Are you wanting to reduce toxins in your home? This 10 ingredient natural cleaning basket is just what you need to keep your house fresh and clean all year long!
By contributing writer, Victoria
I am in full Spring cleaning mode, how about you?
I don’t know what it is about the change in the weather, but when the temperature starts to rise, the sun is shining and the flowers are in bloom, all I want to do is throw open the windows, air out the house and get to work freshening up the inside through cleaning and purging of junk.
Spring cleaning fever sets in and I go to work deep cleaning my home from top to bottom.
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I used to buy a mix of pre-made cleaning supplies without really thinking about what was in them, but the more I have learned about the safety of using those cleaners, I have slowly started to incorporate more safe and natural options into the cleaning of my home.
Additionally, so many of those natural cleaners for sale in the store are expensive. Sure they may be convenient and worth the cost in some instances, but did you know that you can easily make your own cleaning supplies for a fraction of the cost?
For pennies, you can whip up a whole host of safe and natural DIY non-toxic cleaners using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry to begin with.
Everything from all purpose cleaners, scrubs, furniture polish and even air fresheners can be mixed and stored to clean your whole house, top to bottom, using only 10 simple ingredients.
Today I wanted to share with you what I use to make my 10 ingredient natural cleaning basket.
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10 Ingredients Needed for Your Natural Cleaning Basket
Psst! Don’t miss the free printable at the end of this post. Take this list with you!
- White Vinegar
- Baking Soda
- Borax
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Lemon Juice
- Rubbing Alcohol
- Olive Oil
- Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap
- Essential Oils (lavender or lemon are preferred but you can use your favorite)
- Kosher Salt
You will also need several plastic spray bottles to store you mixtures in.
I like to print the recipe with ingredients on a label to stick on the bottle so that way I can easily make a new batch of the mixture when I am running low.
Along with spray bottles, you will need your favorite cleaning tools too.
All Purpose Cleaner
I use this to clean counter tops both in my kitchen and bathroom. In fact I use this all-purpose cleaner several times of day for a number of different purposes!
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 TBSP baking soda
- 1/4 gallon hot water
- a few drops of essential oil (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a large bucket. Allow to cool before pouring into a spray bottle. Shake the bottle well before each use.
Homemade Bleach
Sometimes you need the disinfecting power of bleach without all the harsh chemicals and smells. This recipe is perfect when you need to disinfect and kill germs on your counter tops or whiten your clothing in the wash.
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 15 cups water
Mix together all the ingredients and store in a large jug, similar to an empty bleach bottle. You can also pour the solution into smaller bottles for convenience. Since the hydrogen peroxide will oxidize and eventually loose strength, it’s best to use this bleach solution within one month.
Homemade Window Cleaner
Safe to use on all glass and windows, this provides a streak-free clean. I like to use a microfiber cloth to prevent any lint left on the glass.
- 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 cups water
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well before beach use.
Furniture Polish
Give your wood furniture a safe, chemical free shine and glow. Just use a little to avoid a greasy buildup.
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 TBSP white vinegar
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well before each use. Store the spray bottle in the refrigerator to prevent the lemon juice from souring.
All-Purpose Abrasive Cleaner
When you really need to scrub the built on gunk off, this abrasive cleaner will do just the trick. Perfect for stove top cleaning as well as removing burnt on residue on your pots and pans.
- A few squirts of Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap
- 2 TBSP baking soda
Mix to form a foamy paste, scrub on and rinse off with water.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This recipe couldn’t be any easier, plus you might even interest your kids to help clean to see the fun fizz form in the toilet.
- 1/4 cup Borax or baking soda
- 1 cup white vinegar
Mix together the ingredients in the toilet and let sit for 15 minutes or longer. Scrub and flush.
Mildew Killer
This recipe really works to clean the mildew off of tile grout in the shower or around the sink.
- 1 part hydrogen peroxide
- 2 parts water
Mix together in a small spray bottle (16 ounces). Spray on the area and let sit. Rinse with water after one hour.
Air Freshener
With three little ones, two of which are in diapers, sometimes the house can really start to stink! I’ve always said that it only takes one diaper to really stink up the house! Most air fresheners are filled with harsh chemicals that can cause many health problems when breathing in.
So what are you to do when you want your house smelling fresh? Make a safer version!
- 2 parts water
- 1 part rubbing alcohol
- Essential Oil of choice
Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle. Experiment with how much oil to add, but you can start with 5 drops and increase from there. Just remember that a little goes a long way! Don’t spray this on silks or delicate fabrics.
Scouring Powder
Confession: I used to love the cleaning power of Comet. It really worked at cleaning the soap scum off the bottom of the bathtub and other areas. This scouring powder is just as effective, if not better at cleaning! Plus it doesn’t have that harsh, chemical smell. I don’t miss Comet anymore.
- 1 cup baking soda
- 1 cup Borax
- 1 cup Kosher Salt
Combine all the ingredients in an airtight jar. Sprinkle the mixture on the area to be cleaned, wipe with a wet sponge and rinse clean with water.
Drain Cleaner
As women our hair often is the main culprit as to why the drain is slowly draining. Before, I would reach for some Draino but now this simple, fizzy mixture does just the trick. Plus your kids will really enjoy watching the fizz!
