20 Homemade Cleaning Products (With Oils!) You Can Whip Up In A Flash

Have you considered making your own homemade cleaning products recipes?

There are a ton of benefits to homemade cleaning products.

Making your own cleaning products is better for you than harsh chemicals. It’s economical. It’s environmentally friendly. It means you never open your cupboard on a cleaning day and realise you need to pop out to the shops for more toilet cleaner – you can just whip some up! And it’s just empowering that with a little measuring, scooping, dropping and shaking, you can create your very own personal homemade cleaning product line. (For more on the benefits, check out this great article over at Care.com)

Your friends will be all “How does she have the time?”

But your sneaky little secret will be this: your homemade cleaning products actually take you almost no time at all!

Yep, those who are time-poor (which is pretty much everyone these days anyway, right?) can easily find the time to make these DIY cleaning products.

Full-time workers. Mums. Dads. Students. Entrepreneurs. CEOs. Trophy wives.

Anyone who can spare five minutes every once in a while is in a great position to make their own cleaning products.

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How to make your own homemade cleaning products with essential oils

In the world of natural cleaning products, there are a few heroes that you should always keep on hand. Some of these (eg oils, baking soda, castille soap) you can’t go without. Others (eg witch hazel, washing soda, rock salt) are a little more specific to the cleaning products you want to make. Take your time to build up a collection based on which items you are likely to use regularly, and then replace them as needed.

Most of these ingredients can be found at your local health store, and some even at the plain old grocery store. But I’ve also included the Amazon links, because convenience is life.

Natural Cleaning Ingredients:

• Essential oils (a few drops go a long way!)
• Baking soda (grab a big boy like this – you’ll need it)
• Distilled water (or boiled and cooled water)
• Borax
• Unscented liquid castille soap
• Distilled white vinegar
• Washing soda
• Natural dish soap
• Fractionated coconut oil
• Witch hazel
• Citric acid
• Corn starch
• Epsom salt
• Rock salt

And in terms of containers for your DIY goodies, these options are FANTASTIC to have on hand:

• Large jars
• Smaller jars
• A silicone mold (square or circle)
• Spray bottles (these amber glass spray bottles are super Instagrammable, which is important, right?)
• Misting bottles
• Glass milk bottles
• Chalkboard self-adhesive labels
• Label maker
• Soap pump bottle

Don’t let the number of supplies overwhelm you. Like I said, start small with the most essential items, and as time goes on, keep adding to your collection.

DIY Cleaning Product Recipes

Household DIY Cleaning Products

Use these products all around your home – this is your handy homemade cleaning products kit you bust out on cleaning day!

Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

Supplies needed:

Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups white vinegar
• 4.5 tbs baking soda
• 3.5 tbs castille soap
• 10 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lemon, orange, lemongrass or eucalyptus)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. They will fizz and react, making this a great project to get the kids involved with. Once settled, transfer to your spray bottle. Shake gently before use.

Carpet Deodorizer

Supplies needed:

Mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 20 drops of your chosen essential oil (try lavender, orange, lemon, lemongrass or purification)

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle over carpet. Leave to sit for half an hour, then vacuum.

Dusting Spray

Supplies needed:

Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 1 cup distilled water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup fractionated coconut oil
• 30 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lemon, lavender, grapefruit, orange or peppermint)

Combine ingredients in a spray bottle. Use to mist furniture or spray onto a microfibre cloth before dusting. Shake frequently during use.

Mattress Spray

Supplies needed:

Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 15 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lemon, tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, and/or peppermint)
• Distilled water
• Witch hazel

Drop essential oils into a spray bottle. Top with half witch hazel, half distilled water. Spray on mattress as needed and leave for 1 hour to air dry.

Homemade Bathroom Cleaning Products

Keep these in your bathroom cupboards and reach for them any time your bathroom – or the things you keep in it – need a boost and a shine.

Air Freshener

Supplies needed:

Misting bottle

Ingredients:

• Distilled water
• 20 drops of purification/purify essential oil
• 15 drops of your chosen essential oil (try bergamot, lavender, geranium or orange)

Add essential oils to spray bottle. Fill with distilled water. Shake well before each use.

Shower Cleaner

Supplies needed:

Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural dish soap
• 1.5 cups white vinegar
• 25-30 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lavender, lemon, eucalyptus and tea tree – a combination of these will work best)

Combine ingredients and shake well. Spray all over shower (tiles, door, floor, faucet, etc). Leave to sit for at least an hour. Scrub in spots where needed. Rinse with hot water.

Liquid Hand Soap

Supplies needed:

Pump bottle

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs liquid castille soap
• 1 tbs fractionated coconut oil
• 20 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lemon, grapefruit, orange, lavender or On Guard/Thieves)
• Distilled water

Combine liquid castille soap, fractionated coconut oil and essential oils in a soap pump bottle. Top with distilled water.

Powder Air Freshener

Supplies needed:

Small jar

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 15-20 drops of your chosen essential oil (try pine, lavender, orange, lemon, lemongrass or purification)

Combine ingredients in a small jar and mix well. Leave sitting open in a small space that could use an ongoing smell refresher (toilet, laundry, near kitty litter box, etc).

