Homemade Floor Cleaner Recipe

When my oldest child was about six months old I suddenly became much more interested in finding a natural and homemade floor cleaner recipe because I had a pint-size inspector who would eat/lick anything I missed!

At the time we had several different types of floors in our tiny one-bedroom apartment, so I had to find something multi-purpose and easy to make with ingredients I had on hand: white vinegar, washing soda, and dishwashing liquid.

The great news is I discovered natural cleaners are incredibly easy to make and save a lot of money too!

Why Try and Make Natural Floor Cleaner?

So with all a mom already has to juggle, why not just use conventional store-bought cleaners?

Ever read the ingredients in regular floor cleaners, Swiffer mops, and other store-bought floor cleaning products? Here’s a sampling, all of which have a D-F rating from the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Dipropylene glycol
Methylisothiazolinone
Dialkyl dimethyl
Ammonium chlorides
Didecyldimethylammonium chloride
Preservatives
Artificial fragrances

Most of these substances are a) not natural in any sense and b) known to have health and environmental concerns. Not what I want my little one crawling around in!

Don’t Have Time to Make Your Own? That’s OK!

Of course life has changed a bit since I first experimented with homemade natural cleaner recipes years ago. I’ve had a few more kids (just a few!). Schooling and working from home makes for crazy hours sometimes. In fact, I often get the question, how do you do it all?!

The answer is … I don’t! Life goes through certain phases and I certainly didn’t tackle living a healthier life all at once. I’ve learned, experimented, and grown bit by bit. And since vinegar stinks and Borax is controversial, once I found store-bought brands I liked, I’ll be honest … my homemade cleaners appear less and less on the scene.

The good news is there are a lot of health-conscious companies and brands out there now, thanks to consumers who ask for these products and support them with their dollars. I’ll be sure to list my favorites at the end of the post.

But first, on to the recipes that started it all: my easy, sustainable, DIY natural floor cleaner recipes!

Natural DIY Floor Cleaner Recipes

Here are my favorite homemade floor cleaner recipes from over the years. With a little practice, they are so easy to make it becomes almost automatic.

Natural Wood Floor Cleaner

Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (finally a good use for it!). Add 1 cup of water. Mix well and rub lightly into floors to bring back shine and clean spots. Add a few drops of essential oil of choice for nice scent. (Make sure to wipe off completely to avoid slippery floors!)

Natural All-Purpose Floor Cleaner

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water and dampen mop. For really tough stains, pre-treat with 2 tablespoons of washing soda dissolved in 16 ounces of water. Mop well. Damp mop with pure water to rinse.

Natural Carpet Stain Removal

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water. Spray on stains, let sit for 5 minutes, and scrub with soft brush. Add 1-2 drops of dishwashing liquid for tough stains.

For tough grease stains, pour cornstarch liberally on the stain and let sit until dry. Vacuum up and then use method above.

For heavy-duty stains that won’t come out, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax, and vinegar. Rub into the stain. Let sit until dry and vacuum up. Use methods above if any part of the stain remains.

My Favorite Store-bought Floor Cleaner (+ Other Good Options!)

Vinegar and water make for a pretty easy recipe, but when a ready substitute is needed, try these brands which are rated by the EWG Consumer Guide.

Sal-Suds (A rating, and the one I use the most personally as it works for everything from floors to laundry)
Babyganics Floor Cleaner, Fragrance Free (A rating)
BioKleen Bac-Out Floor Cleaner (B rating)

How do you clean your home naturally? Any floor questions I forgot to cover here? Share below!

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