How to make an easy, non-toxic, DIY all purpose surface cleaner
Have you ever walked through the perfume section in a department store and started to feel a little light-headed, slightly nauseous or like a headache is coming on? I feel like that every time. It's because you are inhaling a butt-load of chemicals all at once.
That's precisely why I like to use as few toxic chemicals to clean the home as possible. An onslaught of harmful chemicals make most of us feel a bit sick, so why use them? They can do much more than just make us feel icky, that's just a warning sign. They can actually cause illness and damage to our bodies over time. There is no possible way to completely eliminate toxic chemicals from our lives, but we can try to reduce our exposure.
One way to reduce your exposure is to eliminate some of the harsh chemicals used to clean your home. Let's start simple with a DIY all-purpose surface cleaner.
Less than 10 minutes of your time
I guarantee that once you have all your supplies ready to go, this will take you 5 minutes or less to make. Maybe 8-10 minutes if you are trying to make the bottle look cute.
Only 3-4 ingredients!
This is the easiest DIY non-toxic surface cleaner to make, just 3 ingredients! However, there are two ways to make it. One version is an alcohol-based one that is safe to use on just about any surface, including marble and granite or any other stone. The other version is vinegar-based and is great at killing microbes all around the bathroom and elsewhere.
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Gather your DIY supplies
water
isopropyl alcohol (for granite/marble countertops)
essential oils (my favorites are lavender, lemon, and tea tree)
spray bottles (at least 16oz), you can also wash and reuse empty oil bottles - most are tinted or opaque!
funnel (optional)
cute labels for the spray bottle (optional!)
Recipe 1: DIY All Purpose Cleaner for Everywhere (including marble or granite counter-tops)
1.5 cups water
½ cup isopropyl alcohol
1 teaspoon castile soap
20 drops essential oil **
Recipe 2: DIY All Purpose Cleaner with Vinegar (don't use on marble or granite counter-tops)
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
30 drops essential oil ** (I put more drops of essential oil in this recipe to try and mask the vinegar smell)
Which essential oil to use? **
Really, anything works. But here are some suggestions...
**Note: Despite the lack of acid in essential oils, this doesn’t mean that the constituents in the oil won’t interact with some substances. Diluted citrus oils in this cleaning solution should not damage finished stone surfaces, particularly if the surface is sealed correctly. But, before spraying your entire countertop with this solution, it is recommended to test in a small, inconspicuous area to make sure there are no issues.
Are you ready to start using essential oils in your home? Learn more about opening a wholesale account and saving money, eliminating harmful chemicals, and enhancing your family's health.
Put it all together
Mix
Now all you have to do is mix together the ingredients of your chosen recipe in a spray bottle. It can be helpful to have a funnel on hand.
Spray Bottle - what to use
You can buy spray bottles, repurpose old cleaning spray bottles (clean well first), or even use some repurposed materials and some new materials to make a super cute DIY one! (check out this blogger's method) I prefer using glass bottles as vinegar and essential oils can degrade the plastic over time and cause some of the chemicals in plastic to leach out. Hello, we are trying to avoid as many chemicals as possible!
If you want to really go all in, find a dark amber or cobalt blue tinted glass bottle (like these). The tinted bottle filters out UV light, which can damage essential oils. (That's why the good oils come packaged in these bottles!)
Here I reused an empty fish oil bottle (Nordic Naturals), cleaned it, used an old spray bottle top and added a label.
Ready to Use
Shake your DIY cleaner gently before each use. Store for up to a couple of months in a cool, dark place.
Use the Castile soap-based cleaner on just about any surface! As always, know your furniture and appliances and what types of cleaners are safe to use on them. For example, it is not recommended to use vinegar-based cleaners on granite, marble surfaces and some other stone surfaces.
Will it really clean my shit?
Yes, I meant to use that word! Vinegar-based cleaners are very effective at killing those nasty bacteria found in bathrooms and elsewhere.
A variety of commercial household disinfectants [including vinegar] were highly effective against potential bacterial pathogens.¹
So spray away! Making your own DIY natural surface cleaner with essential oils is cost-effective, safe to use around kids and pets, and the ingredients are can always be on hand to replenish!
I would love to hear your DIY cleaning experiences. Why not even post a pic of your DIY all-purpose surface cleaner? Happy cleaning Mamas (and Dads!)
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Sources Used
Rutala WA, Barbee SL, Aguiar NC, Sobsey MD, Weber DJ. Antimicrobial activity of home disinfectants and natural products against potential human pathogens. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2000;21(1):33-8.
