Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Take control of your spring cleaning with some homemade concoctions!

We’ve all heard of someone’s great aunt or mother’s friend’s cousin who has a secret cleaning formula that works wonders. It’s a well-kept secret that includes one or two ingredients that will never be shared with others. Or maybe you have heard of a trick or two through the grapevine for fool-proof solutions that will clean up almost any mess in your home and leave it sparkling clean.

If you’re not a home-cleaning guru, you may be a little lost as to what combos really get your home in pristine condition. I, for example, hold true to some Clorox wipes, Windex, and paper towels. I even throw in a magic eraser and bleach if I’m feeling a little crazy.

While store-bought cleaning products often do the trick, there is another world to delve into when it comes to keeping your quarters clean – homemade solutions. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create at-home items that can be used throughout the home without needing to keep going back to the store and spending twice as much on a single product.

With spring finally among us, what better time to learn how to create some cleaning products in your own home and take care of those areas that you’ve been putting off sprucing up.

Have a tough stain to get out? Grease that just won’t budge even with your typical cleaning holy grails? Here are a handful of recipes that will get you started for even the average Jane, such as myself. To learn more and explore additional tips and ideas, you can visit Good Housekeeping’s site, too!

DIY Cleaning Solutions

All-purpose scented cleaner -
That’s right, all-purpose! What more can you ask for? 		Kitchen cleaner/deodorizer -
Let’s get that kitchen clean and smelling lovely while you cook!
Ingredients
  • One part white vinegar
  • One part water
  • Lemon rind
  • Rosemary sprigs
Instructions
  1. Combine, pour into a spray bottle, mix it up, and let sit for a week before you use it for the first time.
  2. The solution will remove hard water stains, clean smelly trash cans, clean off wall marks and smudges, and more.
  3. Why does it work? The acid in the fruit acts as a super-strong cleaning property, tough enough to tackle those stubborn stains.
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons of baking soda
  • 1 quart of warm water
Instructions
  1. That’s it! It’s a tale as old as time that cleaning with baking soda does the trick, and the rumors are true!
  2. This solution works great for appliances, counters, refrigerator interiors, and sinks. Especially on stainless steel!
  3. Apply to a clean sponge and get scrubbin’.
Glass cleaner -
Something we can all use; windows, mirrors, and more. 		Grease cleaner -
Our arch-nemesis is no match for this recipe!
Ingredients
  • 2 cups of water
  • ½ cup of white or cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup rubbing alcohol – 70% concentration
  • 1-2 drops of orange essential oil for a citrusy smell!
Instructions
  1. Use this combo in a spray bottle and spritz onto a paper towel and watch your glass surfaces transform!
  2. Be sure not to use this on windows when it’s hot and sunny outside, as the solution dries quickly and would leave unwanted streaks.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup of sudsy ammonia
Instructions
  1. Can it get any easier? Mix this with enough water to fill a one-gallon container.
  2. This will help you tackle oven racks, stove hoods, grills, and any other greasy kitchen surface.
  3. Grab a sponge and clean up your kitchen! Rinse with clean water.
  4. Particularly stuck grease? Just soak your items in the solution for a while and watch the gross grease fall off!
Water ring remover -
here’s a fun one! We find these around the house when coasters aren’t used but have no fear! There’s a solution! 		Stain Remover -
tried it all and still can’t get that stain out of your favorite top? You’ve come to the right place.
Ingredients
  • One part white non-gel toothpaste
  • One part baking soda
Instructions
  1. Dampen a cloth with water, add mixture onto it, and rub with the grain. Then, take a dry cloth to wipe clean. Follow up with your normal polishing routine and bam!
  2. mDESIGN TIP - this solution does not work on unfinished wood, lacquer, or antiques
Ingredients
  • 1 gallon of hot water
  • 1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent
  • 1 cup of regular liquid chlorine bleach (not ultra or concentrate)
Instructions
  1. Mix the above ingredients into a bowl (not aluminum) then soak the clothing item in the solution for 15-20 minutes. Soak until the stain is gone!
  2. Follow up by washing in your machine as normal.
All-in-One Stainless Steel Cleaner - All-Natural DIY Stainless Steel Cleaner -
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
  • 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 12 ounces of water
Instructions
  1. In a 16-ounce glass spray bottle, combine the alcohol and vinegar. Using a funnel, add the water to the container.
  2. Store the mixture at room temperature.
Ingredients
  • 3 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon hydrogen peroxide
Instructions
  1. Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Rub it onto your stainless-steel appliances, fixtures, pots, and pans.
  2. Let the paste dry, then wipe it off with a clean cloth and water.
  3. With another clean, dry towel, buff the area dry.

mDESIGN TIP - For more great DIY cleaning solutions for stainless steel, visit www.tipsbulletin.com.

These are just a few of the many brilliant homemade solutions that can handle the most difficult stains and grime. With this list, you should be able to get your spring cleaning off on the right foot and take care of those chores you’ve been avoiding or felt defeated in handling.

Organized Cleaning Supplies

So, you have all these spray bottles full of your new cleaning creations, what now? Organize them along with sponges, brushes, and more thoughtfully so you know where they are when you come across an unruly project.

Large Plastic Cleaning Supplies Storage Caddy Tote Plastic Kitchen Pantry Food Storage Organizer Bin

A divided caddy will separate and organize your cleaning solutions based on use and purpose. The attached handle makes it the perfect helper to bring with you as you travel through the home transforming it from sullen to sparkling!

If you are the type to keep more than one bin in each area throughout the home (half bath, master, kitchen) then a large organizer bin is the route to go. The integrated handles make it easy to pull in and out of cabinets and move to another room if need be. The open design allows you to fit multiple large bottles and other items inside in one place.

With the proper cleaning solutions and a convenient way to store them, you’ll be unstoppable this spring!

Check out our full cleaning blog series for more inspiration.


Shaylee Dillen is a SEO Content Writer at mDesign
and considers herself a caffeine and cosmetics fanatic!

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Posted: Mar 11, 2020

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