Over the last few years, more and more of us have been rethinking the products we use in our homes. From wanting to reduce plastic waste to cutting out harsh chemicals, there’s a growing movement towards natural, sustainable cleaning. When I first began my own eco journey, one of the easiest (and most rewarding) switches I made was creating my own eco-friendly cleaning products.

Not only are they better for the planet, but they’re also kind to your wallet, plus it’s surprisingly satisfying knowing exactly what’s going into your cleaners. If you’re keen to get started, here are my top tips for making your own eco-friendly cleaning products at home.

1. Start with Simple, Multi-Purpose Ingredients

You don’t need a cupboard full of fancy ingredients to create effective homemade cleaners. In fact, you can make almost everything you need with just a few basics:

• White vinegar– great for cutting through grease and limescale.
• Bicarbonate of soda– ideal for scrubbing and deodorising.
• Citric acid– a fantastic limescale remover and disinfectant.
• Castile soap– a natural, biodegradable soap that gently lifts dirt.
• Essential oils– such as lemon, lavender, or tea tree for fragrance and extra cleaning power.

Once you have these staples, you can mix and match them to create a whole range of products such as surface sprays, toilet bombs, window cleaner and cream cleaner.

2. Reuse Old Bottles and Containers

Part of the beauty of making your own cleaners is reducing waste. Rather than buying new spray bottles, reuse containers you already have. Give them a good clean, remove the labels, and you’re good to go. Glass spray bottles are particularly durable and easy to refill, plus they look lovely sitting on your kitchen counter.

3. Label Everything Clearly

It’s easy to forget which bottle is which once you’ve got a few homemade concoctions lined up! Use reusable labels or masking tape and write down:

• The product name
• The date you made it
• The key ingredients

This not only helps you stay organised but also reminds you when it’s time to make a fresh batch.

4. Learn the Basics of Mixing Safely

While natural ingredients are generally safe, there are a few combinations you should avoid. Mixing vinegar and bicarbonate of soda is a popular action, but in actual fact, it just cancels the other one out and results in salt water. The fizzing action may look powerful, but this only really has a good effect in drains as the force helps to clear the problem; the mixture itself does very little. You should also avoid mixing vinegar with chlorine bleach; this is a chemical reaction that could lead to severe health issues. And of course, we are talking eco here so chlorine bleach is one to avoid anyway. Green bleach also known as percarbonate of soda, is your better eco option (but still do not mix!)

Stick with tried-and-tested recipes and always test a new cleaner on a small area first to make sure it’s suitable for your surfaces.

5. Add Essential Oils for Natural Fragrance

Essential oils don’t just make your cleaning products smell beautiful; they often have antibacterial or antifungal properties too.
Some of my favourites include:

• Lemon– for a fresh, zesty scent and degreasing power
• Lavender– calming and great for bathrooms and bedrooms
• Tea tree– naturally antibacterial, ideal for toilets and sinks
• Peppermint– uplifting and helps deter insects

Just add a few drops to your spray or scrub mixtures for a naturally clean scent.

6. Try These Easy Starter Recipes

If you’re new to DIY cleaning, begin with a few simple recipes:

• All-Purpose Surface Cleaner:Half fill an empty spray bottle with cooled boiled water, then fill the rest with white vinegar. Add 10-15 drops of your chosen essential oil – lavender, lemon, tea tree are all great choices – and give it a shake. Perfect for countertops, sinks, and tiles.
• Window Cleaner:Pour 2 cups of cooled boiled water into an empty spray bottle, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar, 10 drops of tea tree essential oil and shake well.
• Cream Cleaner:Combine 10 ounces of bicarbonate of soda with 4 tablespoons of castile soap and 8 tablespoons of cooled boiled water. Mix well with a spoon until you get a lovely, fluffy paste. Add 10-15 drops of a chosen essential oil (lemon is a great choice!) and mix again. You can change the consistency (depending on what you want to clean) by adding more bicarb to get a thicker paste or more water to have it a little more runny. Great for baths, tiles, and ovens.

These are gentle, effective, and completely non-toxic alternatives to shop-bought cleaners.

7. Store Products Properly

Homemade cleaners don’t contain preservatives, so they generally last a few weeks to a few months, depending on the ingredients. Keep them in cool, dark places and out of reach of children or pets.

For vinegar-based sprays, glass bottles are best as they won’t react with the acidity over time.

8. Embrace Imperfection

Switching to homemade cleaning isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. Your first batch might be too strong or not quite scented enough, but that’s all part of the learning process. Over time, you’ll discover the combinations and scents that work best for your home and routine.

Making your own eco-friendly cleaning products is such a simple yet empowering way to live more sustainably. You’ll reduce your exposure to chemicals, save money, cut down on plastic, and gain the satisfaction of doing something positive for both your family and the environment.

If you’d like to explore more recipes and eco-living ideas, you can find plenty of step-by-step guides and tips over on my blog, EmmaReed.net

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