DIY Cleaning Products: Everything You Should Know
Fact Checked By Skin Formulations
| May 26, 2022
Introduction
DIY cleaning products are taking the world by storm!
The focus has turned from chemical-based cleaning products, which can contain some undesirable ingredients for health, to natural cleaning solutions for the home that are far kinder to the environment and your health.
Mother Nature and her creations have given us humans the absolute best ingredients to use within the home to provide effective and sustainable cleaning results, smell amazing, and don’t contain any nasty chemicals that can be detrimental to health.
Where possible, we should always choose natural ingredients in everything we do, and this includes cleaning. Here, we have some fantastic advice on what to use, what to avoid, and how to make some practical and natural cleaning solutions at home!
Benefits of DIY cleaning products
Using naturally-based cleaning products, especially those you can make at home, have so many benefits, not to mention that you will know what is going in them!
These benefits include:
Health benefits
Knowing that there is nothing but natural ingredients in your cleaning products means you are not risking your household health by breathing in toxins from dangerous but common chemicals, and you are not putting yourself at risk from potential pollutants or carcinogens.
Environmental Benefits
The environmental benefits of switching to naturally-based cleaning solutions are incredible! Not only will you be using ingredients that are readily available and sustainable, but there will also be a lower impact made on the environment from making your cleaning solutions.
From choosing to go natural and creating your solutions, there will be a little less immediate air pollution, fewer chemicals in production, and overall, the impact will be positive around the globe.
Home Benefits
Having natural cleaning products around the home is far more beneficial than having chemical-based bottles everywhere. Naturally based solutions are kinder to your atmosphere, fabrics, and surfaces, and the people in your home. They are also safer if accidents and spillages occur.
What Are the Precautions Around Natural Cleaning Products?
The most considerable precautions you need to be aware of are potential allergens and whether the ingredients are suited to the surfaces in your home.
You should never mix any naturally-based cleaning products with chemical-based items in the hope that they will become super effective. They won’t, and you may produce some toxic gasses from the mixing, so it’s best to avoid that practice altogether!
Ensure that any cleaning products you make for your home are labeled with every ingredient they have in them. This is in case of an accident or ingestion so it can be treated appropriately.
Also, make sure that your bottles, as far as you can, are in safety bottles, with difficult lids to open and clear bottles where possible.
Supplies and Ingredients
So, what will you need for your homemade cleaning solutions, and what do they do?
Here are the top 5 ingredients you must have to make any multi-purpose cleaning products at home to get your natural cleaning at home underway!
Essential Ingredients
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is blessed with natural acidity and can break down grease and grime with ease (There is a reason it was heavily used back in the 50s and 60s with brown paper for cleaning windows!).
The natural acids in malt, white, and apple cider vinegar can cut through tough grease, leaving it to be washed away with ease.
Vinegar is easily available from most major supermarkets, so you can quickly get your hands on some for your cleaning supplies. Besides, it leaves a sparkly clean shine on hard surfaces such as glass and worktops.
2. Lemon Juice
The smell of lemons always reminds us of kitchens! So when you are shopping, grab some extra for your homemade cleaning products for the best natural disinfectants!
The enzymes in lemons are fabulous when cleaning mildew and mold, leaving behind a preventative barrier, so it doesn’t come back so quickly either!
Lemons smell amazing, so that’s a bonus! But they are also great for cutting through grease and dirt, leaving behind a shine on hard surfaces such as chopping boards, worktops, and bathroom furniture.
3. Baking Soda
Baking Soda is a magic ingredient readily available in any supermarket or online and generally found in the baking section!
Apart from having the ability to dissolve household grease and grime, it also acts as a natural deodorizer and has properties that can kill off viruses on hard surfaces around the home.
It has an effervescent nature when used in conjunction with other natural cleaning ingredients, allowing it to lift and remove deep-set grime and hard water stains with ease.
4. Castile Soap
Castile soap is an all-natural soap entirely made from plant matter. You can get this soap in more specialized shops or online, and you’ll find it in most health food outlets, so it can be relatively easy to obtain!
As it is plant-based, you will find it popular for home cleaning solutions for those who are conscious of the environment and animal welfare, and it has been used successfully to cut through grease and dirt in the home.
A go-to ingredient for your natural cleaning solutions!
5. Olive Oil
Olive oil has been around for centuries, and, as well as being a fantastic ingredient in cooking, it is also excellent for incorporating into your home cleaning.
It is an ideal addition to your homemade cleaning solution, but it is also a great conditioner. So with fabrics such as leather and PVC, it can remove dirt build-up and condition the material, leaving it soft and shiny.
You can get olive oil from any supermarket or online; it is incredibly cost-effective and can last for a long time in your cleaning products as it works as a preservative for other ingredients too!
Top 5 Recipes for Natural Cleaning Products
Knowing how to put the ingredients together in correct proportions is probably the burning question now!
So here, we have put together the top 5 cleaning recipes for you, and where you can use them for top cleaning results around the home!!
1. Drain Cleaner
- ¼ – ½ cup baking soda
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- Sprinkle the baking soda directly down a drain, followed by vinegar.
- The combination will bubble, so don’t worry! After 60 minutes, flush the drain clear with boiling water, simple!
2. Air Freshener
- 10+ drops of citrus essential oils
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1/12 cups plain water
- Mix in a spray bottle and spray to refresh your room!
3. Duster Spray
- 1 tbsp castile soap
- 12-15 drops of lemon/lime essential oils
- 2 cups plain water
- Spray the mixture onto a duster cloth and dust your surfaces as you usually would, and this will leave behind a clean and great smelling surface!
4. Window Cleaner
- ¼ cup of white vinegar
- 1 tbsp of cornstarch
- 2 cups of warm water
- Cut through window grime for a streak-free finish, using a non-lint cloth.
5.Toilet Cleaner
- ¾ cup baking soda
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- 8-10 drops of tea tree oil
- 8-10 drops of lavender essential oils
- Destroys the limescale in toilet bowls effectively and smells amazing, ensuring the germs are destroyed too!
Online Inspiration
So, where can you find some online inspiration for your natural cleaning?
There are a lot of cleaning influencers on social media to watch and follow, as well as some great websites to have a peek at such as:
- Sophie Hinchcliffe, AKA Mrs. Hinch, has taken the world by storm with her natural cleaning tips and solutions! Find her on social media and online, as well as in bookshops!
- British “cleanfluencer” Lynsey “Queen of Clean” Crombie has amassed a following of thousands in her quest for natural cleaning solutions and is one to watch!
- Ellen O’Keeffe is a name to be watched on Instagram for her excellent clean tips and easy natural solutions!
Conclusion
So is natural the best way to clean your home? Absolutely! Natural cleaning solutions and ingredients are readily available, have amazing natural properties, and don’t cost the earth!
By knowing a little about the ingredients themselves, you can transform your home into a naturally clean haven and reduce the number of harmful chemicals and toxins in your home.
Natural cleaning is excellent for the pocket and for the environment, too, so make sure you use natural solutions wherever possible, and give your home some great cleaning results from nature!
