Here’s our favourite DIY recipes to make your own eco-friendly cleaning products – tried and tested!
Store bought cleaning products can often contain toxic chemicals such as chlorine, formeldehyde and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) adding to the already existing indoor air pollution. Conventional cleaning products are often also tested on animals. The good news is that more and more brands are starting to make eco-friendly cleaning products, including Ecover and Method, but there is really no better way to have low-waste, all-natural and non-toxic cleaning products than making them yourself.
While this might seem a bit too extreme for some, making your own products is safer for you and your family as well as the environment with the added bonus of being way cheaper. You can simply bulk buy the main ingreidents that are used in a variety of different products and get a few uses out of them.
Every Friday we will be sharing a new recipe for you to try, stay tuned for the next one…
Toilet rim detergent
To make toilet rim disinfectant, simply mix 90ml white vinegar with 100ml water and 8 drops tea tree oil in a spray bottle and mix well. Spray the mixture into the toilet rim and leave to work its magic for about 20 minutes before scrubbing.
Dishwashing Liquid
To make a foaming dishwashing liquid you’ll need to fill (or refill) a 500ml squirty bottle with castille soap and add 10 drops of lemon essential oil. The lemon is antibacterial and will live your dishes and pots looking fresh and sparkly.
All-purpose cleaner
To make an all-purpose cleaner you’ll need a glass spray bottle, which you can buy at most zero-waste stores or online. Fill the bottle one-third with white vinegar and the other two thirds with cold (filtered if needed) water. Then add 10 drops of your favourite refreshing essential oil (our tips are lemon, lemongrass, eucalyptus or tea tree which is also anti-bacterial).
That’s it! It’s that simple, now you can clean all your surfaces, appliances and even mirrors.
In addition to keeping your air pollutant-free with natural cleaning products, see our guide to the best air purifying plants.
If you are short on time or DIY-ing isn’t your jam, these are our favourite eco-friendly cleaning products to buy in stores.