- 1/2 cup baking soda or Borax
- 1 cup vinegar
Pour the baking soda or Borax down the drain followed by 1 cup vinegar. Let the mixture sit and fizz for 15 minutes then rinse with very hot or boiling water. If the drain is really clogged or backed up, you may need to repeat or leave the mixture fizzing in the drain overnight before rinsing clean with the hot water.
Floor Cleaner
Our hard surface floors take a beating with all the daily traffic. Instead of using different cleaners for all those surfaces, mix up this one cleaning recipe to clean with. Safe for tile, linoleum, stone and other floor surfaces. If you are looking for a safe and natural DIY wood floor cleaner, this one works really well.
- 1/2 cup Borax
- 2 gallons hot water
In a large bucket, mix the Borax and water together. Apply to your floor using a mop or sponge.
That’s my 10 ingredient natural cleaning basket. Everything I need to keep my house fresh and clean for a fraction of the cost of store bought natural cleaners!
Free Natural Cleaning Basket Recipe Cards
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How to Create Routines That Work for You
Victoria; Thanks,for the safe cleaning tips and ingredients. I’m going to check them out while doing my spring time cleaning! Lol…I live in South Fl. We really don’t have a ‘spring’ cleaning time of the year…it’s a couple of days of cool weather and right into summer…yuk…I miss the (four) seasons. 🙁
However, have you ever tried using newspaper instead of micro clothes for window/glass cleaning?
No streaks and very little lint and for that you still use the same paper.
Thanks again! You must have your time filled with 3 boys. Have fun with the boys! 🙂 Take care: Victoria
Hi Victoria, love the name 😉 Yes, back when we used to take the paper, I would use it to clean the windows with. But since we don’t get it anymore, I have switched to cloths but it is a great way to re-purpose the paper and it really does leave a clean, streak and lint free finish!
I don’t have any borax but I have Arm n Hammer super washing soda. Could I use that instead?
I’ve never tried it, but it’s worth experimenting with!
I hate how often my drain needs to be unclogged because of my long hair. Thanks for the recipe for the drain cleaner, it is bound to save me a lot of time and money. I will be sure to pick up the ingredients soon and give it a try.
At first, when I decided that I want to use natural cleaning products, I was also really shocked by the prices of the non-toxic cleaners. Later on I learned to make my own cleaners form the products I have at home and I am very happy! I really like the recipes! Thank you for sharing!
I love the recipes! Most of them I hear for the first time so I am very excited! I really like using natural cleaning products and very often I experiment with mixing different ingredients! I am happy that they are so effective against dirt and can be used in different combinations in order to clean different surfaces. I have children and I am not afraid that they live and play in toxic environment! I recommend homemade cleaning products to everybody! Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes! Greets!
These recipes are great! I love natural cleaning solutions and I would love to try these amazing cleaning ingredients and recipes! I am amazed that you can make your own bleach! This is really great! Thank you for sharing this lovely post! 🙂
Thank you for these cleaning recipes! I really want to ditch some of the more expensive detergents and cleaners that we use. The drain cleaner just fixed my shower drain, actually. I’m bookmarking these to be printed after we finish unpacking!
Hello,
I have a sweet little 8-month-old crawler who spends a lot of time on the wood floor. I try so hard to keep it clean for her, especially given her proclivity to put her face and mouth on it! Ahh. My question is, do you (or anyone reading this) know if Borax is safe for her to put her mouth on after it has dried on the floor? I have read how it is toxic to humans and animals (it is used in bug extermination products for such die-hard pests as cockroaches–yuck.) Thanks for the information, and I look forward to trying these great tips!
I didn’t realize baking soda and vinegar could be used for drain cleaning. I’ve heard of using it for other cleaning purposes, but not for drains. I definitely am going to be trying it out this weekend on multiple drains in our apartment!
One of the most hated things to do but fortuitously, it can be done very fast if you follow the way I do, few steps to follow to get it done quickly. First pour some cleaner in the bowl to soak. Then wipe down the seat and outside of the bowl with an antibacterial wipe or spray cleaner. After that scrub the bowl with a toilet brush and finally wipe down everything again with a dry cloth to make it shine.
I like your recipes for green cleaning products. Thanks for sharing!
These are awesome tips. We have a leather sofa and it’s been with us for years. I just clean it with a damp cloth.
It’s so true that women’s hair is often the main culprit of the drain being clogged. My wife always gets her hair down our drain. Thanks for the great home formula for drain cleaner. It’s so easy, I’m going to try it and see if it works.
Will this save me money? God, I hope so. I need to cut on my home expenses.
I love making my own cleaners and other household products using basic ingredients I can find in my pantry and some of my favorite essential products. Pinned! I love all of your ideas. Thank you!
Cool! Having the natural ingredients in using the cleaning the bathroom is very easy and eco-friendly. Thanks for sharing this cleaning hacks. Impressive.
Hi Victoria! I am totally with you on the cutting away toxins and switching to natural products, but I couldn’t really find any great ones, till now! Your blog has been so helpful! Thank you Leigh for sharing these awesome tips! I specially can’t wait to try out the natural air freshener!