It’s frustrating as a consumer that we are convinced we need to purchase and use several cleaning items for each individual sole purpose. Since I started using essential oils in my cleaning products at home, I’ve been able to drastically reduce our cleaning supplies while also removing chemical-filled products from our home. Clear the clutter, save your sanity, and remove chemical cleaning products from your home by following this guideline of 15 Cleaning Products You Can Make That’ll Save You So Much Money!

Grab my printable cheat sheet with 14 DIY cleaning recipes here and use the printable labels for each of the recipes here!

Disclaimer: This post is an extension of my own personal research and experience. It is not to be used in place of medical advice. The author disclaims all liability in relation to the use of this information. The statements made in this post have not been evaluated by the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration). The information in this post is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided in this post is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with your physician, and should not be construed as medical advice. See my full disclaimer here.

 

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS

 

It’s okay if you aren’t entirely sure what essential oils are and their purpose – I didn’t either until 2016, however, I wish I knew about them 20 years ago!

 

 

Essential Oils are natural oils extracted from plants and trees. From Young Living’s Website: “Extracted through careful steam distillation, resin tapping, and cold pressing, the purest essential oils are far more powerful than the botanical from which they come.

 

Essential oils have enhanced lives for thousands of years, offering a variety of benefits from cosmetic and dietary purposes to spiritual and religious use.”

 

You can use essential oils topically, inhale them, or ingest them. When applied topically, the oils travel through your bloodstream and every cell in your body in about 20 minutes.

 

You can inhale essential oils by diffusing them or simply inhaling directly from the bottle. Some oils can be ingested by adding a few drops to beverages, food or in a capsule. I’ve personally experienced major positive health changes by ingesting essential oils after discovering I had an overactive thyroid and Graves Disease.

 

To learn more about essential oils, check out this post or scroll to the bottom 🙂

 

 

15 Cleaning Products You Can Make That’ll Save You So Much Money

In my experience as a professional organizer, I’ve seen time and time again when organizing someone’s home, the cleaning cabinet is loaded with cleaning products that are:

1. Never used (literally look like they are 20 years old and covered in dust)
2. Items that could be reduced by using a dual-purpose cleaner
3. Loaded with chemicals or hazardous materials

Not only does this overload of chemical cleaning products cause clutter, it’s harmful to your health and your bank account.

Making homemade cleaning products is easier than you may think. You probably already have all of the below ingredients in your home and if not, they are inexpensive to purchase compared to the cost of those chemical-filled cleaners you think you need.

To get started, here are the main ingredients to making your own cleaning products for a sparkling, clean (and chemical-free) home:

• Vinegar
• Distilled Water
• Castile Soap
• Baking Soda
• Rubbing Alcohol (for a more natural alternative, use Vodka)
• Essential Oils

There you have it. Almost all of these items are household staples that you can pick up at your local grocery store and you can kick those chemical cleaners goodbye!

I use this Castile Soap because it is free of chemicals and I get it super cheap through Grove Collaborative, but you can also find it here.

I only use Young Living Essential Oils from the distributor themselves. My favorite essential oils to use for cleaning are Thieves, Lemon, and Tea Tree. You can learn more about cleaning with essential oils in this post.

NEVER buy Young Living essential oils from Amazon because they are not supposed to be sold via Amazon and you never know what you could be getting.  It’s really easy to sign up with Young Living, just go here to get started.

A word of caution from an organizing pro

Less is more. Word of caution: don’t jump to make all 15 replacement recipes below. I personally only store and keep the cleaning products that we use on a regular basis to reduce clutter. Also, many of the recipes listed below are dual-purpose (and noted below) to reduce the need to have 15 different cleaning products.

