Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products

Clean your house and save some money with these homemade green cleaning product recipes.

Have you ever read the labels of many of your traditional house cleaning products? It can be kinda scary. They're often loaded with harsh chemicals like ammonia, bleach, acids and peroxides. When these chemicals get in the air, they can irritate your lungs and eyes. What's more alarming is that your kids and pets are especially susceptible to this.

Some of these products even contain antibacterial agents (basically pesticides) that actually can have the reverse effect of what they're meant for. Over time, they can make bacteria adapt, become stronger and more resistant to antibacterial drugs.

Furthermore, these products are pretty expensive. But, there is an easy way around this problem – make your own green cleaning products! You'll be amazed what you can accomplish with simple household ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, sodium borate and a few other things.

We'll go over a bunch of surfaces and areas in your home and give you some solutions for how best to clean them with your new arsenal of homemade green cleaning products.

Porcelain and Tile

You'll be able to keep your bathroom and kitchen tiles immaculate with these natural recipes:

Baking Soda & Water

To handle grime on your tiles, put down a light dusting of baking soda then scrub it down with a moist sponge or cloth. For really grimy areas, sprinkle on some kosher salt and then scrub extra-hard.

Vinegar & Lemon Juice

Lemon juice and vinegar are natural acids. They're perfect for tackling mildew and grease streaks. Spray or douse the problem areas with vinegar or lemon juice then let them sit for a couple minutes. After that, grab a stiff brush and scrub the areas thoroughly.

Disinfectant

Bleach isn't the only agent that can be used to disinfect surfaces. Make your own by mixing 30 drops of tea tree oil into 2 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of liquid soap. Works like a charm and isn't harmful to you and your family.

Kitchens

Ah, the kitchen. This is the space in your home where bacteria build-up is most prevalent due to errant crumbs and spills. This is especially true if you've got little ones running amuck!

Baking Soda & Water

Counters, stainless steel sinks, cutting boards, fridges, oven tops and even containers can be thoroughly cleaned just with some simple baking soda and water.

Sprinkle some on your surface, then scrub with a damp cloth or sponge. For stains, knead some baking soda and water into a paste and apply it to area. Let it set for a while before removing it.

Kosher Salt & Water

For tougher stains that need a more abrasive approach, sprinkle on kosher salt then apply copious amounts of elbow grease with a wet cloth or sponge.

Natural Disinfectant

Again, use the water/liquid soap/tea tree oil combo as a natural disinfectant. Put it in a spray bottle or rub it on countertops and other kitchen surfaces.

Windows & Mirrors

Streak-free, chemical-free windows and mirrors are easily within your grasp if you combine a few simple household items.

Newspaper, Water & White Vinegar

Grab an old spray bottle. Now make a water and white vinegar solution that's about 10 parts water to one part vinegar and load it into your spray bottle.

Spray the solution onto your windows and mirrors and then wipe with newspapers. Why not use paper towels, you ask? Because they streak!

If you don't want to use vinegar, you can substitute it with lemon juice or even club soda.

Rugs and Carpets

Carpets can get downright nasty since they're so good at attracting and hiding dirt, grime and other stuff. Luckily, they're not impossible to stay on top of with these methods.

Good Old Fashioned Beating

Any removable rugs should be taken outside and beaten with a broom. This'll knock out most of the dirt, dust and hair and is actually quite therapeutic for some people.

Cornmeal

If you've got a spill on your carpet, throw down some cornmeal and wait about 10 minutes while it soaks up the mess. Then vacuum everything up.

De-oderizer

Carpets can get stinky, particularly if you've got pets. You can de-odorize by sprinkling baking soda or cornstarch on your carpets, waiting 30 minutes, then vacuuming it all up. Use about 1 cup per room.

Spot Cleaner

You can make your own spot cleaner by mixing three simple things together. First, take about 1/4 cup of liquid soap detergent and mix it with 1/3 cup of water. Ideally, mix it in a blender until the solution is really foamy. It has to be foamy.

Then, spray onto the problem area followed by rinsing it with vinegar.

Club Soda

It's pretty common knowledge that club soda works well on carpet stains. The trick is you've got to apply it right away. Use it pretty liberally and then blot it with a rag or paper towel.

Hard Wood Floors

Who doesn't love hardwood floors? They're beautiful, long-lasting and add a ton of value to your home. But they're kinda tough to clean beyond vacuuming since they don't like getting wet.

Vinegar & Warm Water

You can restore the shine of your floors with some vinegar, warm water and a little TLC. Mix a solution that 1 part white vinegar to 10 parts warm water then spray it onto a towel, cotton rag, or mop. Be careful not to soak the towel/rag/mop - you just want to get it damp. Proceed to scrub, reapplying the solution as needed.

Better Oven Cleaning

Most oven cleaning products are loaded with toxic ingredients. Here's one way to get around that and have a sparkling oven.

Baking Soda and Water

Make a paste with baking soda and water. Then, coat the inside of your dirty oven with it. Leave it overnight. The next day, go at it with a scouring pad to get rid of all the grunge. Finish the job with a moist cloth.