DIY Spring Cleaning: Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Spring Cleaning by Liamfm . (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The weather is starting to warm up which means it’s time for spring cleaning! I thought this year I’d try something different than my usual post on spring cleaning! Rather than packing all of your spring cleaning needs into one blog post, I’d break it down with multiple tips! Be sure to come back to check out a different spring cleaning tip! First things first, I thought I should start with one of the most important aspects of spring cleaning, green spring cleaning!

I’m a big fan of everything clean and green! The best way to start off your green cleaning is to use green cleaning supplies! There are plenty of great green cleaning products out there that you can use to clean your home. You can even make your own green cleaning supplies!

Green Cleaning Supplies
Green Cleaning Supplies

Basic Ingredients

– Baking Soda
– White Vinegar
– Essential Oils (like tea tree oil, lavender oil, or lemongrass oil)
– Simple Soap (like castille soap)
– Olive or Vegetable Oil
– Water

The best part about making your own green cleaning supplies is that you probably have most of these items in your home right now. Here’s a couple recipes to get you started.

All Purpose Cleaner Spray: Simple fill your spray bottle with 2 cups of vinegar and 2 cups of water. (if your spray bottle is smaller, just equal parts vinegar and water.) If you want to get rid of the vinegar smell, add 20-30 drops of essential oils.

Creamy Soft Scrub: Add enough simple soap to a 1/2 cup of baking soda until it becomes frothy. Apply to the sponge to clean, and then rinse well.

Drain Cleaner: An oldy but a goody. Simply pour down 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar. Pour down baking soda first, then vinegar. Cover for thirty minutes, then rinse out with hot water.

Toilet Cleaner: Use 3 cups of vinegar and add essential oils like tea tree oil to get rid of the smell. Let it sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing.

Furniture Polish: Add 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and add it to 1/4 cup of vinegar. Mix ingredients in a glass jar. Lightly dab a cloth in and polish away. Seal and store it for the next time.

Simple Green Cleaning Supplies
You can also buy green cleaning supplies like simple green. (Photo by Jinx!)

A few precautions to remember: work in a well ventilated area, do not mix store bought cleaners with green cleaning supplies, label your green cleaning supplies, and keep it out of reach of children and animals. These are just a few simple green cleaning recipes. Here’s a great place to start if you want more green cleaning recipes.

If you don’t have enough time to make your own green cleaning supplies, no worries, there are plenty of green cleaning options to get you started on your spring cleaning. Once you’ve got your supplies start cleaning things out! I wonder what next week’s spring cleaning tip will be… better come back next week to check it out!