To give you an idea of the all-natural cleaning products that I use on a regular basis, here is what you will find in my cleaning cabinet (you will find these recipes below as well):

• All-Purpose, All-Natural Thieves Cleaner (16 oz. bottle) – we use this on everything but stainless steel appliances/wood furniture in our home and in the car
• All-Natural Furniture Polish (2 oz. bottle)
• Carpet Cleaner – we use throughout our home and cars as needed
• Toilet Bowl Cleaner (16 oz. bottle)

That’s it! I make every other cleaner on a case-by-case basis and it’s easy enough to do so because we always have the ingredients in our pantry and my free printable cheat sheet (see it below) comes in handy for those recipes we don’t need all the time.

While trying the below alternative solutions, please keep in mind that you should test a part of the item you are attempting to clean to make sure the suggested cleaning solution does not stain or damage the item.

Printable Labels for Your Homemade Cleaning Products

Get the printable labels for 18 different home cleaning products here! Just print, cut, and use packing tape to attach to your containers using the below recipes!

15 Cleaning Products You Can Make Yourself

Get 14 of the below recipes on one page by downloading the free printable Homemade All-Natural Cleaning Products Cheat Sheet. Get it in my digital resource library here!   **Returning subscribers sign in here**

1. Carpet Cleaner

Make this all-natural carpet cleaner or carpet refreshing powder:

Carpet Stain Remover (using essential oils):

• 1 tsp. liquid dishwashing soap
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 cups distilled water
• 3 drops of Lavender essential oil
• 2 drops of Tea Tree essential oil

Add everything into a 16 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake before use. Spray mixture on carpet stains, blot with a clean, dry cloth. Repeat as necessary. Do not saturate.

Carpet Refreshing Powder (using essential oils):

• 1 Cup of Baking Soda
• 15 drops of Essential Oil of your choice

Stir soda and oil together. Place everything in a sugar shaker bottle. I sealed the holes on mine with packing tape until it is ready to use. Can be used in your home or car.

2. Windex

Use a reusable window cloth or make this DIY glass cleaner:

Norwex Window Cloth

I’ve been using Norwex window cloths to clean the windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces in my home for several years and their products are amazing! My windows have never looked better! I started with 1 cloth for our entire house then added another to use on our cars. Just add water and wash glass surfaces. Use Norwex soap to clean the cloth, let dry, and reuse over and over.

DIY Glass Cleaner

• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol or Vodka
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 12 oz. distilled water

Combine everything into a clean spray bottle. Shake before use. Use a microfiber cloth for streak-free application. Can be used on windows, glass, mirrors, and stainless steel (check appliance manual first for stainless steel cleaning instructions).

3. Wood Furniture Polish

Make this all-natural furniture polish and dusting spray:

All-Natural Furniture Polish (using essential oils)

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp. white vinegar
• 10-12 drops of Lemon essential oil

Combine everything into a 2 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake before use. Use a microfiber cloth for streak-free application.

Dusting Spray

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup warm water

Combine everything into a clean spray bottle. Shake before use. Use a microfiber cloth for streak-free application.

4. Granite Cleaner

 

Make this all-natural granite cleaner or DIY granite wipes:

Homemade Granite Cleaner

• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or Vodka
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 cups warm water

Add contents to a clean spray bottle. Shake before use on granite surfaces. Use a microfiber cloth for streak-free application.

DIY Granite Wipes 

• 3/4 cup distilled water
• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol or Vodka
• 10 drops of Lemon essential oil
• 10 drops of Thieves essential oil
• 10 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
• 20 thick (dinner) napkins or paper towels
• Large glass container

Combine ingredients (minus napkins) in the glass container. Mix well. Add napkins and shake the glass container until napkins are soaked with the mixture. Use wipes on granite surfaces.

5. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Make this all-natural toilet bowl cleaner:

All-Natural, Toilet Bowl Cleaner (using essential oils)

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. Tea Tree essential oil

Combine everything into a glass spray bottle. Shake for every use. Spray mixture inside toilet bowl, seat, and lid. Allow sitting for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle baking soda inside the toilet bowl and scrub with a toilet brush. Use a clean cloth to wipe the mixture from the seat and lid.

