Natural and low waste cleaning products
Welcome to the world of DIY cleaning products, they’re natural, non-toxic, don’t come packaged in heaps of plastic and there’s pretty much nothing you can’t clean with them.
Words: Jana Wardrop
Here is a list of DIY cleaning recipes we have tried and tested. Bonus! You can get these cute glass spray bottles to store your natural cleaning solutions in, for under $15.
Lemon all purpose cleaner
You can use this in your bathroom, kitchen, dining room or really wherever needed. As the title states, it is all-purpose.
Ingredients:
- One part white vinegar
- One part Water
- The skin of one lemon
- Rosemary (or any other herb you have, lavender could be nice too)
Combine all the ingredients and place in a reusable spray bottle of your choice. Then let the lemon rind infuse, you can do this for however long you want really, the longer you let it infuse the more lemony it’s going to smell, the source we found this from suggests a week but we only did it for two days.
This mixture will help remove hard stains and smudges, and not only does it smell great, the lemon actually boosts its cleaning power.
Caution: do not use on granite surfaces as it can cause corrosion.
Olive Oil Homemade Furniture Polish
The perfect concoction to keep your wooden pieces looking like new.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of olive oil
- 1/4 cup of white vinegar
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
Add your olive oil and vinegar to a repurposed bottle, and then squeeze half a lemon into the bottle. Always shake the bottle before using, and use a soft cloth to apply. Always store in the fridge.
DIY Air freshener
Only needs two ingredients and leaves your house smelling beautiful.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of water
- 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil
All you need to do is fill a reusable spray bottle up with water and add 10-15 drops of your favourite essential oil, such as lavender or Eucalyptus. Then spray away for a beautiful smelling home!
Natural Glass Cleaner
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle, spray directly onto windows and get ready for the clearest windows you have ever seen.
Baking Soda Dishwasher Bombs
Dishwasher tablets that don’t use a piece of plastic for every unit. Good for the environment and your dishes.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Baking soda
- 3 tbsp hydrogen peroxide
- 10-20 drops essential oil
- 2 cups vinegar
- 1tbsp dishwasher detergent
Even though the process is a bit more complex, its definitely worth it. Mix together hydrogen peroxide, baking soda ad essential oil until it resembles damp sand. Use a spoon, ice cream scoop or even a large Ice tray to mould the tablets. Then they are ready to use ! The ingredients act as a scrub and whitener all at the same time to leave your dishes sparkling.
Homemade Stain Remover
If you’re like me and stain your clothes all the time, this one is a must.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of Bicarb soda
- 1/4 cup of vinegar
- a squeeze of liquid detergent
- 2 cups of water
Give all the ingredients a good shake in a spray bottle, and keep on hand for whenever you have a tough stain in your clothing or carpet.
