Non-Toxic DIY Cleaners & Hacks

It’s amazing all the things you can use to clean your home with simple ingredients found in your pantry or fridge! Making DIY cleaners that are natural and non-toxic will save you a ton of money, and keep your family safe. You’ll never have to buy household cleaners again after you read this awesome list.  Whether you need a great all-purpose cleaner or want to find some simple ways to solve common household problems, you’ll find it here.

All-Purpose, every day DIY Cleaners

All Purpose Cleaner: 1/2 cup vinegar + 1/4 cup baking soda stir into 1/2 gallon of water. Safe for basins, tubs, tile, windows, and mirrors

Bathroom Mold: one part hydrogen peroxide + 2 parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on mold, wait an hour, and rinse

Carpet Deodorizer: sprinkle baking soda on carpet and vacuum normally 2 hours later

Carpet Stains: equal parts vinegar and water. Spray on stain, let sit for 3 minutes, clean with a brush or sponge using soapy water

Coffee or Tea Stains In Mugs: put some vinegar on a clean sponge and wipe the stained area clean, wash normally

Coffee Maker or Tea Kettle: bring 2 cups water+1/4 cup vinegar to boil inside maker, wipe with clean cloth and then wash normally

Cutting Board Cleaner: rub a slice of lemon across the cutting board to disinfect it. If there is a blood stain, or other type of strong stain, squeeze the juice out of a slice of lemon on the stain, leave on ten minutes, and then rinse with warm water.

Dishwashing Stained Dishes: in the sink add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to the soapy water in the sink

Disinfect Kitchen Sponges: put them in the top rack of the dishwasher when you run a standard load

Disinfectant: 2 teaspoons borax + 4 tablespoons vinegar + 3 cups hot water. Put in a non aerosol spray bottle. Note that this is not an antibacterial cleaner, and kitchens and bathrooms do not generally require antibacterial cleaners

Drain Cleaner: 1/2 cup salt + 4 liters of water, heat until hot but not boiling and pour down the drain

Drain Cleaner (extra strong): 1/2 cup baking soda pour down the drain and then 1/2 cup vinegar, pour down the drain. Wait 15 minutes and pour boiling water down the drain. Do not use on plastic pipes, only metal ones

Metal, Laundry & Furniture DIY Cleaners

Furniture Polish For Unvarnished Wood: 2 teaspoons olive oil+2 teaspoons lemon juice, apply small amount to soft cotton cloth, wring cloth to mix fully into cloth, apply to furniture using wide strokes

Furniture Polish For Varnished Wood: 3 drops lemon oil+1/2 cup warm water, mix well, spray on slightly damp cotton cloth. Wipe furniture with cloth, finish wiping with dry cotton cloth.

Heavy Duty Carpet Cleaner: 1/4 cup salt+1/4 cup borax +1/4 cup vinegar. Rub into carpet, leave for three hours, vacuum

Laundry Detergent: 1 cup Ivory soap +1/2 cup washing soda +1/2 cup borax. 1 tablespoon of the mixture for light loads and 2 tablespoons of the mixture for heavy loads

Lime Scale On Bathroom Fixtures: squeeze lemon juice on lime scale, let sit for 5 minutes, wipe clean with wet cloth

Marks On Walls And Painted Surfaces: apply baking soda to a damp sponge, rub ink spot, pencil, crayon, or marker spot gently, then wipe and rinse

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Aluminum: use soft cloth with a solution of a shake of cream of tartar and a small amount of water

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Brass Or Bronze: dip soft cloth in a solution of baking soda and lemon (enough lemon juice to wet the baking soda)

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Brass Or Bronze #2: dip soft cloth in a solution of vinegar and salt (enough vinegar to wet the baking soda)

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Brass Or Bronze Tarnish Remover: apply a spot of ketchup to a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Chrome: polish with a small amount of baby oil on a soft cloth

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Chrome #2: polish with a small amount of white vinegar on a soft cloth

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Chrome #3: polish with a piece of aluminum foil shiny side facing outward

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Copper: soak a cotton rag in a pot of boiling water+1 tablespoon salt”+1 cup white vinegar. Apply to copper while solution is hot, let cool, wipe clean

More Metal DIY Cleaners

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Copper Tough Stains: sprinkle baking soda on a soft cloth and then wipe

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Copper Tough Stains #2: squirt lemon juice on a soft cloth and then wipe

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Copper Cookware: sprinkle juice from a lemon wedge with salt, scrub

Metal Cleaner And Polish For Copper Cookware Tough Stains:  apply a spot of ketchup to a soft cloth and rub over tarnished spots

Metal Cleaner And Polish Gold: clean with non whitening (regular) toothpaste on a soft brush

Metal Cleaner And Polish Gold #2: clean with a paste made of salt and water (just enough water to wet the salt)

Metal Cleaner And Polish Gold #3: clean with a paste of vinegar and salt (just enough vinegar to wet the salt)

Metal Cleaner And Polish Gold #4: clean with a paste of flour and water (just enough water to wet the flour)

Metal Cleaner And Polish Silver: line pan with aluminum foil, fill with water, add one teaspoon baking soda+1 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, immerse silver, polish with soft cloth

