Don’t you wish you could clean your kitchen naturally without it stinking of vinegar?

Oh wait - you can.

In fact, I’d argue this all-purpose cleaner is more effective for cleaning up messes.

It’s got a sanitising action and is designed to work in hard water (just to be clear, it’s not for removing hard water stains, for that, you’ll need my DIY limescale spray).

Not only that, this cleaning spray is eco-friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic.

What more could you want?

Homemade cleaning was my first ‘eco swap.’

Many years ago when trying to improve my poor health (I had chronic sinusitis, itchy skin and asthma that was out of control), I was horrified to learn how many toxic chemicals I was spraying around my home.

I was pleasantly surprised just how easy it was to clean with a handful of naturally derived ingredients.

I started my journey into DIY by diffusing my own vinegar cleaners because I hated the smell. I tried all kinds of tricks, but I was never satisfied.

Fast forward into the future, I discovered I could just skip the vinegar completely.

Now my home is free from potentially harmful chemicals, my health has never been better and I’ve figured out which cleaners I like to make and which I like to buy.

For more information on green cleaning, check out my (free) beginner’s guide here.

COMING UP

1. Ingredients

2. Method

3. The benefits of borax substitute

4. Where to buy liquid castile soap

5. Where to buy DIY ingredients in the US

6. FREE: Cleaning recipe printable

TAP TO PIN THIS TO YOUR DIY BOARD ON PINTEREST:

1. How to make a DIY All-Purpose cleaner

You will need:

• 470mls of boiled water (approx 2 cups)

• 1 tbsp of liquid soap

• 2 tsp borax substitute (sodium sesquicarbonate)

• An empty spray bottle

NOTE: Sodium sesquicarbonate is different to borax - which is banned in the EU and UK. If you are in the USA where it is hard to find, you can make your own sodium sesquicarbonate by mixing 1 tbsp of washing soda and 1 tbsp of bicarbonate of soda. These can be bought from Walmart.

2. Method

1. Pour 470ml of boiled water into a measuring jug

2. Add two tsp of borax substitute. The hot water will help it dissolve properly.

3. Wait for the water to cool down (you don’t want to fill a plastic bottle up with hot water or risk burning yourself).

4. Tip your cooled water and borax substitute solution into your empty spray bottle.

5. Add your spoon of liquid soap and optional essential oils.

6. Turn the bottle around slowly in your hands to mix the ingredients together. Gently shake the bottle each time you use it.

USEFUL TIP:

For dried-on food residues, spray and leave for 30-60 seconds before wiping clean. Avoid contact with eyes.

3. Benefits of borax substitute

Borax substitute is a great ingredient for homemade natural cleaners. It is stronger than bicarbonate of soda (bicarb) and milder than soda crystals.

Because it is a strong alkaline, it shouldn’t be mixed with vinegar or citric acid.

Borax substitute is a staple in my home, especially with laundry. I find it is more effective and versatile than bicarb and use it much more regularly.

Some of the main benefits of borax substitute are:

• it softens water and prevents limescale (add to your washing machine)

• it removes stain (make a paste for spot cleaning)

• abrasive cleaner (mix with water for a scouring cream)

Useful tip:

Borax substitute can be bought in a cardboard box so is completely plastic-free. I have found it can go rock hard in the box once it’s been opened so I transfer it into a mason jar and take out a spoonful as needed.

WHERE TO BUY BORAX SUBSTITUTE?

You can purchase it on sale from Ethical Superstore, along with other products in the Dri-Pak range.

If you can’t find it in your country, you can make your own Borax substitute (sodium sesquicarbonate) by mixing 1 tbsp of washing soda and 1 tbsp of bicarbonate of soda.

If you’re in the USA, these can be bought from Walmart.

4. Where to buy eco-friendly liquid castile soap?

In case you don’t already have liquid soap in your home, I thought I’d tell you where to buy it. Traditional soap contained animal fats (tallow) so it’s important to check your soap is vegan and cruelty-free.

You can find concentrated (vegan) liquid soap in the following places:

• Budget option: Dri-Pak liquid soap at Ethical Superstore - the bottle is partly made from recycled plastics.

• Plastic-free: Funky Soap sells a range of organic castile soap in glass bottles. If you scroll down they also offer scented options.

• Dr Bronner - An American brand that is more expensive but comes in recycled plastic bottles and is available in bulk sizes.

5. Where to buy DIY cleaning supplies in America?

Grove Collaborative is a great store for all your cleaning needs.

You can also buy cleaning supplies from Mighty Nest. They sell a huge range of products, including eco-friendly sponges and Dr Bronner castile soap.

You can make your own borax substitute by mixing 1 tsp of washing soda and 1 tsp of baking soda.

I have tried this recipe with baking soda on its own and while it does work, it is not as effective because baking soda is not a water softener. Adding a teaspoon of washing soda will remove the hard water minerals.

6. FREE NATURAL CLEANING PRINTABLE

To make natural cleaning easier, I’ve made a selection of printables with instructions for my cleaning routines and how to make all my favourite DIY products.

(No email or sign-up required!)

You can either laminate them and stick them to the wall by your machine, or you could pop them into a cleaning folder. Whatever works for you!

You can find all my free cleaning printables here

If you make this product, let me know, I’d love to hear your feedback. For more content on green cleaning, check out the cleaning category on my blog.

If you’ve found my blog helpful, you can say thanks by buying me a coffee here.

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