Toilet Cleaner Fizzies

Supplies needed:

• Silicone mold
• Large jar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup citric acid
• 1/2 cup corn starch
• 4 tsp water
• 3 tsp vegetable oil
• 40 drops of Thieves, On Guard or lemon essential oil

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix. In a separate bowl, combine the water, vegetable oil and essential oils. Pour liquids int the dry ingredients and mix well. Press into silicone mold. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours. When dry, pop out tablets and store in a large jar.

Place 1-2 tablets in the toilet bowl when required. Let sit for 29-30 minutes. Once the tablet is dissolved, flush. For longer-standing stains, scrub with toilet brush before flushing.

Mold Killer Spray

Supplies needed:

Spray bottle

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 20 drops tea tree essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle. Shake before using.

DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner

Supplies needed:

Glass jar

Ingredients:

• 1 cup witch hazel
• 4 tsp liquid castille soap
• 10 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lavender and tea tree, or melaleuca and geranium)

Combine all ingredients in a jar and mix thoroughly. Use weekly to clean brushes.

DIY Cleaning Products For The Laundry

The laundry serves so many functions when it comes to cleaning. Replace allllll those yukky store-bought chemicals with these eco-friendly homemade options.

Powder Laundry Detergent

Supplies needed:

Large glass jar

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups baking soda
• 1.5 cups washing soda
• 1 cup borax
• 1/2 cup epsom salt
• 2 tbs salt
• 10 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try purification, lemon, lemongrass, basil or eucalyptus)

Combine everything in a food processor. Process well, until fine and powdery. Use 2tbs per large load of laundry.

Fabric Softener

Supplies needed:

Large jar

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white vinegar
• 10 drops of your chosen essential oil/s

Combine ingredients in a large jar. Use 1/4 cup per load of laundry.

Laundry Scent Booster

Supplies needed:

Glass jar

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rock salt/epsom salt
• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 20-30 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lavender, orange, lemon, or my favourite – lemongrass and basil)

Combine ingredients in a large bowl. Leave to dry out completely. Pour into a jar. Use 1-2 tbs per load of laundry.

Shoe Deodorising Powder

Supplies needed:

Small mixing bowl

Ingredients:

• 20 drops of purification essential oil
• 3tbs corn starch
• 3 tbs baking powder

Combine ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle in shoes. Leave to sit overnight and shake out in the morning.

Linen Spray

(We have an entire article on making your own linen spray – check it out for some variations)

Supplies needed:

Misting bottle

Ingredients:

• Vodka
• 20-30 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try lavender, cedarwood, lemon or tea tree)

Add essential oils to a spray bottle. Top off with vodka. Shake gently before use.

Homemade Cleaning Products For The Kitchen

The kitchen is where we prepare the food we’re putting in our bodies, and wash the plates and cutlery that we eat from. So it makes sense to use as many gentle, natural cleaning products as possible in here, right?

Produce Wash

Supplies needed:

Large bottle

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Combine ingredients in a bottle. Use to wash all produce before cooking/eating.

Trash Can/Diaper Pail Deodorizer Tablets

Supplies needed:

• Silicone mold
• Jar

Ingredients:

• 2 cups baking soda
• 6-8 tbs water
• 30 drops of your chosen essential oil/s (try pine, lavender, orange, lemon, lemongrass or purification)

Combine baking soda and essential oils. Add water 1tbs at a time, stirring, until mixture can be packed into shape. Press firmly into a silicone mold and leave for 24 hours to dry. Pop tablets out of mold and store in a jar.

Add 1 to bottom of trash can/diaper pail as needed.

Dishwasher Tablets

Supplies needed:

• Silicone mold
• Air-tight container

Ingredients:

• 100g rock salt
• 300g washing soda
• 250g citric acid
• 200g borax
• 30 drops lemon essential oil

Combine ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir until combined. Scoop and press into a silicone mold. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours. Pop out of mold and store in an airtight container.

Cleaning Wipes

Supplies needed:

• Jar
• Re-usable wipes, cut in half

Ingredients:

• 4 cups warm water
• 2 tbs castille soap
• 20 drops of Thieves (Young Living) or On Guard (DoTerra) essential oil

Add half the water, the castille soap and the essential oil to the jar. Close lid and shake. Roll re-usable wipes and place standing in the jar. Add the remaining water. Close lid and shake again.

Are you feeling totally pumped to start making your own homemade cleaning products?!

Once you start, you’ll quickly realise just how fast and easy it is to get your cleaning product DIY on! And let me tell you – replacing all those nasty chemicals in your home with safe, eco-friendly ones is addictive. Soon you’ll be busting out household cleaner for your family, and gifting toilet fizzies to your friends.

If you love essential oils DIYs, be sure to check out our post on DIY bath and beauty products too!

And if you’re looking for more information on the many ways you can use your essential oils (believe me, there are a LOT), check out my helpful post on what to do with essential oils when you don’t know where to start.

ONE MORE THING. I’m part of a lovely little essential oils group on Facebook with so many great tips. If you’d like to connect with fellow oils-lovers, check out Common Scents – and tell them Klara sent you.