I would say a reasonable home goal would be to have your home in a state of daily tidiness that if someone were crazy enough to stop by without calling you wouldn’t have to leave them outside while you frantically threw items into closets and under the sofa.
I’ve finally gotten to a place where my house is well kept on a daily basis but it takes work. I found success when I created an actual cleaning schedule. After two weeks of following it, and forcing myself to complete each day’s task even when I didn’t feel like it , picking up daily has become so much easier. Feel free to download and print the cleaning shedule and see how it works for you. Don’t be afraid to tweak it to your needs but if you are like me and neatness missed you in the genetics department trust me, a schedule will do you some good.
Now that I am serious about my cleaning I’ve become more conscious of what chemicals are in our cleaning products. Not sure about you but I grew up in a home where Comet was about as American apple pie. As I got older I came across people who used diluted bleach to clean in the kitchen.
If you still use any of these in your kitchen no judgment passed but the more I learn about what chemicals are doing to our bodies and how they are affecting our health….for lack of better words, I just can’t.
For the past few months I’ve been using natural cleaners in my kitchen and while I was skeptical at first these cleaners have been doing a great job and I feel more comfortable using them on surfaces that come in contact with food.
The smell of vinegar when cleaning with natural products can be overwhelming. One of my line sisters told me about a lemon scented cleaning vinegar and it does a great job at masking the smell, another option would be to use regular white vinegar and add in essential oils instead.
When making these I highly suggest you pick up a funnel, it will make your life much easier. You can grab the spray bottles from Dollar Tree and funnels from IKEA.
If you would like to give these DIY natural cleaners a try here are the recipes for my favorite natural cleaners:
All Purpose Cleaner:
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. dish soap
4 TBSP white vinegar
400 ml warm water
Add water first then the remaining ingredients into a spray bottle and shake. If you add the water last the vinegar and baking soda will fizz up and overflow so it is very important to put the water in first.
Granite Cleaner:
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
8 drops of dish soap
2 cups of warm water
Combine all of the items in a spray bottle and shake well
Glass Cleaner
1/4 c rubbing alcohol
1/4 c white vinegar
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 c warm water
Combine all of the items in a spray bottle and shake well
28 Comments
Alli
January 12, 2016 at 11:16 amI’ve never thought about making my own cleaners. Well, I’ve thought about it, but I’ve never done it. I like the tip about using essential oils to mask the smell of vinegar.
Cara (@StylishGeek)
January 12, 2016 at 1:24 pmBaking Soda, Vinegar, and lemon are my arsenals when I make my own cleaning agents. They are absolutely the best!
Travel Blogger
January 12, 2016 at 1:36 pmGreat ideas! I hate using chemicals around the house especially with a little one. I will try some of these.
Jenn @ EngineerMommy
January 12, 2016 at 2:14 pmI love making and using homemade cleaners for around the house! I’ve used a similar recipe for glass cleaner before and it works just as well (if not better) than store-bought varieties! Thanks for these recipes!
Miranda (Anosa)
January 12, 2016 at 3:18 pmI must admit the only natural cleaners I am using in my home is baking soda and the rest contain chemicals but I need to make more of an effort.
Amanda
January 12, 2016 at 5:34 pmLately I’ve been stalking Pinterest for healthier choices to clean with. Thanks for this post. I will them out.
Liz Mays
January 12, 2016 at 5:55 pmWow, I should really try these out. It would probably save me some money and I like the idea of using more natural cleaners.
Quiana
January 12, 2016 at 6:40 pmNever thought to add essential oils to white vinegar! I have a bunch sitting around so I’ll try this. Thanks for the tip!
Ashley Whipple
January 12, 2016 at 7:16 pmA cleaning schedule is such a great idea. I think it would help me keep my house much tidier.
Michele D
January 12, 2016 at 9:47 pmDIY Cleaners are the best. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make my own cleaners. I gotta try out your tips. I bet making your own saves you tons of money too.
Ron@MichiganHousesOnline
January 13, 2016 at 4:18 amThanks for this natural cleaners and for that printable too. Might come in handy in the near future.!
MJ
January 13, 2016 at 5:50 amI’m totally making that glass cleaner! I use the all purpose cleaner already. I make my own cleaner for almost everything. It definitely puts your mind at ease especially with little ones around.
I admit housework is totally overwhelming to me and sometimes I just say F it. I’ll be downloading your schedule as soon as I crawl out of bed. I’ll get started today! Your pantry still speaks to my inner organized soul!
Thank you.
Rebecca Swenor
January 13, 2016 at 7:27 amThis is a great post along with a great printable I will have to print out. I have never had a cleaning schedule before but it would help to keep things more clean and organized. These are great DIY natural cleaners I will have to start using. Thanks for sharing the recipes.
Jeanine
January 13, 2016 at 10:01 amLove this and the printable. I have such an obsession with printables especially when it comes to house work and house hold things. Helps me keep up!
Ickle Pickle
January 13, 2016 at 10:05 amI much prefer natural cleaners, they are better for the environment and the family too! Kaz
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
January 13, 2016 at 11:01 amI am so intrigued about this vinegar, I must find some! I prefer natural cleaning products whenever possible, so I’m loving this post. Now, if only I could motivate myself to make a cleaning schedule.
Tori | Glassesandglitter
January 13, 2016 at 11:29 amLook at you friend! I ain’t printing out no schedule, but I’m sure it would help for nights like last night when I was up at 12:30 cleaning out the shower along with wiping walls and baseboards! LOL
alexandria
January 13, 2016 at 9:47 pmI make my own cleaner as well. I love it. Although the vinegar smell can be very strong.
vidya sudarsan
January 14, 2016 at 12:03 amI’ve never even thought about making DIY natural cleaners! I spend a fortune on organic cleaning supplies. Your recipe looks so easy to follow and to make.. I’m tempted to try this out!
Marielle Altenor
January 14, 2016 at 1:32 pmI love how simple it is to make these products. I have EVERYTHING needed too! Thanks for sharing these and the printables too!
Mimi Green
January 14, 2016 at 2:15 pmI created a cleaning schedule last year and we did pretty well for a few months. We’ve since fallen off and now I’m trying to get us back on track. I know vinegar is the answer to all that is wrong in life. I will give these a try and save me some cleaning coins and the cancer.
Sonya
January 15, 2016 at 5:24 pmI do a combination of making my own and buying green brands. I love using lemon essential oil in my home DIY cleaning products, but I’ve never seen lemon scented vinegar.
XmasDolly
January 19, 2016 at 12:16 amOkay where have I been. I’ve never heard of cleaning vinegar. Thanks for sharing all your tips.
Carla
January 22, 2016 at 1:18 pmI’m going to give this a go. I’m so used to using bleach to clean the kitchen and bathroom but from time to time, I use vinegar — especially in the laundry room because of the dog.
And I think I’m going to give your cleaning schedule a try. Sometimes it’s so hard to keep my home clean and tidy but we’ll see how it goes with a daily schedule instead of allowing it all to build and overwhelm me.
Dixie Carr
February 25, 2016 at 8:15 amVery helpful post! I want to have a cleaning program for my house, so I know exactly what I need to clean each day. Thanks for sharing!!
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