How To Make an All-Purpose Cleaner That Will Make Your Home Sparkle and Shine
Working to save money while also creating an eco-friendly environment in your home can be stressful and time-consuming. Many green product swaps are costly and your wallet might not be able to keep up with the demand for the product.
Learning how to make an all-purpose cleaner can save you time and money while also ensuring a 100% natural cleaning product is being used in your home.
If DIY is not your thing, don’t stress.
Homemade all-purpose cleaner is simple to make using many ingredients you likely already have at home. And even better, they’re just as effective, if not more, at leaving behind a sparkle and shine.
Learn the best ingredients to utilize in a homemade all-purpose cleaner and review some FAQs regarding homemade all-purpose cleaners.
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How Do You Make Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner?
Many households are “going green” with cleaners and products they bring into their home. They’re also looking to save money wherever possible — really, who isn’t? Learning how to make an all-purpose cleaner at home is both cost-effective and one way to ensure you’re using clean and simple ingredients in your house.
All-purpose cleaners are easy to create — all you need is soap and water.
Many professional cleaners, like those at Tidy Up Portland!, recommend a simple recipe of dish soap and water. But go easy on the dish soap to eliminate leaving a sudsy mess behind to clean up.
You might also consider adding a sanitizer like vinegar or alcohol, or essential oils like peppermint or lemon for smell.
What Are the Best Ingredients To Use To Make an All-Purpose Cleaner?
All-purpose cleaner is designed to be used, well, anywhere. So to create a cleaning product that won’t harm surfaces while simultaneously being effective with cleaning, a small handful of simple ingredients can be used.
Even better, you likely already have one of the necessary ingredients in your home.
To create an all-purpose cleaner, collect some water and search for one or two of the following ingredients before getting to work:
Vinegar
Dish soap
Alcohol
Essential oils
Baking soda
Vinegar
Using vinegar in your homemade all-purpose cleaner helps to break down tough stains on surfaces. The acidity works to rid your home of dirt and grime while leaving behind a clean and fresh feeling.
An all-purpose cleaner with vinegar might be extra effective on floors, countertops, and appliances.
To make an all-purpose cleaner with vinegar:
Add 1 cup distilled white vinegar to a spray bottle (preferably glass).
Add 1 cup distilled water.
Shake to mix and again before every use.
You might also consider using 1 tsp Sal Suds to help break down dirt, grease, and soap scum, or 15-30 drops of your favorite scented essential oil.
Soap
Adding soap to your all-purpose cleaner is almost a no-brainer, but some soap options might be better to use than others.
You might consider using liquid castile soap, Sal Suds, or your favorite dish soap in your solution. Note that some soaps might leave behind a residue. If that’s the case, try choosing a different one — you don’t want to make more work for yourself.
To make an all-purpose cleaner with soap:
Add 2 cups distilled water to a spray bottle (preferably glass).
Add 2 tbsp of castile soap or dish soap (or 1 tsp Sal Suds).
Add 15-30 drops of your favorite essential oil, if desired.
Close the bottle and shake to mix.
Shake before every use.
Other things to note:
If you’re hoping to keep your all-purpose cleaner solution natural, avoid unnatural soap options, like Dawn. Castile and many other soap options are natural but may leave a residue that needs to be wiped away with a damp cloth.
Water
When adding water to your homemade all-purpose cleaner, either distilled or boiled water is preferred.
Are you in need of a quick and temporary solution? Filtered water may suffice.
For long-term storage, purchase distilled water from the grocery store or boil water for 15 minutes before cooling and using it in your mixture to limit the possibility of bacterial growth.
Essential Oils
Adding essential oils to your homemade all-purpose cleaner is always optional, although they do have beneficial properties.
Consider adding these essential oils for added benefits:
Tea Tree Oil – Great antibacterial properties
Peppermint Oil – Fresh, vibrant, minty
Lavender Oil – Calming
Orange or Lemon Oil – Fresh and citrusy
Thieves Oil – Combination of oils to fight germs
What Is the Best Recipe for All-Purpose Cleaner?
