52 Cleaners You Can Make Yourself

Almost every single one uses family and pet-safe (and environmentally-friendly) ingredients. In nearly every single case, these make-it-yourself versions are every bit as good as the toxic, chemical filled products that you’ll find in the store.

On top of that the ingredients we use are all very cheap to buy which means you can save a fortune too!

Note: If you’re using using any of these on clothes, always do a test on a small area of the fabric first!

So without any further ado, lets get to it.

 

ODOR ELIMINATOR

Ingredients
1 teaspoon of your favorite scent of essential oil
1/4 cup vodka or rubbing alcohol
3 1/2 cups filtered water

How To Use
Get an empty spray bottle and add the vodka/alcohol and whichever essential oil you have chosen. Then fill the rest of the bottle with filtered water. Add the cap and shake. You should also shake before each use to make sure all of the ingredients have mixed properly. Spray on everything from curtains to shoes to cushions.

 

HARDWOOD FLOOR CLEANER

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive/grapeseed oil (The oil conditions the wood. Yours may not need it)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons alcohol (isopropyl or vodka)
24 oz Water
Essential oil (optional)

How To Use
Mix all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. To use simply spray onto your wooden floor and wipe with a damp rag. You can put the rag at the end of a mop or brush to save your back.

 

OLD WOODEN FURNITURE REJUVENATOR

Ingredients
1/4 cup of canola or olive oil
3/4 cup vinegar

How To Use
Mix the oil and vinegar together in a bowl. Use a rag to rub the mixture into the wood. You can use a dry cloth to remove the excess liquid and voila, your piece of tired old furniture will look rejuvenated.

 

TOILET BOWL CLEANER

Ingredients
½ cup baking soda
10 drops tea-tree essential oil
½ cup distilled white vinegar

How To Use
Sprinkle the baking soda around the toilet bowl, then add your drops of essential oil and finally add vinegar. After you’ve let the baking soda and vinegar fizz for a few minutes, you can use a toilet brush to scrub the bowl. Then simply give your toilet a quick flush the toilet to finish.

 

 

LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Ingredients
1 bar of soap (any kind you want)
1 cup of Borax
1 cup of washing soda
Big pot (that holds more than 2 gallons)

How To Use
Grate a bar of soap into a pot. Pour one gallon of water into the pot. Heat the pot and stir the mixture until the soap dissolves. Then you can add the washing soda and Borax. Bring it to a boil. When everything has dissolved and mixed together, turn off the heat. Now add 1 gallon of cold water and stir well. Leave for 24 hours to cool down and thicken up. Now you have 2 gallons of homemade laundry detergent. If you find that it becomes too thick then just use 1/2 a bar of soap instead.

Important Note: When first using this homemade detergent, make sure to wash any items once with just washing soda. This will get rid of any remaining detergent residue that may react with the soap and cause damage to your clothes.

 

HEAVY DUTY FLOOR CLEANER

Ingredients
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
1 cup baking soda
2 gallons warm tap water

How To Use
Mix all of the ingredients together into a bucket and you’re ready to start tackling those dirty floors!

 

CHROME POLISH

Ingredients
Baby oil

How To Use
Simply add a dab of baby oil to a cotton cloth and away you go. It can be used to shine everything from taps to the chrome bits on your car.

 

 

LAMINATE FLOOR CLEANER SPRAY

Ingredients
1⁄3 cup water
1⁄3 cup rubbing alcohol
1⁄3 cup white vinegar
3 drops liquid dishwashing soap
5 -10 drops lemon essential oils (optional)

How To Use
Add all of the ingredients into a spray bottle. Spray onto your floors and mop up. There’s no need to use too much.

 

WOOD PANEL WALL CLEANER

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 quart warm water

How To Use
Add all of the ingredients to a bucket and mix thoroughly. Apply the mixture using a cloth. Then rub it off with a separate cloth. Don’t put too much on. Only use small amounts at a time.

