Several years ago I began making my own all-purpose cleaner. It was the first homemade cleaner I made and remains my most used. My goal was to replace all of our conventional cleaners with homemade natural cleaners. The change is easier and more inexpensive than you think. Making this homemade all-purpose cleaner is a great place to start!
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Natural Ingredients Basket for Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner and much more!
When making homemade cleaners you need to choose natural ingredients with antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. In addition, you want ingredients that cleanse, reduce odors and give a fresh sent. For instance, I keep a basket in our laundry room that has everything I use to make all of our homemade cleaners. What’s in the basket to make cleaners?
- Baking Soda
- Castile Soap
- Peroxide
- Rubbing Alhohol
- Essential Oils
With these ingredients, the possibilities seem endless! From all-purpose cleaner to air freshener, disinfectant spray, foaming hand soap, laundry detergent and stain remover.
In addition, there are other ingredients in the basket to make homemade products such as candles, chapstick, hair detangler, hand sanitizer and more! We will talk about those another time. For now, let’s see what we need to make homemade all-purpose cleaner.
What will I need to make homemade all-purpose cleaner?
AMBER GLASS SPRAY BOTTLE
For this homemade all-purpose cleaner use a 16 ounce amber glass spray bottle. It’s important to store homemade cleaners in dark colored glass, such as amber or blue, to preserve the life of the essential oils. Also, it’s best to use glass because overtime essential oils can dissolve plastic and pull out the toxins.
VINEGAR OR RUBBING ALCOHOL
The acidic nature of vinegar is so high it can dissolve dirt, grease, grime and mineral deposit. White vinegar is the best to use for cleaning because of higher acidity.
Vinegar shouldn’t be used on every surface. Consequently, it can ruin natural stone due to the high level of acidity. For this reason, don’t use vinegar on granite or marble counters.
Instead, replace the vinegar with rubbing alcohol. It can clean and disinfect surfaces. When using rubbing alcohol keep it between 70-90% alcohol for it to be most effective at disinfecting.
ESSENTIAL OILS
For this homemade all-purpose cleaner use a total of 25 drops essential oils in a 16 ounce spray bottle. Most importantly, you want to use essential oils that contain cleansing and antibacterial properties. Choose from the following to make all-purpose cleaner:
For my all-purpose cleaner I like to use a combination of cinnamon, clove, lemon, orange and rosemary. However, you can keep it simple and just use lemon or orange. Citrus is a great choice for all-purpose cleaner because of its cleansing properties and fresh scent.
WATER
For this homemade all-purpose cleaner you can use tap water or distilled water. The benefit of distilled water is that the cleaner will last long and reduce bacteria growth. Likewise, you can boil the water if you don’t have distilled on hand. The purpose of water is to properly dilute the solution.
How to Make Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
MATERIAL
- 16 ounce Amber Glass Spray Bottle
- 8 ounces Vinegar
- 25 drops Essential Oil
- Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the vinegar to the amber glass spray bottle.
- Add the essential oils to the amber glass spray bottle.
- Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
- Shake well before each use.
Scroll down to find the printable instructions!
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- Amber Spray Bottle Set: https://amzn.to/3sACz2T
- Cinnamon Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/39M1nvZ
- Clove Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/3oWHpp1
- Lemon Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/35YkTVj
- Orange Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/3p9RoYd
- Rosemary Essential Oil: https://amzn.to/35Srm3U
All-Purpose Cleaner
Replace your conventional cleaners with natural, homemade cleaners. Making this homemade all-purpose cleaner is a great place to start!
Materials
- 16 ounce Amber Glass Spray Bottle
- 8 ounces Vinegar
- 25 drops Essential Oil
- Water
Instructions
1. Add the vinegar to the amber glass spray bottle.
2. Add the essential oils to the amber glass spray bottle.
3. Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
4. Shake well before each use.
Notes
Vinegar shouldn't be used on every surface. Consequently, it can ruin natural stone due to the high level of acidity. For this reason, don't use vinegar on granite or marble counters. Instead, replace the vinegar with rubbing alcohol. It can clean and disinfect surfaces. When using rubbing alcohol keep it between 70-90% alcohol for it to be most effective at disinfecting.