6. Bathroom Tub Cleaner

 

Make this all-natural tub cleaner and all-purpose cleaner:

All-Natural Tub Cleaner

• 1/2 cut grapefruit
• 1/4 cup kosher salt

Sprinkle salt directly on grapefruit half and use as scrubber on the tub.

All-Natural, All-Purpose Cleaner (using essential oils)

• 16 oz of distilled water
• 16 drops of Thieves essential oil

Combine everything into a 16 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake for every use. Can be used in your home (on counters, floors, bathroom). I add lemon essential oil to my all-purpose cleaner for a fresh scent. Use a microfiber cloth for mess-free application.

7. Shower Spray

Make this all-natural, daily shower spray or shower grout cleaner:

DIY Daily Shower Spray (using essential oils)

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol or Vodka
• 15 drops Lime essential oil
• 15 drops Tea Tree essential oils
• 1 and 1/2 cups of water

Combine everything into a glass spray bottle. Shake for every use. Spray on shower door and walls to prevent build up.

All-Natural Grout Cleaner

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Mix ingredients in a small open container. Use a toothbrush to apply the paste to grout. Let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing off.

8. Goo-Gone

Make this all-natural goo-gone:

All-Natural Goo Gone

• 1-2 tbsp fractionated coconut oil or almond oil
• Lemon essential oil

Mix ingredients in a 1 oz. glass bottle. Test areas before applying to fabric, etc as the mixture may cause staining. Use a clean rag or your fingers to rub on the sticky area (sticker residue, crayon marks, gums, etc) and wipe away with a clean rag. Repeat as needed.

9. Sanitizing Wipes

Make this all-natural, all-purpose spray or DIY sanitizing wipes:

All-Natural, All-Purpose Cleaner (using essential oils)

• 16 oz of distilled water
• 16 drops of Thieves essential oil

Combine everything into a 16 oz. glass spray bottle. Spray surfaces and wipe away using reusable microfiber cloths.

DIY Sanitizing Wipes 

• 3/4 cup distilled water
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops of Lemon essential oil
• 10 drops of Thieves essential oil
• 10 drops of Tea Tree essential oil
• 20 thick (dinner) napkins or paper towels
• Large glass container

Combine ingredients (minus napkins) in the glass container. Mix well. Add napkins and shake the glass container until napkins are soaked with the mixture. Use wipes on surfaces (do not use on granite).

10. Swiffer Dry Mop

Use a reusable mop kit:

Norwex Mop Kit

I use the Norwex dry mop on my floors instead of a Swiffer dry mop. The Norwex mop is reusable and washable, so I never have to worry about buying those Swiffer dust cloths. Pads are statically charged and will pick up the smallest particles of dirt, dust, pet hair, crumbs, and microparticles. The Norwex mop has 2 sides so once I’m done “dusting,” I flip it over to wet mop (see #11 for hardwood floor cleaner).

11. Hardwood Floor Cleaner

Use a reusable mop kit or make this all-natural floor sanitizer:

Norwex Mop Kit

The Norwex mop cleans thoroughly with water only, which makes it a wonderful solution if you have hardwood floors that should not be cleaned with harsh chemicals or soap.

All-Natural, All-Purpose Floor Cleaner (using essential oils):

• 1-gallon hot water
• 2 tbsp. pure castile soap
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 10-12 drops of Thieves essential oil
• 5 drops of Purification essential oil
• 5 drops of Lemon essential oils

This solution can be used to sanitize the rest of the home and kids toys as well.

12. Stainless Steel Cleaner

Make this all-natural stainless steel cleaner:

All-Natural Stainless Steel Cleaner

• 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol or Vodka
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 12 oz. distilled water

Combine everything into a clean spray bottle. Shake before use. Use a microfiber cloth for streak-free application. Can be used on windows, glass, mirrors, and stainless steel (check appliance manual first for stainless steel cleaning instructions).

