35 DIY Cleaners to Detox Your Home

Spring is upon us, and you may already be itching to get everything deep cleaned in your home! This is a great time to freshen up your living spaces. Give everything a good dust and scrub.

As you fling open the windows and get ready to clean house, are you wondering if your cleaning supplies need an overhaul? Take advantage of your momentum and detox your cleaning supplies now. These recipes will give you a healthier, more frugal option.

We’ve been “green” with about half of our cleaners these past several years. For a general cleaner, we’ve used plain old vinegar and water for quite a long time. However, the more kids we have, the more I notice it doesn’t clean quite as well as I’d like.

I have also been on the lookout for toilet bowl cleaner recipes, dishwasher detergent, and oven cleaner that did the job well and didn’t break the bank.

Today I’m sharing our new favorite super effective and yet simple all-purpose natural cleaner recipe, as well as quick roundup of several more recipes you can try as you detox your spring cleaning!

BEST DIY All-Purpose Natural Cleaner

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 4 drops lemon and 4 drops lime essential oils
  OR
  8 drops of orange essential oil
  OR
  8 drops tea tree essential oil

Make sure to shake before each use. That’s it! Easy peasy.

Notes: 

The essential oils add scent and a natural antibacterial punch. Lemon, orange, lime and tea tree are my favorite for cleaning. However you can also try out combinations of other disinfecting oils, including lavender, eucalyptus, and palmarosa.

There are so many different recipes out there for various uses, but I use this same spray for counters, appliances, walls, the bathroom, the kitchen, the mirrors, the windows, the floors, and as a disinfectant. I’m lazy like that, but it works so I’ll stick with it.

I don’t add soap to my vingar-based all-purpose cleaner. Sometimes it can cause a curdling reaction with the vinegar and there have been some concerns as to whether the two ingredients will counteract each other. However, sometimes if I am cleaning something that is SUPER dirty, I will start with a DIY Heavy Duty Cleaner first, and then may follow up with a shot of my all-purpose cleaner for added disinfecting.

DIY Heavy Duty Cleaner

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp unscented (or peppermint) castile soap
• 10-15 drops tea tree essential oil

Shake well before each use. Follow up with a disinfecting mist of the all-purpose cleaner above, if desired.

More Natural Recipes to Help Detox Your Spring Cleaning

Looking for more ways to detox your household cleaners? Here’s a big list of great recipes to try! Many of these use essential oils.

• More All-Purpose Cleaners
  • Simple All-Purpose Cleaner with Orange Peels from Nourishing Simplicity
  • Simple 3-in-1 Household Cleaner from Nourishing Simplicity
  • Homemade Non-Toxic Disinfectant from Imperfect Homemaker
  • DIY Green Cleaning Recipes for Your Home from Whole New Mom
•  General Cleaning
  • 10 Ways to Use Vinegar (I particularly like the homemade drain opener in this one) from Simply Rebekah
  • Make Your Own Wood Floor Cleaner from Mom 4 Real
  • Cleaning with Essential Oils (LOVE the permanent marker removal idea) from Beauty in the Mess
  • Homemade All-Natural Glass Cleaner Made with 3 Simple Ingredients from Measuring Flower
  • Homemade All-Natural Lemon Dusting Spray from Measuring Flower
  • Vomit Cleaner (a necessary evil if you have kids) from Measuring Flower
  • DIY Cleaning Wipes (Reusable and Disinfecting) from Live Simply
  • DIY Natural Floor Cleaner Wipes from Live Simply
  • 4-Ingredient DIY Citrus Air Freshener from Live Simply
  • DIY Natural Cleaners for the Entire House from Counting Our Blessings
  • My Green Cleaning Supplies from GreenMtnGirl
  • DIY Disinfecting Dusting Spray from Laura Sue Shaw
  • No-Streak Glass Cleaner from Whole New Mom
• Kitchen
  • DIY Citrus Essential Oil Spray for Your Kitchen from Little Natural Cottage
  • All-Natural and Effective Overnight Oven Cleaner from DIY & Crafts
  • DIY Glass and Stainless Steel Cleaner from Live Simply
  • Homemade Dishwasher Detergent from Back to the Book Nutrition
  • Homemade Lemon-Scented Dishwasher Detergent Tabs from Happy Moneysaver
  • My Favorite DIY Granite Countertop Cleaner from Snailpace Transformations
  • Homemade Natural Powdered Dishwasher Detergent from Counting Our Blessings
  • Natural Dishwasher Rinse Aid from Whole New Mom
• Bathroom
  • DIY All-In-One Bathroom Cleaner from Live Simply
  • Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner from Simply Rebekah
  • Homemade All-Natural Toilet Cleaner from Measuring Flower
  • DIY Homemade Scrub Cleaner (Like Soft Scrub) from Live Simply
  • Homemade All-Natural Simple Scrub {Comet Cleaner Replacement} from Measuring Flower
  • DIY Disinfecting Wipes from Laura Sue Shaw
  • Make Your Own Daily Shower Spray from The Prairie Homestead
  • Homemade Shower Cleaner from Whole New Mom
• Laundry
  • Homemade All-Natural Castile Laundry Soap Recipe (love that it doesn’t use borax) from Measuring Flower
  • Homemade All-Natural Cloth Diaper Detergent from Measuring Flower
  • Natural Bleach Alternative from One Good Thing by Jillee
  • Homemade Natural Laundry Detergent for Sensitive Skin from Counting Our Blessings

Looking for more DIY Ideas? Follow our Make it Yourself Pinterest Board!

Follow IOL’s board Make it Yourself! on Pinterest.

*FDA disclaimer: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.”