Metal Cleaner And Polish Stainless Steel: clean with a cloth dampened with white vinegar

Metal Cleaner And Polish Stainless Steel #2: clean with a cloth dampened with a small amount of olive oil

Metal Cleaner And Polish Stainless Steel Cookware: 4 tablespoons of baking soda+1 quart of water, apply using soft cotton cloth, wipe dry using clean cloth

Metal Cleaner And Polish Stainless Steel Sinks: club soda poured on a cotton cloth, wipe clean using dry cloth

Mothballs, Mold, Oven, Shoe & Plastic DIY Cleaners

Mold And Mildew Remover:  white vinegar full strength apply with sponge

Mold And Mildew Remover #2: lemon juice full strength apply with sponge

Mothballs: cedar chips wrapped in cheesecloth

Mothballs #2: cedar oil on a cotton cloth (aromatic cedar, a.k.a. juniper)

Moth Repelling Sachets: lavender wrapped in cheesecloth

Moth Repelling Sachets #2: rosemary wrapped in cheesecloth

Moth Repelling Sachets #3: rose petals wrapped in cheesecloth

Moth Repelling Sachets #4: dried lemon peels wrapped in cheesecloth

Oil And Grease Spot:  pour baking soda on spot and scrub with wet brush

Oven Cleaner: moisten surfaces with sponge and water. 3/4 cup baking soda + 1/4 cup salt + 1/4 cup water mix until thick paste, spread throughout oven interior avoiding bare metal and openings. Let sit overnight, remove with spatula and wipe clean. Rub gently with steel wool on tough spots

Plastic Food Storage Container Stains: fill with warm water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, let sit overnight, wash normally

Reduce Static Cling Naturally: dampen your hands and shake out individual articles of clothing as you take them out of the clothes dryer

Rust Remover: sprinkle salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until the salt is soaked. Leave on for 3 hours, scrub clean

Scouring Powder: baking soda on a damp sponge for the top of the stove, refrigerator

Shoe Polish: 2 drops olive oil+2 drops lemon juice, apply to shoes with thick cotton rag, leave on for three minutes, wipe and buff clean with a dry cotton rag

Tub, Toilet & Strong Odors DIY Cleaners

Stickers On Walls Sponge: vinegar over the stickers, let sit 15 minutes, rub off stickers

Stone and Brick Tile Cleaner: 1 cup white vinegar+1 gallon of water, rinse with water

Strong Odors Around The House: bowl with dried herbs in the room with an odor

Strong Odors Around The House: small dish with baking soda and lemon juice in it

Strong Odors In The Garbage Disposal: put a 1/4 of a lemon slice in the garbage disposal and grind it up

Strong Odors In The Kitchen: keep a small dish of coffee grounds on the counter

Strong Odors On Kitchen Utensils And Cutting Boards: wipe with vinegar before washing. Will remove onion, garlic, and fish smells.

Strong Odors While Cooking: 1 tablespoon of vinegar +1 cup of water simmer on a back burner on the stove

Strong Odors While Cooking: 1 tablespoon of cinnamon + 1 cup of water simmer on back burner on the stove

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: 1/4 cup baking soda+1 cup vinegar, pour into toilet and let sit for five minutes. Scrub with brush, rinse.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner For Stubborn Stains: 2 parts borax and 1 part lemon juice on toilet brush, scrub with brush and rinse

Tub And Tile Cleaner: rub baking soda with a damp sponge, rinse with water

Tub And Tile Cleaner For Tough Spots: wipe surface with vinegar then follow with a damp sponge with baking soda on it. Use sparingly on grout because vinegar can break it down

Wood, Window & Vinyl DIY Cleaners

Vinyl And Linoleum Cleaner: 1 cup vinegar+1/4 cup borax+1 cup of warm water, use sparingly on linoleum

Vinyl And Linoleum Polish: 1 cup vinegar+3 drops baby oil+1 gallon of warm water, use sparingly on linoleum

Wallpaper Remover: equal parts white vinegar+hot water. Apply with sponge over wallpaper to soften adhesive, peel off lifting edges and reapply to stubborn patches. Run a fan to dissipate the vinegar smell

Water Rings On Wood: apply toothpaste or mayonnaise to a damp cloth and rub into spot, buff surface after ring is removed

Window Cleaner: 2 teaspoons of white vinegar + 1 liter of warm water. Clean with crumpled newspaper or a 100% cotton white cloth. Don’t use colored newspapers. Don’t clean  windows when the sun is shining on them, or if they are warm to the touch as it increases streaks once the windows dry. Don’t use more than 2 teaspoons of vinegar, or overtime you can cloud the glass of your windows.

Wood Floor Cleaner Damp Mopping: equal parts white vinegar and water + 15 drops of peppermint oil, shake to mix

Wood Floor Cleaner (painted):  1 teaspoon washing soda+ 1 gallon of hot water

Wood Floor Cleaner (unpainted): 1 part vegetable oil + 1 part vinegar, rub in well

What non-toxic DIY cleaners do you make at home?