Add a few drops to your laundry or dishwashing detergents and all-purpose Castile cleaning sprays for a delightful aroma plus the anti-bacterial, fungal, and viral capabilities some essential oils boast.
Use caution when using essential oils around children and pets. Some are not safe to use around them.
If you like high quality and affordable essential oils, look into Simply Earth. Not a MLM company but does offer affiliate marketing and I am one of them because I love their EOs (and the price!) so much. Use code JOHNSONHOMENCFREE to get a $45 gift card for your next order!
10. Rubbing Alcohol
How often do you think to clean your phone’s screen? It’s one of the most touched items you own.
Grab a cotton ball and a few drops of rubbing alcohol and clean your entire phone, front, back, and sides. Headphones, earbuds, and AirPods all need a cleaning from time to time too.
Be careful not to oversaturate the cotton ball when cleaning your device.
So much more can be done with rubbing alcohol but cleaning my cell phone is my top choice.
What if you could only choose one from this list to clean your whole home?
If I could only choose one of these toxin-free cleaners to clean my entire house, top to bottom, and be confident I was able to sanitize it well, I’d choose:
LIQUID CASTILE SOAP all day.
It’s probably the most versatile cleaner on this list and doesn’t have AS MANY warnings about what type of surface you can use it on. But still do your own item finish’s research before using!
Moral of the toxin-free cleaner story is this:
Many of these options clean more than just one thing, well and cheap.
Instead of buying a toilet bowl cleaner, a soap scum remover, a glass cleaner, and a counter top sanitizing spray full of harmful chemicals just to clean your bathroom, one box of baking soda and a lemon can handle most of this room.
And without the toxin overload.
The takeaway is that there are natural and effective ways to clean your entire home using very simple ingredients.
If your goal is to ELIMINATE all toxins,
… please direct message me your plan of action!
While, in theory, completely toxin-free living is a perfect idea to a healthy life, it’s just not possible.
Or maybe it is if I lived off grid in a cave in the mountains.
For the sake of reality in the 21st century and because you’re reading this now, we do our best, right? We make cuts where we KNOW toxins are as best and as often as we can.
We know we are not perfect, never will be; but we take strides to learn more
because when we know better, we tend to do better.
Follow along for more DIY home and body care
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