Natural All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)

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Once upon a time, I was a single college student in a one-room dorm and it didn’t take much to keep it clean. Fast forward a few years and I had a few kids who weren’t so neat and orderly! I needed an all-purpose cleaner that worked, STAT!

A Natural Way to Clean

As a mom, I soon learned that child is a synonym for “maker of messes while being absolutely adorable.” It’s amazing how fast toddlers can make messes.

I also realized kids put everything in their mouths. So I looked for natural cleaning options that could stand up to toddler messes but wouldn’t accidentally poison them if (when) they licked the floor.

I learned about all the harsh chemicals in most commercial household cleaning products and found I could make healthier ones at home. One of the hardest ones to create was a natural all-purpose cleaner. I finally found one that works well (and my kids have tested it hard!). I’ve calculated that over the years I’ve saved over $200 making this myself!

It has the cleaning power of plant-based essential oils to help with grime, soap scum, and everyday dirt. It also helps to deodorize surfaces without bleach or other harsh cleaners.

Why Make Your Own Natural Cleaner?

Short answer: It takes less than a minute, saves money, and works better!

This all-purpose cleaner is so simple to make that my kids are now old enough to make it on their own!  It’s eco-friendly and free of the toxins found in many conventional household cleaners. Plus you can customize this surface cleaner to your taste by adding your favorite essential oils.

Important note: There is some debate about borax and if it is safe in homemade cleaners. I personally feel it’s safe to use and much safer than most cleaning products. This article has a good breakdown of the information and my thoughts on it.

Don’t agree? Just leave it out or use a natural concentrated cleaner like Branch Basics in place of this recipe.

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5 from 6 votes

Natural All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)

This natural cleaner is easy to put together and great for hard surfaces around the house.
Prep Time4 minutes
Total Time4 minutes
Yield: 16 ounces
Author: Katie Wells

Materials

Instructions

  • Place borax, washing soda, essential oils, and soap in a spray bottle (preferably glass).
  • Add distilled water until the bottle is almost full. Be sure to leave room for the sprayer. Distilled water is best, but any water that has been boiled will work.
  • Screw on the lid and shake well. Use as needed. I use it as a bathroom cleaner, floor pre-treater, kitchen cleaner, and on toys.

Notes

Store your cleaner away from direct light and heat. It should last for about 3 months when stored properly. 

All-Purpose Cleaner FAQs:

Worried about the chemistry of making your own cleaners? Want to make a substitution? These are the most commonly asked questions about my homemade all-purpose cleaner:

Is Washing Soda the Same as Baking Soda?

No, they’re similar but with some important differences. Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and washing soda is just sodium carbonate. Washing soda is stronger and more effective in this recipe (but still non-toxic). Don’t have it? Make your own with washing soda using this tutorial.

Is This a Disinfectant?

Technically no, but most home messes don’t need a disinfectant. And using too many disinfectants can cause problems as well. I wouldn’t use this cleaning agent on food-related messes, especially raw meat. However, it’s a great multi-surface cleaner for hard household surfaces like countertops, floors, and cabinets. The essential oils do have mild disinfectant properties in some studies. I’d stick to hydrogen peroxide or food-grade or rubbing alcohol and soap/water to disinfect raw meat messes.

Why Isn’t There Vinegar in this Recipe?

Vinegar isn’t the cleaning powerhouse it’s made out to be. It does have its uses, like for streak-free windows, but isn’t an effective degreaser or disinfectant. Also, vinegar and washing soda (acid and base) will cancel each other out. This whole recipe would be less effective if vinegar was added.

Want to use vinegar in natural cleaning? Save your fresh lemon and orange peels, pour white vinegar over them, and leave for a few weeks. This makes a great citrus-infused vinegar that cleans windows and most smooth surfaces.

Vinegar also un-saponifies the soap in this recipe, leaving a nasty stringy mess. Use vinegar if you want to, just don’t use it in this recipe!

Is Borax Dangerous?

There’s a lot of debate about this. I talk about my opinion here, but I generally feel safe using it on nonfood surfaces. If you aren’t comfortable using it, just omit or use witch hazel or food-grade alcohol in its place.

If you still aren’t a fan of borax and want a completely natural alternative that works at least as well as this recipe, I recommend Branch Basics concentrate.

Does This Actually Work?

Yep. It works really well. But don’t take my word for it… a reader Anne commented:

Ok, I’m a little slow, just found this. Good news – the gunk on the bathroom floor that no other cleaner in the world could get rid of (I have tried at least a dozen over the years) is now gone. I sprayed this, let it soak about 5 minutes and wiped it up with a microfiber cloth. I am astounded! Thanks so much for this!

I Don’t Like Lemon/Lavender/Orange Oil. Can I Use a Different One?

No way. Just kidding!

Use whatever scent you like in this recipe. Peppermint is lovely too and geranium has a mild bug-repelling property if you have flies in the kitchen. Tea tree is another green cleaning favorite for cleaning solutions. You can even omit the oils entirely for an unscented version.

How Long Does This Last?

I haven’t had this last longer than 3 months because I use it up in less time than that. I can vouch for its shelf life for at least three months though.

Does This Need to Be Stored in Glass?

