DIY Natural Cleaning Recipes: Simple, Effective & Sustainable Solutions for Your Home

🌿 Let’s Clean With Confidence – Naturally

DIY natural cleaning recipes are one of the easiest ways to reduce toxins at home while keeping things sparkling, safe, and beautifully simple.

After talking about why we need to detox our spaces — and which ingredients actually work — it’s time for the part I love most: rolling up our sleeves and creating the real thing. 💧

Whether tackling a quick refresh or diving into full cleaning projects, natural cleaners give you peace of mind. You know exactly what’s in your spray bottle – no mystery chemicals, no artificial scents, and nothing that will irritate your skin or lungs.

This post brings together three of my go-to DIY cleaners—a super easy glass spray, a powerful bathroom scrub, and a deeply effective all-purpose cleanser. All recipes are simple, made with accessible ingredients, and designed to replace conventional household cleaners you might already be ready to ditch.

If you’re new to DIY natural cleaning recipes, don’t worry — these blends are gentle, beginner-friendly, and made with ingredients you probably already have at home.

Ready to clean smarter, not harder? Let’s make it together homemade cleaning products.

🟣 Before You Start – How to Set Up Your Natural Cleaning Station

Making your own cleaners is a beautiful ritual, but like cooking, a little prep makes all the difference. Whether creating a simple vinegar and baking soda spray or blending something more advanced with citric acid, setting up your space in advance will make your everyday cleaning routine smoother and more enjoyable.

Here’s how to get started:

✅ Clean your workspace – Start fresh with a clutter-free surface.

✅ Measure ingredients precisely – A digital scale helps with powders like citric acid or sodium bicarbonate.

✅ Ventilation matters – Open a window and let the space breathe.

✅ Use a mask for powders – This is especially important when handling ingredients like citric acid, clay, or baking soda.

✅ Choose glass or reusable containers – They preserve your blends better and reduce plastic waste.

✅ Label each product clearly – Include the date made, contents, and how to use it. Trust me, in future you will thank me.

A well-prepped DIY station turns your natural cleaning into a joyful habit — not a last-minute task.

🧼 Homemade Cleaning as a Sustainable Ritual

📌 Homemade cleaning isn’t just about mixing ingredients in a bowl — it’s about taking control of your space, choosing what touches your surfaces, and saying no to harsh chemicals. Whether wiping down the kitchen or deep-cleaning the bathroom, the process becomes more mindful, more satisfying, and more sustainable.

📌 These homemade cleaning recipes give you all the power of conventional cleaners without the waste, fumes, and mystery ingredients.

📌 Plus, once you get into the rhythm, there’s no going back — this everyday cleaning feels good.

🪟 Recipe 1 – Streak-Free Window Spray (Beginner-Friendly)

There’s something incredibly satisfying about sparkling windows, and this cleaning spray does the job without leaving behind streaks or harsh chemical fumes.

This simple recipe combines gentle ingredients for a quick, effective shine. It uses nothing more than vinegar in a spray bottle, a touch of surfactant, and drops of your favorite essential oil for that fresh scent we all love.

🧪 Ingredients:

• 75 g alcohol vinegar
• 5 g Cocamidopropyl Betaine
• 2 g essential oil (I use lemon or lavender – both are naturally antibacterial and leave a wonderfully fresh scent)
• 150 g distilled water

🛠️ How to Make It:

1. Add vinegar and water into a clean glass beaker or mixing jug.
2. Stir in Cocamidopropyl Betaine gently until fully dispersed.
3. Add your favorite essential oil 
4. Use a funnel to transfer into a glass spray bottle.
5. Shake before each use.

🧴 How to Use:

Mix all ingredients in a glass spray bottle, shake gently, and spray directly onto your windows or mirrors.

Wipe with a soft microfiber cloth (or an old cotton T-shirt!) and enjoy the streak-free clarity.

Use it for everyday cleaning of glass tables, shower doors, or chrome fixtures for instant shine and freshness.

✨ Tip: For extra sparkle, buff dry with a lint-free cloth after wiping.

🛁 Recipe 2 – Deep-Cleaning Powder for the Bathroom (Intermediate)

Sometimes you need more than just a spray — you need real cleaning power to fight grease and grime, soap scum, and those stubborn mineral deposits around taps and tiles.

This homemade powder scrub acts as a gentle but highly effective stain remover. It combines mineral-based and plant-derived ingredients, giving you a safe yet powerful option for deeper bathroom cleaning.

🧪 Ingredients:

• 30g kaolin (white clay)
• 30g cornstarch
• 33g baking soda (sodium bicarbonate)
• 2g citric acid
• 4.5g sodium coco sulfate
• 0.25g lemon essential oil
• 0.25g pine essential oil

🛠️ How to Make It:

1. In a large, dry bowl, mix ingredients: kaolin, cornstarch, baking soda, citric acid, and sodium coco sulfate.
2. Add essential oils and stir thoroughly to distribute the scent evenly.
3. Wear a mask during mixing to avoid inhaling powders.
4. Pour into a clean, dry glass jar with a tight lid.
5. Mix ingredients in a large bowl using a spoon or spatula (wear a mask to avoid inhaling fine powders).
6. Once you’ve mixed the ingredients in a bowl, transfer your cleaner into a glass jar and label it clearly.
7. Store in a dry, airtight glass jar and label it.

