Multipurpose natural cleaning ingredients you may already have in your home

Making your own natural cleaners is convenient, because you can use supplies and ingredients you may already have in your home.

• Baking soda adds an abrasive effect for surfaces like tubs and tile.
• Borax is a naturally occurring mineral that’s long been valued for natural cleaning, as it helps get rid of stubborn dirt and grime, whiten surfaces, and reduce germs.
• Castile soap is an effective liquid soap that’s also gentle on your skin. It breaks up dirt and grime, and washes germs away.
• Salt is another great way to add abrasion to your natural cleaners. Experiment with different textures by using medium and fine-grain salts.
• Vinegar has a high acidity that makes it useful for breaking up gunky buildup, dirt, and grime.
• High-proof alcohol from 151 to 190 proof (such as Everclear) is a welcome addition to spray cleaners, as it gets rid of germs.
• Water helps you create all kinds of spray cleaners, and can add a more liquid texture to blends that might be too thick and hard to work with, such as abrasive scrubs. (You can also use castile soap or vinegar to make your blends more liquid.)

As with any cleaning routine, you’ll also need supplies!

Not all cleaning supplies are manufactured with your health in mind. Try these natural alternatives to bring your green cleaning full-circle. 

• Buckets made of metal avoid any plastics leaching into your cleaning blends. (You could also use a PET plastic bucket.)
• Brushes with all-natural bristles use stiff animal hair instead of plastic.
• Diffusers to disperse essential oils through the air in your home, filling the space with a sweet scent and purifying the air.
• Glass or PET plastic jars, bottles, & containers The bottles and jars you make your blends in matter—use glass or PET plastic to avoid toxic substances leaching into your products while they’re stored.
• Gloves to protect your hands while scrubbing (or if you’re cleaning something especially mucky!) Try using natural gloves made with plant latex.
• Mops & floor dusters made of natural materials like cotton.
• Natural cloths or rags to wipe down surfaces. (100% cotton cloths are highly absorbent!)
• Natural sponges from the sea hold a lot of liquid and most are gentle on surfaces. Want a more abrasive sponge? Use a natural loofah! (Did you know you can grow your own loofah sponges? Loofahs come from gourds, not the ocean. Here’s how to grow your own!)