14 Recipes for Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Products

‘Tis the season for spring cleaning, when we start opening the windows, cleaning out the closets, and giving those forgotten nooks and crannies a deep clean. This year, as you embark on your annual spring cleaning, try to avoid hauling out containers of harsh chemicals and petroleum-based cleaning products. Instead, head to the kitchen and whip up these affordable, easy, and eco-friendly home cleaners to keep your home looking good and your family at its healthiest.

Many of the ingredients necessary to make a simple eco-friendly cleaner are likely already in your cupboards or are easily available at most local grocery stores. Items such as vinegar, baking soda, olive oil, essential oils, and borax can help you avoid drowning your home in a mist of hazardous chemicals, and will be much more gentle on your pets’ paws. We’ve compiled some popular environmentally friendly recipes for those interested in balancing the desire for an eco-friendly lifestyle with the need to give the house a thorough clean.

Basic environmentally friendly cleaning products

Giving your house a rigorous clean doesn’t require loads of antibacterial solutions or expensive and noxious chemical concoctions. There is an abundance of all-natural, all-purpose recipes for your basic everyday cleaners and polishes. The most popular combination consists of a mixture of vinegar and water.

Simply mix 2 parts water with 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle and you’re good to go. For bathrooms - which often require a good scrub -  try mixing 1 ? cups of baking soda and ½ a cup of liquid castile soap with  ½ a cup of water. This will create a good scouring substance. For really stubborn grime, try making a paste out of baking soda and water, and apply it to the tub or sink. After letting the solution stand for 15 minutes any dirt and soap scum should be softened and much easier to remove. If you’ve got tricky stains, such as mildew, use white vinegar and a toothbrush to scrub away stubborn residue.

To replace toxic glass and mirror cleaners, try mixing ½ cup of white vinegar and ½ cup of water in a spray bottle. For a little splash of scent, add a touch of lemongrass essential oils. If you’re being extra environmentally-conscious, David Suzuki recommends wiping with old newspaper to reduce streaking, instead of paper towel.

Floor cleaners are equally as easy - just mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water and you’ve got a simple and cheap eco-friendly solution. If you’d like something with a more pleasant scent and deep scrubbing action, try the Design Sponge recipe, which calls for 1 cup of white vinegar, ¼ cup of baking soda, and 6-7 drops of essential oils.This mixture will keep your floors shining and reduce the vinegar scent.

Olive oil is also an extremely valuable cleaning ingredient for polishing surfaces and removing smudging. Combine olive oil (about 1/2 cup) and 10 drops of lemon essential oil for an effective furniture polish. Olive oil is great for removing smudges from stainless steel appliances, like the refrigerator, which is often a magnet for fingerprints. Use a few drops on a clean rag to remove smudges, and wipe down with approximately 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.

While cleaning out the kitchen this spring you might also notice it’s time to polish your silver cutlery and kitchen components. The effects of store bought silver polish can easily be re-created with a box of baking soda and a glass baking dish. Line the baking dish with a piece of aluminum foil and place your silver on the foil, ensuring each piece is making contact with the aluminum. Then, sprinkle baking soda evenly across the silver, bring a pot of water to a boil, and carefully pour into the baking dish. Let the silverware soak for about five minutes and then remove the items, rinse under cool water, and enjoy your freshly polished silver!

Laundry soap, stain removal, and dishwashing detergent

Spring cleaning is also the time when we flip our mattresses, change our sheets, and drag out our summer wardrobe from the depths of the closet. You’ll likely be doing some laundry as you get the house ready for summer. Though many store-bought stain removers and laundry detergents can be very effective, they often contain chemicals and solvents that are hazardous to humans and pets. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, some even contain nerve-damaging neurotoxins, carcinogens, and skin and eye irritants that may have harmful reproductive effects. Laundry detergent also contains a number of irritants and researchers have discovered that “dryer vents can emit more than 25 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when scented laundry detergent and dryer sheets are used, including seven VOCs classified as hazardous air pollutant.” To avoid bringing your family and the environment into contact with these dangerous products, try cooking up an eco-friendly detergent in your very own kitchen.

For protein-based stains, such as blood, use club soda, baking soda, and a clean rag. If the stain is on clothing, be sure to immediately run or soak it under cold water, sprinkle with baking soda, and rub the granules gently into the item, rinsing frequently. Repeat the same process with club soda if the stain is in a carpet.

For tannin-based stains like wine, be sure to have ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice on hand. Coffee, tea, and chocolate can be removed with a simple baking soda and water solution. And, if you’ve spilled coffee on your favorite cotton white t-shirt, pour boiling water over the fresh stain and wash with your next load of laundry.

For fruit and wine stains rub the affected area with baking soda or douse in lemon juice and leave in the sun to dry before putting it through the washing machine with your weekly load. David Suzuki’s guide to stain removal also recommends using vodka to remove resistant makeup stains.

For a great liquid laundry detergent One Good Thing recommends mixing 3 tablespoons of Borax, 3 tablespoons of washing soda, and 2 tablespoons of Dawn Dish Soap in a 1 gallon jug. Add four cups of boiling water, swirl until ingredients are dissolved, and let sit. Once the liquid is cooled, fill it to the top with cold water. For a Borax-free liquid laundry soap, try dissolving 1 cup of baking soda, and ? cup of coarse salt in 7 litres of water. Once dissolved, add 1 cup of liquid castile soap and stir.

Finally, if you have curious toddlers running around it might be a good idea to switch to an all natural dishwashing detergent. Many conventional store-bought detergents are corrosive and even toxic if swallowed, begging the question - what chemical concoction do we wash our dishes with every week? Fortunately, effective all-purpose dishwashing powder can be created right in your very own kitchen from ½ cup of borax, ½ cup washing soda, ½ cup white vinegar. Use this recipe to keep your home (and body) happy and healthy in the long run.

Containing your eco-friendly cleaners

Once you’ve whipped up a few cleaning products, you’ll likely need somewhere to store them. The best part about creating your own cleaners is that these solutions can be safely stored in any recyclable bottle. Use this as an opportunity to upcycle old bottles around the kitchen, such as glass bottles or unused mason jars. Get inspired by One Good Thing’s upcycling blog post, which recommends repurposing old juice containers, jars, and ice cream containers to contain your new cleaning liquids. Despite their eco-friendly nature, it’s still a good idea to carefully label your cleaners and store any homemade cleaning products out of reach of children and pets. Though they may not contain dangerous toxins, ingredients like Borax can still be dangerous if ingested in large or concentrated quantities.

For more information on reducing your ecological footprint, making healthy choices, and keeping your home green, visit Queen of Green, Earth Easy, and Apartment Therapy. These resources contain inexpensive solutions and alternatives to the commercial cleaning products.