When I was a pre-teen, my best friend, Jes, and I figured out the way to my mom's heart (and how to get her to agree to just about anything). We would go gang-busters cleaning the house.
We'd start with the kitchen, and dumped Soft-Scrub with bleach on every surface, wiping until they came up glowing and free of juice stains. We'd use Scrubbing Bubbles on the showers and toilets. We'd Windex the windows until they shone clear and bright. We even shampooed the dog with Johnson & Johnson and dried her with a hair dryer (poor thing). A few hours later (with sore, red hands and a raw feeling in our lungs) we would sidle up to mom and confidently ask for a trip to the mall, pizza for dinner, or another sleep-over.
At the time, I never really considered that cleaning the house probably shouldn't strip the skin off my hands or leave my lungs feeling bruised, but in retrospect, we sure did go crazy with those chemical cleaners (sometimes even combining them, creating a whole other level of toxic fumigation).
These days, I want it all – a meticulously clean house AND my family's health. Is that too much to ask?
Enter DIY cleaning
If you spend any time online, I'm sure you've run into my cyber pal, Heather Dessinger of Mommypotamus.com. Heather is one of those bona-fide Supermoms. She lives on a homestead, makes absolutely everything from scratch, and raises her flock of beautiful children with an authentic smile, all the while working full-time on her amazing blog and books.
The thing about Heather is that she's the real deal. Her research is meticulous, and when she shares a recipe – whether for a cookie, a face wash, or a Christmas ornament, you can trust that it will work. So when she turned out DIY Cleaning, I knew I had found my cheater's guide to healthy – and effective – homemade cleaning products.
Good cleaning products don’t have to be toxic
Everyone wants a clean and healthy home, and there are so many cleaning products out there that promise everything from sparkling surfaces to odor-free air. As you may have noticed, the manufacturers of cleaning products are not legally required to disclose every ingredient right on the label. Unfortunately harmful chemicals lurk in most cleaning products, even those that say ‘green’ or ‘natural’, and they can have disastrous effects on your health.
In DIY Cleaning, Heather explains, “Right now as you read this page, there are about 700 chemicals coursing through your body, many of which can be found in the cleaning supplies that line store shelves: potent hormone disruptors, formaldehyde and cancer-causing 1,4-dioxane to name a few.” This can be a scary revelation for those of us who have grown to trust that chemical smell of ‘clean'.
Luckily, essential oils, vinegar, baking soda, and other simple ingredients are surprisingly effective at wiping out germs and leaving your surfaces squeaky clean. By using safe, all-natural ingredients, you can know exactly what you are spraying onto the surfaces that your family touches every day. Plus, you can keep these harmful chemicals out of the environment too.
I am absolutely loving this Citrus Splash Spray – an all-purpose cleaner straight from Mommypotamus’s ebook, DIY Cleaning, and she’s been kind enough to allow me to share it with you here.
Citrus splash spray ingredients
- 1-½ cups water
- 1 cup white vinegar (non-GMO)
- 20-40 drops citrus essential oil (sweet orange, lemon, lime or grapefruit) – get this set
How to use citrus splash spray
Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake before using; spray on surface and wipe clean. Store away from heat and sunlight, and be sure to store your essential oils in a dark glass bottle or cabinet to prevent oxidation.
Effective cleaning does not need to be expensive
When you start making your own cleaning products, you not only eliminate toxicity, but you can also save a substantial amount of money. This citrus splash spray can get your home sparkly for just pennies.
Mommypotamus breaks it down:
Store-bought “eco-friendly” cleaners – which often contain questionable ingredients – cost an average of $0.12 per ounce.
Here’s the breakdown for this recipe:
Water – Cost varies, but roughly $0.01 for the total recipe
Vinegar – About $0.05 per ounce
Essential oil – Prices will vary depending on brand and type, but mine came to about $0.01 total for the recipeTotal store-bought cost – About $3.84 for 32 ounces
Total homemade cost – About $1.62 for 32 ounces (A savings of 50%!)
WOW! You can cut your cleaning bill in HALF by making your own cleaning products?!? Before you know it, you'll save enough to have someone else do the cleaning for you.
Get started with DIY Cleaning today
What are you waiting for? Mix up your own Citrus Splash Cleaner now and get busy scrubbing your counters and chrome. Then while you’re admiring your sparkling clean kitchen, hop on over and get your copy of DIY Cleaning for more than 50 all-natural, toxin-free recipes that really work.
Just a few of my favorite recipes you’ll find inside:
- Fruit and Veggie Wash
- Rosemary and Lemon Soft Scrub
- Scented Dryer Sheets
- Mountain Pine Air Freshener
- Carpet Deodorizer
- Stainless Steel Polish
Click here to get DIY Cleaning now.
No way I'm talking you into making your own cleaning products?
Though certainly not as cost-effective as Heather's Citrus Splash Spray, you can buy this all-purpose, all-natural and effective cleaning solution online. It works great too.
Image credit: Mommypotamus
Wow! This is really helpful! I like how easy it is to make this! Nice.
I have a hard time finding a good bottle to put the cleaner in. Any u can recommend? Is plastic ok?
Hi Jackie – Thanks for your question. I used this glass bottle: http://holisticsquid.com/GlassSprayBottle
Hope that helps!
I love diy non toxic cleaners! Do you have a recommendation for a non toxic, non off gassing dish washing machine? We move in a month and I’m having a hard time finding one that exists! Even stainless steel machines seems to have odor complaints the first uses; the reviews are saying like tar. There are so many money making reviews that over look the green side of a dish washing machine that I’m have a hard time finding one.
So, so easy! I love the idea of making my own cleaners, but it’s just something that I’ve never gotten around to doing. I’m inspired to start though.