Six ingredients and a whole lot of clean.
Many cleaning products contain chemicals that can pollute our air and water, harming humans, wildlife and the environment. Fortunately, making the switch to all-natural cleaning products has never been easier.
All you need are a few key ingredients that you likely already have in the kitchen. I haven’t purchased manufactured cleaning products in years, and I always use the ingredients below to clean my living spaces. Let’s get started!
What you need:
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Lemon juice & peel
- Essential oil (optional)
- Olive oil
- Spray bottle
Many of these ingredients act as deodorizers and cut through grease and grime. Some of my favourite natural cleaning recipes are the following:
DIY All-purpose Cleaner
Mix one part vinegar to two parts water in a spray bottle.
I add tea tree essential oil for extra anti-bacterial fighting properties and to mask the scent of vinegar. You can add your essential oil of choice or skip this step. This cleaner is perfect for cleaning surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom and for cleaning windows.
Extra-strength Cleaner
Mix one part water to two parts baking soda until a paste forms.
I use this for tough spills that have dried, especially if food explodes in my microwave or I burn something in a pot or pan. I also like to use any extra lemon halves to scrub the paste into the spill. This usually does the trick!
Furniture Polish
When I want my kitchen table to look nice for guests, I polish it using a mix of olive oil, vinegar and lemon essential oil. These measurements can be adjusted for personal preferences:
Mix ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup vinegar and 3 to 4 drops of lemon essential oil in a spray bottle or jar.
Simply spray the mix on the surface area and wipe with a clean cloth, or pour a little in a soft cloth and clean away!
Toilet Cleaner
I usually put a cup of baking soda in the toilet and let it sit for 30 minutes or longer, and then scrub using a toilet brush until it’s sparkling clean.
Another trick I use is to pour baking soda in the toilet, let it sit, and then add some vinegar. The vinegar helps to scrub away at dirt without you having to do all the work.
Do you use any natural cleaning recipes? Please share them with us below!
Jerika Bradford
Jerika is the Social and Digital Media Manager at the Canadian Wildlife Federation. When she’s not planning her next big adventure, you can find her outdoors with her trusted Labrador Retriever sidekick, Brynn, or indoors piecing together her family ancestry.
5 comments
Natural Cleaner for Free Running Drains (septic tank safe) –
1/2 C. Baking Soda – pour down drain and follow with:
1 C. vinegar
Boiling water. Continue to flush with hot tap water until clog breaks.
Modern pop-up plugs make this method a little more difficult.
I used this regularly to keep the drain running and didn’t wait until it was blocked. The original “recipe” stated – Mix all together and pour down drain. Please don’t do this as it will become a volcano on your counter-top.
To remove tea stains on cups or tea pot rub it with a little baking soda (on damp surface).
I do this all the time to clean tea mugs, works great!
Adding vinegar to the water in the kettle, boiling it, then filling with fresh water and boiling again to get rid of the vinegar taste works perfectly for hard water. Shiny kettle on the first try!
Great.. Bio natural and Eco friendly Wee Off™ is use for any pet stain and odour remover..
I enjoy these submissions.