 

DISHWASHER CLEANER

Ingredients
White vinegar
Baking soda

How To Use
Place a jug filled with white vinegar into an otherwise empty dishwasher and run it using very hot water. The vinegar is great for removing any odors and cutting through grease and grime. Then sprinkle baking soda around the bottom of the dishwasher and again run it through another cycle. This will remove any remaining smells and stains.

 

TELEVISION/MONITOR CLEANER

Ingredients
Coffee filter

How To Use
This one is fairly obvious I think! Just wipe the coffee filter over the screen to have any dust come right off.

 

TEAPOT/TEACUP CLEANER

Ingredients
Baking soda
Water

How To Use
Add just enough water to a bowl of baking soda to form a thick paste. Then gently rub the mixture over any stains to remove them.

 

WINDOW CLEANER

Ingredients
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
1 drop Dawn dish soap
Distilled water

How To Use
Add all the ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake well.

 

DRYER SHEETS

Ingredients
Coffee filter
Liquid fabric softener

How To Use
Grab a coffee filter and rub 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (depending on the size of the load) of the fabric softener into it. Throw it into your dryer and you’re done! A good way to store these is in a baby-wipe container.

 

 

MICROWAVE CLEANER

Ingredients
500 ml water
125 ml lemon juice or white vinegar

How To Use
Add both ingredients into a microwave-proof glass bowl. Turn it onto the highest setting for 5 minutes. Let the liquid sit until it cools down. Any food and grime should now be sufficiently loosened to be wiped off with a cloth.

 

FLOOR CLEANER

Ingredients
10 drops essential oils
3/4 cup vinegar
3/4 cup alcohol
1 cup water
2-3 drops dish soap

How To Use
Simply add all the ingredients into a fine-mist spray bottle and shake well. The dish soap gives this some great grime-fighting ability and the alcohol means it dries quickly and leaves little to no streaks.

 

LEATHER CLEANER

Ingredients
Paper towels
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
10 drops lemon or orange essential oil (optional)

How to use
This is ideal for old worn furniture in particular. Start by vacuuming the piece of leather furniture and then wiping it down with a damp cloth. Add the oil and vinegar into a bowl and use a whisk or fork to mix them. The lemon or essential oils are optional but leave a much nicer scent afterwards. Use a clean paper towel to rub the mixture onto a small hidden piece of the leather and let it dry. If there is no discoloration then you can start rubbing the mixture gently over the entire piece. Use a dry piece of paper towel to wipe away any excess oil. Let it dry and admire how new the leather now looks!

 

FIREPLACE GLASS CLEANER

Ingredients
Water
Vinegar
Lemon juice or ammonia
Baking soda

How To Use
Begin by rubbing baking soda over the the glass to remove any soot. Use a cloth to wipe it away. Fill a spray bottle with 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of ammonia or lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda and then top up with warm water. Shake very well. Spray the cleaner onto your fireplace glass. Use a clean cloth to wipe away the dirt. It might require several applications. Make sure you clean both sides of the glass for best results and finally use a clean, dry cloth to buff the glass and bring it to a nice shine.

Note: Never mix bleach and ammonia together. When combined they produce a highly toxic gas.

 

FOAMING SOAP
(Can be used in place of dishwashing liquid, hand soap, bathroom cleaners etc.)

Ingredients
1/4 cup of plain Castile soap
1 cup filtered water

How To Use
Simply add the soap to a dispenser and then add the filtered water. Don’t add it to quickly or it will begin to foam up on you. Put the cap back on and shake to mix the water and soap. Now it’s ready to use.

 

 

MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER

Ingredients
1 teaspoon baking soda
Few drops liquid soap
4 cups hot tap water

How To Use
Add all the ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake well.

 

MAKE UP REMOVER WIPES

Ingredients
4 cups distilled warm water
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil.

How To Use
Place a roll of paper towel that has been cut in half, into a container. Then soak it with the warm water and coconut oil.

