10 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions You Can Make at Home

• 1 part white vinegar
• 1 part water
• Lemon rind
• Rosemary sprigs

Combine these ingredients, pour into a spray bottle and shake. You’ll want to let the cleaning solution infuse for at least a week before using. Once it’s ready, you can use it in any room of the house to clean dirty surfaces. Just make sure not to use the cleaner on granite, as acidic things can etch the stone. This all-purpose cleaner can remove everything from water stains to wall smudges, so it’s perfect for cleaning your kitchen.

• 2 cups distilled water
• 2 tablespoons liquid castile soap 
• 15-20 drops lemon or grapefruit essential oil (optional, but this will make the mixture smell extra fresh)

Add the water to the spray bottle, then top it with the soap and essential oil if desired. Gently shake the bottle to combine the ingredients, and then use the spray to clean surfaces throughout your house. Shake the bottle each time you use it, especially if it’s been sitting around for a few days, since the ingredients can settle and separate. You can spray the surface directly or spray the cleaner onto a rag and then use that to clean it. 

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup water 
• 10-20 drops of lemon essential oil

Combine the vinegar, water and essential oil in a spray bottle. Wipe down any stainless steel surfaces, making sure to rub the cleaning solution in the direction of the grain (i.e., the lines). You can also use this combination as an oven cleaner on a stainless steel stovetop since it will remove stains and dried food without scratching the surface. If possible, use a microfiber cleaning cloth since it won’t scratch the surface and absorbs water well.

• 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 cup water

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well. You can use the cleaner to wash your windows or clean your bathroom mirror, but instead of reaching for paper towels or rags, consider using balled-up newspapers to dry the surfaces. Newspapers are made from dense, non-scratch fibers, and they won’t fall apart and create lint, which makes them a great choice for this task. If you don’t have any newspapers on hand, you can use a microfiber cloth instead. 

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 5-10 drops of orange or lemon essential oil (optional)
• Castile soap (for kitchen utensils and aluminum surfaces)

Combine the baking soda and 1 teaspoon of water until it becomes a paste. If desired, add a few drops of essential oil to increase the degreasing capability. Spread the paste over any dirty surfaces that need to be cleaned and let it dry. Next, put the vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz it over the paste. Use a soft sponge to remove any dirt or grime.

For minor carpet stains:

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1/2 cup of white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons borax

Mix the salt and vinegar together, pour the mixture over any minor carpet stains and let it dry. Once it has dried, vacuum the area to remove the stains.

For synthetic carpets:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 cups water

If you have synthetic carpets, mix one part of vinegar with two cups of water. Spray the carpet stain remover over the stains and then use a microfiber cloth to remove the stains.

For natural fiber carpets:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water

To remove stains from natural fiber carpets, mix equal parts water and vinegar together and then use it to remove any stains.

• 1 teaspoon pure castile soap
• 4 cups water
• 5-10 drops essential oil (optional)

Put the castile soap, water and essential oil into a spray bottle, then shake the bottle well. Before using the cleaner, test it on a small part of the floor (such as underneath a wood chair) to make sure it doesn’t damage the wood. Spray small areas of the floor, making sure not to leave water sitting on the floor for too long as this can damage the wood floors. Using a dry microfiber mop, clean the floors along the grain of the wood. Rinse and squeeze excess water off the mop and work in small patches to clean the floor.

For toilet bowl cleaner:

• 1/4 cup borax or baking soda
• 1 cup vinegar

Mix the borax and vinegar together in the toilet. Let it sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing and flushing it to remove any stains and grime.

For other bathroom surfaces:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup borax
• 1 cup kosher salt

Combine the ingredients in a jar to form a solution, sprinkle it onto the areas that need to be cleaned and wipe it off with a sponge. Use a microfiber cloth to clean the surfaces.

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup citric acid
• 1/2 cup white vinegar powder
• 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
• 15-20 drops essential oil (optional)
• Compostable parchment paper

Mix the baking soda, citric acid, white vinegar powder and essential oil (if desired) until combined. Pour the vinegar into the powder mixture and stir until the mixture starts to form clumps. Once the mixture starts to stiffen (which can take up to 45 minutes), scoop it out using a tablespoon. Pack the mixture tightly with your fingers and place the tablets on the compostable parchment paper. If the tablets are dry or crumbly, spray them with vinegar. Let the tablets dry overnight and store them in an airtight container. When you’re ready to clean the toilet, drop one tablet into the toilet. After it stops fizzing, scrub the toilet bowl clean with a toilet brush.

• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1/2 teaspoon dish soap
• 1 1/2 cups warm water

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle and spray it onto the counters to remove grime and dirt from the granite surfaces.