A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Cleaning Products
Are you overwhelmed by the idea of making homemade cleaning products? This beginner's guide will tell you everything you need to get started with DIY natural cleaners (without vinegar).
Want to try homemade cleaners, but don’t like the smell of vinegar?
This is exactly how I felt.
While I wanted my home to sparkle, my asthma was bad and I didn’t want to return to the harsh chemicals that come with conventional cleaners.
So I spent a year or two soaking fruits and herbs in vinegar to try and make my home feel less like a fish and chip shop, but nothing cut it.
Thankfully I found effective homemade alternatives to vinegar and now my home feels fresh and clean with no lingering fumes or unwanted smells.
Today I’m sharing all the different ingredients I use for DIY cleaning, and what each one can be used for in your home.
Pssst I also have a separate blog post called Where To Buy Ingredients For Homemade Cleaners to help you reduce postage fees and boycott Amazon.
COMING UP
Health and safety: what not to mix
What ingredients to avoid mixing when making natural homemade cleaners
What I use to clean instead of vinegar
Ingredients for DIY and homemade cleaners
1. Health and safety: what not to mix
This beginner’s guide is all about natural, green cleaning, however, it is important to know basic health and safety when making homemade DIY cleaners.
A lot of this is common sense, but it is important to know what to avoid mixing.
Do:
✅Keep ingredients and products out of reach of children
✅Wear gloves
✅Keep powdered ingredients in containers or jars to prevent spills or exposure to moisture
✅Ensure the room is ventilated if you’re ever using ingredients that have fumes
Don’t:
❌Mix natural cleaners with conventional cleaning products as this can cause toxic chemical reactions
❌Don’t attempt DIY cleaning with chlorine bleach or ammonia
❌Spray a surface with two different products (especially in one contains bleach, ammonia, or hydrogen peroxide), unless you’re certain it is safe to do so
2. What ingredients to avoid mixing in Diy cleaning
While I’m not going to tell you to use all these ingredients, be conscious if you’re still using conventional cleaning products you are still using at home.
Don’t mix bicarbonate of soda with citric acid (or vinegar), except for the times you need a fizzing reaction, e.g. when unblocking a drain
Don’t mix citric acid (or vinegar) with castile soap
Don’t mix citric acid (or vinegar) with bleach or ammonia as it produces toxic gases
Don’t mix citric acid (or vinegar) with hydrogen peroxide
3. Why I avoid cleaning with vinegar (and what I use instead)
If you’ve read my posts about avoiding the transition phase with shampoo bars, you’ll know I am not a fan of strong smells, like vinegar.
Just as I refuse to tip it over my head, I refuse to have my home smell like it (as pretty as it looks, no amount of citrus peels and herbs does the trick in my opinion).
I find citric acid makes a good alternative to vinegar because:
It contains no water, meaning the carbon footprint is lower.
It comes packaged in cardboard instead of plastic
It doesn’t smell
Vinegar can damage rubber, whilst citric acid does not
You need less citric acid than vinegar for the same effect
Despite the way it is marketed, citric acid is not produced from the natural acid found in fruits. Due to the huge demand for it (is also a food additive), it is manufactured from the fermentation of crude sugars (e.g., molasses and corn starch) using the fungus Aspergillus niger. Citric acid is one of the most popular food additives in the world and is generally recognised as safe, however, you should avoid it if you have an MCA allergy.
Studies have shown that citric acid can kill bacteria, viruses, and norovirus.
4. What are the best ingredients for homemade cleaning products?
Tips for cleaning with citric acid:
Removing limescale: Citric acid dissolves mineral deposits from toilets, showerheads, and kettles.
Dishwasher: Cleans and deodorises the dishwasher by removing buildup; use in an empty cycle.
Washing Machine: Helps eliminate soap scum and residue. Use in an empty cycle.
Stain removal: Mix with water to create a paste for treating stains on fabrics and carpets.
Toilet cleaner: Sprinkle into the toilet every night to prevent limescale build-up
Fruit and vegetable wash: Cleans produce by removing residues and bacteria.
recipes and cleaning blog posts with citric acid:
How to clean built-up limescale on your toilet naturally
Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda, called baking powder in America, has an abundance of uses around the home.
Its pH is alkaline so it shouldn’t be mixed with citric acid (or vinegar) because they are acidic and will neutralise each other. The exception to this is when you want the brief fizzing reaction, e.g. when you’re unblocking a drain.
Avoid cleaning: Natural stone, aluminium, glass, wood
Tips for DIY cleaning with bicarbonate of soda:
Surface Cleaner: - Mix with water to create a paste and use it to clean sinks and hobs (stovetops).
