We all have a stash of store-bought cleaners that promise to make your home spotless and germ-free. But with a product to clean every room of your home nowadays, these can all add up on your shopping bills.
The good news is, you can easily make your own cleaners using household items that you’re likely to find in your kitchen cupboard. Simple ingredients like white vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice contain natural bleaching and antibacterial properties that make baking soda and vinegar particularly good at cleaning.
In addition, these homemade cleaners won’t contain any toxic chemicals or harsh fragrances of brand name cleaners, so a DIY solution would be more eco-friendly. Better still, they are far cheaper to rustle up in the long-term. So if you don’t want to break the shopping budget, here’s how to make your own DIY household cleaners and save money.
Plus, find out what happened when our Homes writer cleaned her home with lemons for a week.
How to make your own all-purpose cleaner
1. First, pour ½ cup of white vinegar into an empty spray bottle using a small funnel. Then, add two tablespoons of baking soda.
2. Next, add in about 10 drops each of tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils. This will give your homemade cleaner a fresh scent and eliminate traces of unpleasant, vinegar smell. However, these are other ways on how to clean with vinegar without the smell, keeping things fragrant.
3. Then, fill the rest of the bottle with water, securing the spray top on the bottle and giving the bottle a good shake before use.
You can use this spray on kitchen countertops, bathrooms, appliances and on surfaces to disinfect, remove stains and freshen your home. But, before you clean, these are 7 things you should never clean with white vinegar to avoid damaging them.
How to make your own floor cleaner
1. Take a bucket and add 2 to 3 liters of hot water, a capful of dish soap, 60ml of white vinegar, and a few drops of essential oils, such as tea tree or eucalyptus oil.
2. Next, mop floors with this solution. This will leave it disinfected and spotless.
For more top tips, check out how to clean hardwood floors without damaging them.
How to make your own window cleaner
1. First, take an empty spray bottle and pour in ½ cup of white vinegar, two cups of water and some drops of lemon juice or essential oils of your choice. These will eliminate the vinegar smell.
2. Then, put the spray top back onto the bottle, and give it a good shake before use. This is a great, natural method to clean windows and leave them streak-free.
How to make your own oven cleaner
1. First, mix a solution of a few drops of dish soap, half a cup of baking soda, five drops of essential oil and around 60ml white vinegar with water. Stir around well to make a thick paste.
2. Take an old pastry brush and spread the paste onto the oven, focusing on areas where there is baked-on food or grease. For best results, leave on for a few hours or even overnight to allow the solution to work to lift off the dirt.
3. Then, fill a second bowl with water and use a soft sponge or cloth to scrub your oven clean. Repeat the process until you remove all the dirt, and you should have a sparkling, clean oven. Knowing how to clean an oven the right way can make all the difference!
How to make your own toilet bowl cleaner
1. First, take a squirt bottle and pour in 1/3 cup of liquid castile soap, two cups of water and two tablespoons of baking soda. You can also add some drops of eucalyptus oil to freshen and disinfect the toilet.
2. Then, give it a good shake before squirting the solution into the toilet bowl. Allow to sit for 3 to 4 minutes before scrubbing clean with the toilet brush. If you want more tips for a spotless toilet, check out how to clean a toilet and make it look new and even how to unclog a blocked toilet.
If you want more money-saving tips, check out 11 easy household tips to help you save money and fight inflation, tips to save on energy bills and 15 water saving tips, to reduce your usage. Also, we found the cheapest time to do your laundry and these are 5 ways your smart home can save you money as well. And here are 7 natural hacks to make your home smell good without chemicals.