13. Armor All Spray (for the car)

Make this all-natural, all-purpose cleaner:

  All-Natural, All-Purpose Cleaner

• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp castile soap
• 4 tbsp. white vinegar
• warm water

Add contents to a clean, empty spray bottle. Stir/shake to mix well.

All-Natural, All-Purpose Cleaner (using essential oils):

• 16 oz of distilled water
• 16 drops of Thieves essential oil

Combine everything into a 16 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake for every use.  Can be used in your home on counters, floors, bathroom, and on the car dashboard, rubber on tires)

14. Car Wash (for the car)

Use this reusable car wash mitt:

Norwex Car Mitt Kit

The Norwex car mitt is two-sided and collects dirt and debris which washes out easily. The car cloth included int the kit puts the final finishing touches on car windows, mirrors, and chrome. It makes washing your car quick and easy.

15. Air Freshener Spray

Make this all-natural linen spray or use an essential oils diffuser:

All-Natural Linen Spray

• Add 10-20 drops of your choice scent essential oil to a 2 oz. glass spray bottle
• Fill the rest of the way with distilled water
• Shake before use. Spray linens (towels, beds, fabric chairs and sofas).

Alternatively, saturate a cotton ball with your choice scent of essential oils and place in drawers, closet, and inside toilet paper rolls for a fresh scent.

Essential Oils Diffuser:

• Use a diffuser as directed to freshen any room or car using your choice scent essential oil

Grab my printable cheat sheet with 14 DIY cleaning recipes here and get the printable labels for each of the recipes here!

 

WHERE TO BUY ESSENTIAL OILS

 

I only use Young Living essential oils because of the quality and their method of distilling produce the best essential oils available on the market today. In fact, Young Living has a Seed to Seal guarantee that surpasses any other oil company’s guarantee of the quality and purity of their oils. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’d rather pay a little more guaranteed quality oils than paying a little less for cheap oils that may or may not provide the same benefit.

 

Also, Do Not Buy Young Living Essential Oils from Amazon, eBay or other third-party sites.

 

The reason I only buy oils directly from Young Living is the same reason I wouldn’t buy a designer handbag from the back of a van on a street corner. It’s probably not the real thing or has been tampered with in some way. You wouldn’t want to apply or ingest an “oil” that someone put something strange in or receive a bottle of “water” instead of oil (trust me, this happens all the time!). Please don’t be the one that gets scammed by buying essential oils anywhere other than Young Living!

 

Now that that’s out of the way, here are few more facts & benefits that Young Living offers:

• YL offers many membership benefits, including monthly essential oils, rewards programs to earn FREE product
• Young Living is also the only essential oil company that is approved by the FDA with a special line of Vitality oils and products
• YL has 22+ years of experience and is the only oil company that owns their own farms

 

Signing up to become a Young Living Member is really easy!

 

Here are quick step-by-step instructions on how to sign up for a Young Living account and a few tips & tricks to get your FREE products!

 

To try Young Living, go here (keep reading for a special gift from me when you sign up through my link!)

 

 

Select to become a Member. 

 

I signed up as a member so I could get the starter kit, the discount, and the option to sell the products later. Since I started using oils in March 2016, I have enjoyed tons of FREE products from being a member.

 

I take advantage of the essential rewards where they basically give you money back to buy more products AND they send you free stuff every few months just for using the essential rewards program.

 

 

Here’s what the starter kit contains:

• A diffuser of your choice (dewdrop is pictured above and my favorite one)
• 11 different bottles of essential oil (includes their most popular oils!)
• Sample essential oils (to give to friends & family – or just keep selfishly for yourself, hehe)
• 1 roller fitment (pop this on one of the bottles for a fast roller ball bottle!)
• Literature on the oils

 

A Special Gift From Me

 

If you go through my link to sign up for a Young Living account (as a member), here’s what you get for FREE from me:

• 50 All-Natural Skin Care Solutions Using Essential Oils EBook ($17.97 value)
• Essential Oils Roller Bottle Recipes Cheat Sheet ($2.97 value)
• Printable Labels for 10ml Roller Bottle Labels for Essential Oils – 31 Printable Labels in Pink, Black, & Teal ($4.97 value)

 

Get everything above ($27.94 value) for FREE when you sign up through my link below! Once you’ve signed up, just send me an email with the subject line “Claiming my oil freebies” and I will send your freebies!