 

BABY WIPES

Ingredients
4 cups distilled warm water
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 squirts of baby wash.

How To Use
Place a roll of paper towel that has been cut in half, into a container. Then soak it with the warm water, coconut oil and some baby wash.

 

GENERAL CLEANING WIPES

Ingredients
4 cups warm water
A small amount of your favorite cleaner (the next cleaner in this article is perfect!)

How To Use
Place a roll of paper towel into a container. Then soak it in the warm water and all purpose cleaner.

 

BATHTUB CLEANER

Ingredients
Vinegar
Baking soda

How To Use
Add the vinegar to a spray bottle and spray it everywhere on your bathtub or shower. Leave it for 5-10 minutes. Pour the baking soda onto the vinegar and use a brush to start scrubbing. Simply rinse down to finish the job or re-apply the vinegar and baking soda if it needs a second round.

 

DRAIN CLEANER

Ingredients
2 cups baking soda
4 cups boiling water
1 cup white vinegar

How To Use
Pour 1 cup of the baking soda into your drain. Then pour in 2 cups of boiling water. Wait a few minutes before pouring both the second cup of baking soda and the cup of white vinegar into the drain and plugging it up straight away. The fizzing and foaming in the drain will free up whatever is blocking it. After a few more minutes you can pour the remaining hot water into the drain. Just using this procedure one time is usually enough to get everything flowing again, but if it’s a bad blockage you may have to repeat the process.

 

 

CARPET CLEANER

Ingredients
1 teaspoon dish washing liquid
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup warm water
1 teaspoon baking soda

How To Use
Add the vinegar, dishwashing liquid and warm water to a clean spray bottle. Add the baking soda last but be sure to do it over a sink because the cap needs to be placed back on very quickly after adding the baking soda, to avoid a mess. Start by vacuuming the area and then use the abrasive side of your sponge to wipe the stain. Next spray your homemade carpet cleaner over the stain and then rub with a dry towel. Keep dabbing the area with the towel to absorb all of the water and to get rid of the stain.

 

 

ANTIBACTERIAL TOILET BOWL SCRUB

Ingredients
½ cup baking soda
1 cup distilled white vinegar
½ teaspoon tea tree essential oil

How To Use
Add the essential oil and vinegar to a spray bottle and then spray the mixture over every part of the toilet you want to clean. Leave it to sit for a few minutes. Sprinkle the baking soda into the bowl and scrub it with a brush. Then get a dry cloth and remove the rest of the vinegar and oil mixture from the seat, handle and lid.

 

HEAVY DUTY TOILET CLEANER

Ingredients
3/4 cup borax
1 cup white vinegar
10 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops lemon essential oil

How To Use
Mix all the ingredients into a bowl. Make sure the sides of the toilet are wet, by flushing it. Then pour the entire mixture into the toilet bowl. Because this is a more heavy duty cleaner and it’s designed for tougher stains, you should leave it for at least a few hours and ideally you’d leave it overnight. Don’t use the toilet during this time. The next day, use a brush to scrub the bowl clean and then flush to finish.

 

OXYGEN BLEACH
(Removes stains and odors and brightens clothing.)

Ingredients
1 half gallon bottle or jug
2 cups hydrogen peroxide
Filtered water

How To Use
Simply add the 2 cups of peroxide into a half gallon jug and fill the remainder with filtered water. Then just use it the exact same way as you would any commercial store-bought all-fabric bleach. That means 1 cup per load of laundry.

 

DOOR CLEANER

Ingredients
4 teaspoons baking soda
Warm water

How To Use
Fill a spray bottle with water and baking soda. Shake well and you’re ready to clean.

 

GLASS CLEANER

Ingredients
1 teaspoon liquid detergent
6 tablespoons plain white vinegar
4 cups water

How To Use
Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle.