🧼 How to Use DIY natural cleaning products:

Sprinkle onto the surface you’d like to clean — sinks, tubs, tiles, toilet bowls — and scrub with a damp cloth or brush.

For targeted messes, use as a spot-clean solution by applying directly to the stained area and letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing.

Give it 15 minutes for deeper cleaning days and return with a scrub brush — effortless.

✨ Tip: This blend is especially effective against limescale and buildup in areas with hard water.

🧴 Recipe 3 – All-Purpose Natural Cleanser (Advanced)

If you’re ready to take your household cleaning to the next level, this recipe is for you. It’s a homemade all-purpose cleaner that’s effective enough for both the kitchen and bathroom yet gentle on your skin and safe for the environment.

This concentrated liquid combines plant-based surfactants, a natural preservative, and a refreshing citrus scent — making it a go-to formula for deeper, more thorough cleaning.

🧪 Ingredients:

A 72.7g purified water

A 10.6g sodium coco sulfate

B 10g decyl glucoside

B 0.5g mandarin essential oil

C 5g cocamidopropyl betaine

C 1g eco-preservative (benzyl alcohol, salicylic acid, glycerin, sorbic acid)

C 0.2g sodium chloride (to thicken)

🧴 How to Make Your All-Purpose Natural Cleanser (Advanced)

This one is a bit more advanced, but if you’ve got the ingredients and a little time, the result is worth it. You’ll need a hot plate or double boiler, a digital scale, and two beakers or mixing bowls.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Wear a dust mask and goggles — especially when handling powdered surfactants like sodium coco sulfate.
2. Weigh Phase A ingredients into a heat-safe beaker.
3. Heat Phase A to 50°C using a hot plate or double boiler and stir gently until all pellets dissolve.
4. In a separate container, weigh and mix Phase B until uniform.
5. Once Phase A cools below 40°C, combine Phase B with Phase A and stir until smooth.
6. Add Phase C ingredients one at a time, mixing well between each addition.
7. Check the pH with a pH strip or meter and adjust if needed.
8. Transfer to your glass or refillable bottle, label it clearly, and store it at room temperature.

🧽 How to Use homemade all-purpose cleaner:

Add a few sprays to your sponge or directly onto the surface.

Wipe clean with a damp cloth, then rinse or dry as needed — ideal for kitchen counters, bathroom tiles, and everyday messes.

This homemade all-purpose cleaner brings serious cleaning power without compromising health or sustainability.

✨ Tip: If cleaning heavily soiled areas, let the spray sit for a minute before wiping to help loosen debris and build-up.

🧽 FAQ – Green Cleaning, Simplified

❓ What surfaces should I avoid when using vinegar-based cleaners?

Vinegar-based cleaners are amazing for tackling grease and mineral deposits but unsafe for every surface. Avoid using vinegar on natural stone like marble or granite — the acidity can dull or damage the finish. When in doubt, always spot-test first or use a pH-neutral alternative.

❓ How long do homemade cleaners last?

The shelf life of DIY cleaners depends on the ingredients. Simple blends with vinegar and baking soda are best used within 2–4 weeks. But if your homemade all-purpose cleaner contains an eco-preservative — like benzyl alcohol or sorbic acid — it can last up to 3 months. Just store it in a labeled spray bottle, away from heat and direct sunlight.

❓ Can I mix essential oils freely, or are there limits?

Essential oils can make your DIY cleaners smell incredible, but there is a safe limit. A good guideline is to keep the concentration at or below 1% of your total formula—roughly 20 to 30 drops per 100g, but it depends on the size of your dropper and the oil’s viscosity. Always dilute properly and store your blends in a glass spray bottle to maintain freshness and stability.

🌿 Final Thoughts – Natural Cleaning Is a Ritual, Not a Chore

Cleaning products may take longer than grabbing something off the supermarket shelf, but the benefits go far beyond the surface.

You’re choosing health over harshness, green cleaning over synthetic shine, and intention over convenience. These simple recipes give you full control over what touches your skin, your home, and your family—and unlike many commercial cleaning products, they’re safe, non-toxic, and kinder to the planet. 

You can customize each recipe with your favorite essential oils — think lavender for calm, lemon for freshness, or eucalyptus for that clean, spa-like feel. Add oils slowly and gently to combine, allowing them to fully blend into your base.

Whether you’re wiping down the sink after dinner or giving the bathroom a proper refresh, there’s nothing more satisfying than a sparkling clean space that smells fresh and feels safe — because you made it yourself.

Want to dive deeper into the ingredients you’re using? Check out my DIY skincare ingredients guide — it covers what’s safe, what’s effective, and what to avoid in your home blends.

💬 Now it’s your turn!

Which diy natural cleaning recipes will you try first?

Did you make your own twist on a blend?

Tell me how it went — the good, the messy, or the why-did-I-put-lemon-in-everything moment. 😅

👇 Drop a comment, send a photo, or tag me on Instagram — I’d love to cheer you on as you build your green cleaning ritual.

With love,

Kristina