Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

Is the area under your sink filled with bottles of cleaners? I know mine was. I had glass cleaner, kitchen cleaner, bathroom cleaner, disinfecting cleaners, de-greasers, and many more. We had a separate cleaner for every job in my house. I have since discovered that homemade all purpose cleaner ends up being much cheaper.

Once we began researching natural cleaners and how to avoid adding chemicals to my home whenever possible, I learned that with a few household ingredients we can DIY all of this.

I’ve put together a few all-purpose cleaners that work wonders at cutting the grease and dirt while disinfecting my home surfaces, and I’m going to share them with you here. We hope you’ll try them and choose your favorite for everyday use. You’ll save time and money while eliminating harmful chemicals from your home environment.

How to Clean Everything Around the House

Our solutions for all-over house cleaning will get virtually any surface sparkling. However, if your computer screen or laptop is dirty, do not use one of these recipes, as they can irreparably damage the surface.

Instead, use a special monitor cleaning solution that is safe for delicate electronics and will make that screen shine in no time.

Borax and Castile Soap Cleaner

This homemade all purpose cleaner with essential oils is good for cleaning just about everything. We use it a lot in the kitchen, shower, toilet bowl, and bathroom.

Even though it has soap in it, you don’t need to rinse this homemade household cleaner from most surfaces. The small amount of soap easily wipes up and doesn’t leave a film. On glass or very shiny surfaces, give it a rinse with a wet cloth.

I like to mix this homemade multi surface cleaner in a quart spray bottle, preferably glass, and keep it on hand for everyday use, as it’s one of the best homemade natural cleaners you can have.

You can find Borax (not boric acid) and washing soda in the laundry detergent section of most grocery stores. I like to use distilled water to avoid leaving behind water spots.

All Purpose Disinfectant

It’s easy to make your own disinfectant spray with household ingredients. This disinfectant works better than bleach, without the worry of breathing in harmful chemicals.

It is simply a mixture of equal portions of hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, but it must be made and used immediately since the disinfectant qualities don’t last over time. My preference is to keep two spray bottles: one of hydrogen peroxide and one of white vinegar.

For this natural all purpose cleaner, spray the surface with vinegar and then peroxide and mix them together with a sponge or soft cloth. Leave them on the surface for a few minutes to do their magic.

I use this as a homemade kitchen cleaner to disinfect in the kitchen, bathroom, kids’ toys, and any other surface that I want germ free. Be careful with fabrics, though, as hydrogen peroxide has a mild bleaching action and can discolor dark materials.

This simple mixture can also be instrumental when cleaning a clogged cool mist humidifier or a sink that has gunk trapped in the pipes, as well as being a DIY tanning bed cleaner.

Vinegar Based Homemade Multi Purpose Cleaner

I am always a little cautious with vinegar-based cleaners because they can ruin some finishes, so always check your cleaning instructions before using vinegar. On the plus side, vinegar is an excellent degreaser, which makes it the perfect homemade oven cleaner.

We like to use this cleaner for greasy surfaces, glass, and other shiny surfaces. There are so many uses for vinegar in the home that you should always keep a large bottle on hand with your other cleaning supplies, as well as in the pantry for cooking.

Vinegar is an excellent tool to remove rust from stainless steel, as well as polish the surface so that it gleams. Be sure to follow the grain of the stainless appliance so that you do not scratch the surface.

Make this homemade multipurpose cleaner in a quart spray bottle and keep it on hand for general cleaning tasks. This natural disinfectant cleaner will foam a little when you mix it, so leave a little room at the top of the bottle and add the water slowly.

Use it as a natural oven cleaner or to freshen pillows or carpets. It is so versatile you should probably keep it on hand for quick messes.

This recipe is even appropriate for how to clean a stainless steel refrigerator, as well as your other stainless steel appliances.

Add this vinegar cleaning solution for bathroom cleaning and for the kitchen, as well. Vinegar is great to clean laminate floors and is the base ingredient for some of the best homemade floor cleaner recipes.

Heavy Duty Cleaner

This solution is great for removing grimy dirt. The combination of ammonia and laundry detergent is a powerful degreaser.

Be sure that your homemade liquid laundry detergent does not contain bleach. To make this homemade cleaning spray, mix all the ingredients in a quart spray bottle and give it a good shake.

Abrasive DIY Cleaner

When you need a mild abrasive cleaner, look no further than baking soda. Its cleaning properties combined with the abrasive texture make it ideal for situations where a mild abrasive is needed.

This recipe is perfect for how to clean shower doors, as the soap scum and hard water residue are sometimes difficult to remove.

Mix baking soda with a little dish detergent to make a paste, then use it to scrub appliances and the sink. Rinse it off with a wet cloth. This recipe works very well as a powerful homemade glass cleaner. Give it a try.

Homemade Deodorizer Spray

You’ve probably used baking soda as a deodorizer in your refrigerator for years. It is also good for deodorizing carpet, upholstery, shoes, and other smelly surfaces. Sprinkle it on and allow it to soak up odors, then vacuum it away.

Vinegar is also a good deodorizer when a liquid is more appropriate. I like this deodorizer recipe to use for fabrics and upholstery.

Be sure to test it first to make sure the vinegar won’t harm your fabric. Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and give it a shake.

Bleach Based Disinfecting Cleaner

I’ve already mentioned that I don’t like to use bleach in my home. However, some people don’t feel their counters are clean unless they use a bleach cleaner. If this describes you, then this recipe for a homemade bleach cleaner is for you.

You don’t need strong bleach to do the job, as a 10% solution works very well. You should make this cleaner fresh daily in a quart spray bottle for a DIY bleach cleaning spray or in a bucket to use with a mop or rag. Don’t use dish soap for this recipe, laundry soap works just fine and won’t react with the bleach.

I hope you’ll give these recipes a try and see how well they work for you. I think you’ll find that they clean as well as the commercial cleaners without the chemicals with unknown side effects. I find that the first two recipes work in almost every situation, so I keep them on hand all the time.

The rest are great when you need cleaners for special purposes. By using these cleaners, you can save money and the environment without giving up your cleanliness standards.

Recipe for Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

If you have a good homemade all purpose cleaner that works for you, we’d love for you to share your recipe in the comments. Help us out by sharing this article about homemade all purpose cleaner recipes on Facebook and Pinterest and pass it on to anyone who might need the help with cleaning their homes. We all benefit when we share our knowledge.