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4 Household Ingredients with Serious DIY Cleaning Power
The next time you spill a glass of red wine on your rug or your dinner leaves a trail of burnt-on debris in your oven, you can likely find powerful cleaning supplies already in your cupboard.
Common household ingredients like baking soda, lemon juice, white vinegar and olive oil can be used not only to whip up a deliciously moist lemon cake, but also to clean most areas of your home.
So, whether you’re trying to save money or avoid some of the chemicals found in store-bought cleaners, you’ll love these DIY cleaning solutions and recipes using everyday ingredients.
Baking Soda
One of the most versatile pantry staples, baking soda’s naturally abrasive properties make this powder a powerful agent in your cleaning arsenal.
How to use it:
- Eliminate smelly odors. Sprinkle baking soda in your trash can, throw some in your empty washing machine drum or dishwasher and run a cycle on hot, or keep a small bowl of it in the fridge.
- Stain-treat and freshen laundry and furniture. Soak clothes in a mixture of baking soda and water before washing, or sprinkle it over carpeting, rugs and mattresses before vacuuming it up.
- Clean stuck-on food debris and stains by making a paste with baking soda and water, and applying it to a variety of surfaces—from stovetops and ovens to coffee mugs and Tupperware.
- Put some shine back into your stainless steel and silver using baking soda, water and a little elbow grease.
- Remove hard water and mineral buildup from shower doors and shower heads, plus whiten grout and toilet bowls.
What not to use it for:
- Because of its abrasiveness, baking soda should not be used on items that can scratch, like mirrors and doors, or on finished wood furniture and flooring.
DIY cleaning recipe to try at home:
- Fabric stain remover: Stir together 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of water until a paste forms. Apply it to stains with your fingers or a toothbrush before washing like normal.
White Vinegar
The acid in vinegar can help break down some dirt, oils, stains and bacteria.
How to use it:
- Whip up an all-purpose vinegar solution (see one recipe below) to clean nearly every surface of your home, including windows, walls, cupboards, floors, bathrooms, sinks and stovetops.
- Disinfect your mattress and deter dust mites with a mixture of distilled white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and tea tree oil in a spray bottle.
- Soften clothes and fortify your detergent by adding ½ to 1 cup of vinegar to your next laundry load.
- Rid your humidifier of bacteria with a once-weekly vinegar-and-water wash.
What not to use it for:
- Avoid using vinegar on stainless steel, stone countertops, waxed wood, cast iron and aluminum, all of which can be damaged by vinegar’s acidity.
- Never combine vinegar with bleach, as the combination can produce toxic fumes.¹
DIY cleaning recipe to try at home:
- All-purpose cleaner: In a spray bottle, mix ¼ cup of vinegar, 2 ½ cups of water, ½ teaspoon of dishwashing liquid and, if you’d like, a couple drops of your favorite essential oil.
Lemon Juice
Citric acid makes lemon an effective antibacterial cleaner. Plus, the scent is fresh and energizing.
How to use it:
- Eliminate odors in your garbage disposal by throwing in a couple lemon slices. Add ice cubes to simultaneously sharpen the blades.
- Make an all-purpose scrub with two parts salt and one part lemon juice that can be used to remove rust, lift clothing stains and clean cutting boards.
- Easily wipe away burnt-on food from your microwave with a lemon juice steam bath. Simply mix lemon juice and water in a microwave-safe bowl and set the timer for three to five minutes. You can also do this in your oven at 250 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Brighten yellowing grout by spraying lemon juice on your tiles, letting it sit for 10 minutes and scrubbing it away. While you’re in the bathroom, take a lemon to your faucets and shower door to get rid of hard water buildup.
What not to use it for:
- Lemon juice can cause pitting in natural stone, damage the seal on hardwood floors, and bleach dark and brightly colored clothing.
- Don’t mix lemon juice (or any disinfectants or cleaners) with bleach, which creates a toxic chlorine gas.²,³
DIY cleaning recipe to try at home:
- Window and glass cleaner: Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 cup of hot water in a spray bottle. Optionally, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
Olive Oil
This healthy cooking oil leaves behind a shiny finish that moisturizes and nourishes some surfaces.
How to use it:
- Restore and condition leather surfaces by rubbing olive oil into the fabric with a clean cloth. It can even repair small scratches!
- Remove water rings and scratches from wooden furniture by buffing them out with a clean cloth and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Shine and prevent corrosion of metals like stainless steel, brass and silver by polishing with olive oil.
What not to use it for:
- Olive oil should not be used to clean and moisturize food prep surfaces like cutting boards and butcher block countertops, as it can go rancid. Nor should olive oil be used to shine granite countertops, since it can stain the stone.
DIY cleaning recipe to try at home:
- Wood cleaner: Combine ½ cup of white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar for darker woods) with ¼ cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 20 drops of lavender essential oils in a spray bottle. Mist onto wood furniture and wipe off with a microfiber cloth.
Download recipe cards here (PDF, 528 KB).
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