 

BRASS, BRONZE & COPPER CLEANER

Ingredients
1/2 cup of vinegar
2 tablespoons of salt

How To Use
Put the ingredients into a bowl or container and then dab the mixture onto any tarnished brass or copper items. After 10-15 minutes you can use a cloth to wipe them clean and any dirt or grime will come right off.

 

DISHWASHER SOAP

Ingredients
Baking soda
Borax (all-natural household cleaner, available at many stores in the laundry aisle)

How To Use
Use equal measures of each ingredient and use just like you would a normal powdered detergent. Do note that this may not clean items that are especially dirty or heavily stained. Also make sure to rinse well before loading.

 

FURNITURE DUSTING SPRAY

Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon essential oil (about 8 to 10 drops)

How To Use
Add all the ingredients to a clean spray bottle and shake well. Then just use like you would a regular commercial furniture spray. Make sure to keep shaking the bottle every so often to keep the oil and water mixed.

 

INDOOR BRICK CLEANER

Ingredients
2 oz dish washing soap
2 oz of kosher or regular salt

How To Use
Mix the ingredients in a bucket and add water until you get a thick, creamy paste. Begin by getting rid of any dust by vacuuming the brick around the hearth, mantle and sides of your fireplace. To remove the soot, start by placing an old sheet on the ground to protect your floor. Put some rubber gloves on and apply the paste to the brick using an old cloth. After 20-30 minutes it will have dried and then you can scrub it using a hard-bristled brush.

 

OUTDOOR PATIO BRICK & PATH CLEANER

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of borax
1 gallon of water

How To Use
Star by power washing your path or patio to remove the bulk of the mold and mildew. You can make as much of this as you need, just maintain the ratio of 2 tablespoons of borax for every 1 gallon of water. Pour the liquid onto a small section of the area you want to clean and then scrub with a long-handled, hard-bristled brush. Repeat on every section of your patio.

 

MOLD & MILDEW REMOVER (FOR OUTSIDE USE)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of borax
1 gallon of water
1 cup of bleach

How To Use
The combination of power-washer and the patio cleaner above, should be enough for most cases. However if you have particularly stubborn mold or mildew stains then you can add a cup of bleach for each gallon of water. Just be sure to rinse it off quickly as it may damage things it comes in contact with.

 

 

GRANITE CLEANER

Ingredients
1/4 cup alcohol
5-10 drops essential oils (optional)
3-5 drops dish soap
2 cups water

How To Use
Combine all the ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake thoroughly. Then simply spray onto your granite worktops and dry with a microfiber cloth. If the mixture doesn’t dry easily you should increase the alcohol to 1/3 cup.

 

SILVER CLEANER

Ingredients
Boiling water
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
Tinfoil

How To Use
Line the bottom a bowl or container with tin foil, making sure to keep the shiny side up. Pour in about 1 cup of boiling water. Add the baking soda and salt. Then slowly add the vinegar. Don’t worry, it’s supposed to fizz. Mix everything together and make sure the granules are all dissolved. Place each piece of silver into the bowl. After a few minutes flip each piece over so that each side gets a few minutes contact with the tin foil. To add the final touches, take each piece out of the water and give a gentle buff with a polishing cloth. The bits of tarnished silver and grime should come right off. Make sure that you don’t use this method on anything with pearls in it as they will dissolve in the mixture!

 

OVEN CLEANER

How To Use
Baking soda
Water

How To Use
Make a thick paste in a bowl, using baking soda and water. Then using either a spatula or some sort of brush, put a thick layer of the paste over the parts you want to clean. Leave it for a few hours. Then use a damp cloth to wipe away the paste, and the grime will come along with it. The more baked on food and grime there is, the longer you’ll want to leave the paste on. It may also require a second application.

 

LINO CLEANER

Ingredients
¼ cup baking soda
2 gallons hot water
1 tablespoon dish soap
¼ cup vinegar

How To Use
Place a two gallon bucket under a hot tap and let it run. As the water is pouring in, dissolve the baking soda into it. When the bucket is nearly full, add the tablespoon of dish soap (this timing is important for avoiding streaks because of lathery water). The final ingredient is the vinegar. Once that’s added you are ready to make those dirty floors, shine!