Deodorising: Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of bins, in the fridge, or in shoes to absorb and neutralise odours.
Unclogging Drains: Pour a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by a cup of citric acid (or vinegar). After about 15 minutes, flush with hot water.
Laundry: Add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda to your laundry to boost detergent performance and help deodorise clothes.
Cleaning the Oven: Make a paste with bicarbonate of soda and water, spread it inside the oven, and let it sit overnight. Scrub the oven the next day and wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
Bathroom Cleaner: Either make a paste, or add it to your cloth, and scrub bathroom surfaces such as tiles, bathtubs, sinks, and toilets. It can help remove soap scum and hard water stains.
Carpet Freshener: Sprinkle on carpets, let it sit for 15-30 minutes, and then vacuum it up to freshen and deodorise.
Removing Stains: Make a paste using water and apply it to stained surfaces, such as coffee cups, teapots, and even clothes. Let it sit for a bit before scrubbing or washing.
Borax Substitute
Borax substitute is the name for sodium sesquicarbonate. It is available in Europe where borax is banned for being toxic to reproductive health and pregnancy.
Sodium sesquicarbonate is stronger than bicarbonate of soda but not as strong as soda crystals.
It comes in plastic-free packaging but I always transfer mine to a glass jar. If it gets damp, it will become a hard clump inside the box.
Tips for using borax substitute in DIY cleaning:
Laundry detergent booster: It enhances the effectiveness of laundry detergents by softening water and improving stain removal.
General cleaning: Effective for cleaning surfaces such as countertops, sinks, and tiles.
Carpet cleaning: Can be used in carpet cleaning solutions to help lift dirt and stains.
Bathroom cleaner: Useful for removing soap scum, hard water stains, and mildew in bathrooms.
Floor cleaner: Suitable for mopping floors, especially in areas with hard water.
Bad smells: It helps to neutralise bad odours in places like refrigerators and bins.
Recipes and blogs featuring borax substitute:
Soda Crystals
Soda crystals, also known as washing soda or sodium carbonate, are a powerful and versatile cleaning agent. You can usually find soda crystals in the supermarket, but they come in soft plastic.
There is only one place I’ve found that offers plastic-free packaging.
Tips for DIY cleaning with soda crystals:
Unclogging drains: Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain, followed by a cup of soda crystals. Leave for 15 minutes then pour a kettle of boiling water. Repeat until it is cleared.
Laundry booster: Add to the washing machine to enhance detergent performance, soften water, and remove tough stains.
Degreaser: Effective for cutting through grease and grime on kitchen surfaces, cookware, and ovens.
Bathroom cleaning: Use to clean tiles, grout, sinks, bathtubs, and toilets, effectively removing soap scum and limescale.
Floor Cleaner: Dissolve in water for mopping floors, it is particularly effective on tiled and vinyl surfaces.
Outdoors: You can clean patios, decking, garden furniture, and driveways by dissolving soda crystals in water and scrubbing with a brush.
Carpet cleaner: Dissolve in water and use it to clean carpets and rugs. It helps to lift stains and freshen fibres.
Bad smells: Sprinkle on carpets, upholstery, or inside bins to absorb and neutralise odours.
Stain removal: Make a paste with water and apply it to stains on fabrics, upholstery, or hard surfaces before washing or rinsing.
Descaling appliances: Use soda crystals to descale kettles, coffee makers, and washing machines by dissolving and running through a cleaning cycle.
Pots and pans: Soak in a solution of soda crystals and hot water to remove burnt-on food and grease.
recipes and cleaning blog posts with soda crystals:
How to do a washing machine maintenance cycle
Liquid soap
Also called castile soap, it is a mild surfactant that is effective at removing dirt from surfaces. Make sure you check the ingredient lists (or use a brand I recommend) because some brands use additives, for example, synthetic fragrances, animal derivatives, antibacterial agents, and palm oil.
Tips for DIY cleaning with liquid soap:
All-purpose cleaner: Dilute it in water and use it to clean countertops, sinks, floors, and other surfaces.
Vegetable wash: Dilute it in water to clean fruits and vegetables.
Floor cleaner: Dilute it in a bucket of water to mop and clean floors.
Toilet cleaner: Use directly or dilute with water to clean and freshen toilets.
Plant insecticide: Mix with water and spray on plants to deter pests.
Walls: Dilute it to clean grubby fingerprints on walls
Recipes and cleaning blog posts with liquid soap:
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