Eco-friendly Cleaning Hacks

If you’re feeling the bite of a spring cleaning bug, or just want to freshen up your home with a deep clean, consider the cleaning products you’re using before you reach for the bleach!

While the sparkle of a polished faucet and the shine of a washed floor bring a lot of satisfaction, there are ways to achieve the same results using non-toxic household cleaners. 

It’s good to know there are plenty of alternative DIY options to commercial cleaning products that still get the job done with flair. 

I’ve collected some recipes for easy to make household cleaners and eco-friendly cleaning hacks that will leave you with white sheets, clean counters and a healthier home environment.

5 Natural-Ingredient Products to Make Yourself

Window Cleaner

Mix the following:

• ¼ cup of white vinegar
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch
• 2 cups of warm water

Thanks to the Green Parent, this super easy solution will soon have your windows streak-free. Check out their page for other easy cleaning recipes.

Toilet bowl Cleaner

Mix together: 

• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 cup vinegar

Pour it into the loo, leave it to soak a little and then scrub and flush. Both baking soda and vinegar have antibacterial properties, making them handy ingredients for homemade cleaning products.

All-Purpose Cleaner

For cleaning trash cans, walls, counters, the bathroom, kitchen (well basically everything), mix:

• 3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon unscented liquid Castile soap
• 10 drops tea tree oil
• 20 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 cups water

To make it extra effective, add some baking soda to a stubborn spot and scrub away! For more great smelling, eco friendly cleaning products you can make with ingredients from your pantry, go here.

De-greaser

This quick and easy recipe is great for the oven, stove top and other greasy spots. 

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• Natural liquid soap (such as Dr. Bronner’s)
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• Essential oil (optional)

For superior grease-busting abilities, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply it to the greasy area to soak for a while and then wipe it away.

Cost-effective Laundry Detergent

• One box of 20 Mule Team Borax 65oz
• One box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda) 55oz
• Three bars of soap (not detergent) like Fels-Naptha or Dr. Bronner’s
• 1 tub of Oxi Clean (optional for stained clothes, but not “natural”)

Crumble the bars of soap and mix all the ingredients in a large container. Use one tablespoon per load. Doing 5-6 loads a week, this mixture should last around 9 months! Thanks, Dear Mushka!

5 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Hacks

1.  Recycle old clothes as cleaning rags

A great way to repurpose old clothes is to cut them up to use as cleaning rags. You’ll never need to buy another cleaning cloth again. Wash them in warm soapy water once you’re done cleaning.

2.  How to keep your trashcan smelling fresh

Using the versatile power of baking soda, a little baking soda sprinkled into the bottom of your trashcan will absorb undesirable odors and neutralize horrible smells.

3.  How to keep your sheets looking white

Clean, fresh smelling linen is one of my favorite things, but keeping sheets white can be a challenge.

Adding half a cup of baking soda to a wash cycle and half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle does eco-friendly wonders for whiter sheets!

4.  Clean your grout the green way

Dirty grout washes clean with lemon juice and baking powder in equal parts. Apple the paste to the trouble areas for about 20 minutes and scrub off.

Another option is to try ½ cup baking soda and ¼ cup 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed into a paste, smeared on the grout and allowed to soak for 10 minutes. 

5.  Neutralize strong cooking smells

If you’ve cooked something strong smelling and don’t want to wake up to the smell, add 3 teaspoons of vinegar to a cup of water and allow it to boil on the stove for a few minutes. The steam should get rid of offensive odors.

I like to boil some cut lemons, oranges and fragrant herbs, allowing the steam to permeate the kitchen as a wonderful smelling natural air freshener.

The eco-friendly cleaning tips and tricks will get you well on your way to a clean and healthy home! With just a little effort, you can easily put together effective cleaning solutions that get the job done without adding harmful chemicals to your surfaces and air. As most of these recipes are very budget friendly too, I’d say it’s a win-win situation!