 

 

HIGH STRENGTH GROUT & TILE CLEANER

Ingredients
1/2 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons of washing soda
2 tablespoons of borax
3 tablespoons of liquid dish soap

How To Use
Begin by wiping down the area with a cloth dampened with white vinegar. Mix all of the ingredients in a container and then scrub using the mixture. This can also be used on bath tubs too. Just let it sit for 10 minutes and then scrub with a brush.

 

MOLDY GROUT CLEANER

Ingredients
1 part Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)
1 part water

How To Use
Add the two ingredients into a clean spray bottle and shake well. Spray it onto the affected areas and leave for 45-60 minutes. Then just wipe down the area with a sponge and make sure to rinse well.

 

STREAK-FREE OUTSIDE WINDOW CLEANER

Ingredients
3.5 oz of Jet Dry by Finish
4 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
1/4 cup ammonia
1/4 cup of powdered dish-washer soap
2 gallons of hot water

How To Use
Mix all of the ingredients in a bucket. Then use a brush or mop to scrub the windows with the mixture. Finally rinse off with a hose and leave to air dry. You’ll be left with a streak-free finish without a ball of rolled up newspaper or a squeegee in sight!

 

WATER RING REMOVER (ON WOOD)
Don’t use on unfinished wood, lacquer, or antiques.

Ingredients
Toothpaste or mayonnaise

How To Use
Use a damp cloth to rub either mayonnaise or toothpaste into the wooden surface. Once the ring is removed use a dry cloth to buff the whole surface.

 

RUST REMOVER

Ingredients
Lemon juice or lime
Salt

How To Use
You can either saturate the rusted object in lemon juice and then use a cloth to rub it with salt or for a more powerful rust remover you can sprinkle some salt onto the rust and then squeeze a lime over it until it’s well soaked. Then leave the lime and salt mixture on the rusted object for a good 2 or 3 hours. Finally, scrub the residue off using any leftover lime rinds or a cloth.

 

INK REMOVER

Ingredients
Milk or hydrogen peroxide

How To Use
Soak the item in either milk or hydrogen peroxide.

 

SHOE POLISH

Ingredients
Olive oil
Few drops lemon juice

How To Use
Apply the mixture to your shoes with a cotton rag and then leave for a 3-5 minutes. Use a clean, dry rag to remove any excess oil and buff the show to a nice shine.

 

PAINT BRUSH CLEANER

Ingredients
White distilled vinegar

How To Use
Boil the vinegar in a saucepan on the stove or in a microwave and then pour it into a bowl. Add the paintbrushes into the bowl as well and leave for 20 minutes. After they’ve finished soaking, give them a final clean using warm, soapy water to remove any leftover paint or residue.

 

ALUMINIUM CLEANER

Ingredients
Water
Cream of tartar

How To Use
Mix the two ingredients together to create thick, creamy paste. Then simply use a cloth to apply the mixture and clean the aluminium.

 

GOLD CLEANER

Ingredients
Toothpaste or a mix of salt, vinegar and flour

How To Use
You can either use toothpaste or a paste made from salt, vinegar and flour to clean gold. Just use a dry cloth to rub the mixture on and then leave for a few minutes. Use another dry, clean cloth to remove the paste afterwards.

 

STAINLESS STEEL CLEANER

Ingredients
Undiluted white vinegar

How To Use
Dampen a cloth with the vinegar and use it clean any stainless steel items.

 

 

If you enjoyed this article and are living in Dublin, then you should definitely be hiring the best cleaning company in Dublin (cough, Home Concierge, cough).

For any readers in Farmington Hills, Michigan looking for a top house cleaning company, then look no further than Maids in a Minute. Their cleaners are bonded and insured, and all of their cleanings are 100% guaranteed.