There are many recipes for all-purpose cleaners, and a handful of ingredients you could utilize to ensure an effective clean, but here's one tried-and-true recipe that works especially well.
In a 16 oz spray bottle, mix:
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1-2 tsp dish soap
Optional: 15–20 drops of essential oil: lemon, orange, peppermint, etc.
Shake several times to mix and again before each use.
The above recipe can also be made without vinegar, substituting an additional cup of water for the vinegar.
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner FAQs
What Can Be Cleaned Using Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner?
The point of an all-purpose cleaner is that it can be used nearly anywhere in your home. And homemade all-purpose cleaners should do the same.
If you’d use a store-bought cleaner on it, you likely can use a homemade cleaner on it.
Homemade all-purpose cleaner is great for walls, counters, stainless steel appliances, mirrors, windows, and even glass.
However, use a homemade all-purpose cleaner without vinegar if cleaning sensitive stone surfaces like granite or marble. You can substitute an extra cup of water in place of vinegar for these surfaces.
Is Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner Safe for Granite?
Yes, most homemade all-purpose cleaners are safe to use on granite. It all depends on which ingredients you choose to include when concocting your all-purpose cleaner.
If using a homemade all-purpose cleaner to clean stones like granite (or marble), we recommend eliminating vinegar and substituting an extra cup of water instead.
Vinegar is made up of acids that can severely damage your granite, even if you dilute it with water. If used, granite may begin to etch, leaving behind small rings or signs of watermarks.
If you accidentally use a homemade all-purpose cleaner with vinegar on granite, remove it immediately to avoid damage or the need to replace your granite completely.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Homemade All-Purpose Cleaners?
If you’re someone who is watching your budget and the ingredients you bring into your home, using a homemade all-purpose cleaner can be beneficial.
Not only are homemade all-purpose cleaners cheaper than store-bought ones (hello, soap and water!), but you can ensure there are no extra chemicals or unwanted ingredients being used.
Even better, you can customize your homemade all-purpose cleaner by adding essential oils, alcohol for tough grime, and more.
Unfortunately, some recipes might lead to your homemade all-purpose cleaner being sudsier than one you may have purchased in-store, leading to more clean-up post-cleaning.
At Tidy Up Portland!, we recommend trying a few homemade all-purpose cleaner recipes using different ingredients until you find one that works just right for you.
Are Homemade All-Purpose Cleaners More Eco-Friendly Than Store-Bought Cleaners?
Making your own all-purpose cleaner at home will always guarantee a more simple and natural concoction than what you can buy at the store. However, there are 100% green and eco-friendly cleaners available to purchase on the market.
If making all-purpose cleaner from scratch isn’t your thing, or you’re okay with spending a few extra bucks, consider trying these eco-friendly all-purpose cleaners:
Simple Green
Seventh Generation
Ecos
Branch Basics
Grab Green
Dr. Bronners’ Sal Suds
Absolute Green
Tidy Up Portland! Exceptional, Eco-Friendly House Cleaning at Reasonable Prices
Creating a homemade all-purpose cleaner is simple. All you need is soap and water — anything extra is optional!
But for some, concocting homemade cleaners and cleaning your home is more time-consuming than your schedule might allow.
Tidy Up Portland! is a professional team of house cleaners who take pride in being eco-friendly and utilizing green cleaning products.
We offer an all-around easy experience from a simple booking process to providing all of our own cleaning equipment and supplies. To find answers to everything regarding our processes, check out our FAQs or contact us.
If you appreciate eco-friendly cleaning products, reliable and friendly cleaners, and simple booking and payment options, Tiny Up Portland! is your go-to professional cleaner. Our cleaning services and friendly personalities have left many clients satisfied and ready to book again.
Contact us to get started.