 

 

Let me know in the comments if you are excited to make these candles or if are an essential oils beginner and need more tips 😉

Pin it for later…

Shopping List to Make these Homemade Natural Cleaners:

1. Castile Soap
2. Borax
3. White Distilled Vinegar
4. Distilled Water
5. Baking Soda
6. Cornstarch
7. Rubbing Alcohol
8. Lemons/Lemon Juice/Lemon Essential Oils
9. Grapefruit
10. Norwex Antibacterial Microfiber Cloths
11. Microfiber Cloths
12. Norwex Mop Starter Kit
13. Norwex Window Cloth
14. 2 oz. glass spray bottles
15. 16 oz. glass spray bottles
16. Cleaning Checklist
17. Essential Oils

Clear the clutter, save your sanity, and remove chemical cleaning products from your home by following this guideline of 15 Cleaning Products You Don’t Need (and what to use instead).

Grab the Free Printable Cheat Sheet!

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All free printables are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated!

The Ultimate House Cleaning Schedule

The Ultimate House Cleaning Schedule and Printables that will Save You a Ton of Time is going to be a game changer for your homemaking tasks! Download the printable Master House Cleaning Schedule below and the Family Chore Chart if you:

• Feel like you never have time to clean the house
• Are not sure how to clean your home without dedicating an entire day of cleaning
• Not sure where to start when it comes to cleaning your home
• Aren’t sure how to delegate chores to the rest of the family

–>>Grab the printables here to create an easy to follow home cleaning schedule for your family!

The Ultimate Cleaning Binder

Get a digital copy of the Ultimate Cleaning Binder, which helps you create a cleaning routine and contains cleaning & organizing printables to save money and make your life easier. Best of all, you’ll get the knowledge and motivation you need to create a cleaning routine and finally clean like never before.

The Ultimate Cleaning Binder will help you:

• Create a practical action plan and cleaning schedule that works for you.
• Discover cleaning supplies and tools will make your life easier, save money, and reduces chemicals in your home.
• Clear the clutter and create cleaning systems for your home that will keep things clean consistently.
• Deep clean your home from top to bottom in an easy-to-follow checklists & calendars that actually makes cleaning FUN!
• Develop smart strategies for helping household members (your kids and spouse!) keep their own spaces neat and clean.

–>>Get Your copy of the Ultimate Cleaning Binder here!

Make the Most of Every Day With the Ultimate Productivity Bundle

Are you ready to be more productive? Get 46 eBooks, eCourses, and printables on conquering your to-do list, reaching your goals, and freeing up more time with the Ultimate Productivity Bundle. 

Life’s too short to waste! Why not learn how to streamline your routines and use productivity tools to your advantage – all so you can free up the time to do more of what you love? That’s exactly what the Ultimate Productivity Bundle is all about: 46 eBooks, eCourses, and printables to find more margin, reach your goals, and rock your to-do list.

—>>Get the Ultimate Productivity Bundle here

 

Get the printable labels for each of the recipes here!

 

Want even more essential oil goodies?

Get 50 Skin Care recipes and printable labels in my eBook, 50 Easy All-Natural Skin Care Solutions Using Essential Oils. 

 

Or sign up below and I will send you my FREE mini eBook with 5 All-Natural Skin Care Solutions Using Essential Oils with printable labels for 5 different DIY skin care solutions.

GET YOUR ESSENTIAL OILS HERE AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT USING THEM! FOR MORE INFO, SEE MY ESSENTIAL OILS POSTS HERE 🙂

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links or a sponsored post. All opinions are always 100% mine and I don’t partner with any product or company that I don’t use and love. Please see our Full Disclosure for more information.