I’m not a fan of plastic and don’t feel it’s good for the environment (or the body). I try not to buy it even for cleaning. Plus, if you use essential oils, it’s important to store them in glass as they can break down certain plastics over time. Glass is always a good idea!

More DIY Natural Cleaning Products

Here are more healthy cleaning recipes with simple ingredients.

Do you make any DIY cleaners? Share your favorite below!

This homemade all-purpose cleaner is natural and much less expensive than conventional cleaners. All natural and it works!
Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

281 responses to “Natural All-Purpose Cleaner (That Works!)”

  1. Maurine Avatar

    What do you use on stainless steel? Also,what do you use for granite? I’m reading a few of your blog posts and am getting confused which to use.
    love your stuff!

  2. Stephanie Avatar

    What are your thoughts on making disinfecting wipes with this solution, as you would baby wipes? Could I fill a container with paper towels and pour this solution over it?

  3. Jessica Avatar

    what is washing soda? I’m new to all of this and don’t want to buy the incorrect product. 🙂

  4. Lori Avatar

    Popped over from your Lemon, Basil, natural cleaner, besides the ingredients, what are the big differences, also aside you don’t want to use borax on cleaning surfaces. Thinking this might be good for floors or maybe stoves and such, but the other seems like it would be better for glass and things like that, wondering if just the vinegar one could be used on everything or better to make both, just wondering what the different uses for each would be used for.

  5. Katherine Avatar
    Katherine

    My all natural cleaner, which I have used for years, is white vinegar and water in a bucket. I use straight vinegar for sanitizing. I learned many years ago that white vinegar in water makes everything you use it on smell fresh and clean.

    1. Carol L Avatar

      Where do you find organic non GMO white vinegar? Almost ALL white vinegar is made with corn, (grain; mostly GMO) or with petroleum products. (if it doesn’t say grain based) I have found organic without the GMO corn, but it is prohibitively expensive.

  6. mel Avatar

    Sorry to bang on about Borax, but given the fact it has been

    “added to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list on 16 December 2010. Substances and mixtures imported into the EU which contain Borax are now required to be labelled with the warnings “May damage fertility” and “May damage the unborn child””

    would you not recommend using a borax substitute instead? they are widely available. Or would this not work?

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      If you are at all concerned, you can use a substitute, but this cleaner recipe is what I use. I don’t know it would work with the different ingredient.

  7. Megan Avatar

    Hey, QUESTION! I don’t have washing soda right now. I have made this cleaner before and I loved the original recipe. Will it work the same is I omit the washing soda? Or use baking soda in its place? Thank you. You are such a beacon for me!

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      The washing soda helps with the suds action, so I don’t it will be quite the same. You could certainly try it, but I don’t think it would work.

    1. Liz Avatar

      I’ve used olive oil and lemon oil in a spray bottle, works really well.

  8. Marie balandrano Avatar
    Marie balandrano

    you said not to used it on countertops where foods are prepere what can i used insted? thanks! can i used it on my wood table?

          1. Angela Avatar

            Back oh so many years ago, when American school districts actually taught HOME ECONOMICS {Home Ec.}, these were common vocabulary terms that were REQUIRED to be known. I miss the good old days. They wonder why the population has gotten fat, they don’t teach how to cook so everyone eats crappy fast food all the time! Here are a few:

            T=tablespoon
            tsp.=teaspoon
            C=cup
            pt.=pint
            qt.=quart

    1. LIZ Avatar

      MY GO TO CLEANER, I’VE USED FOR A COUPLE YEARS NOW, I USE IN KITCHEN, BATHROOM…1C VINEGAR, 1C VODKA, 1C DISTILLED WATER, 2-3 DROPS CASTILE SOAP, AND ABOUT 25 DROPS EA OF TEA TREE, EUCALYPTUS, LEMONGRASS, LEMON, SWEET ORANGE, LIME, ROSEMARY. SMELLS SO CLEAN, AND SO MUCH AT WORK IN THIS. ANTI-BACTERIAL,VIRAL, MICROBIAL, FUNGAL. AND I NEVER RINSE OFF, SPRAY, WIPE, DONE

  9. Andrea Shepard Avatar
    Andrea Shepard

    Just made this. Absolutely love it and the scent is great! I was using vinegar and water before but love something that smells refreshing! Thanks! 😀

  10. Shelby Avatar

    I too make an all purpose spray with white vinegar and citrus peel. I use very tall mason jars and fill them with citrus peel and vinegar. I allow it to steep for a few weeks until the oils permeate through. Sometimes I add lavender or rosemary sprigs to the jar or simply add tea tree oil to my spray bottle before use. I add a teaspoon of dish liquid to the mix and it works beautifully on everything. It cleans grout like nobody’s business and the vinegar aroma dissipates soon enough. I’ve also done this using cheap vodka and it also worked really well. The beauty of homemade is not only the affordability but you can individualise the fragrance according the Season or the room.

  11. kryster Avatar

    I have made many of my own cleaning products for awhile now, but just ran out of my all-purpose and looking to try another one. I’ll be whipping up a batch of this tonight and testing it in the bathroom. I always use a mixture of lavender, lemon & orange as my signature scent, just vary the ratio depending on the product. it’s my favorite & other people rave about it! good taste, or should I say smell! 😉

  12. LIZ Avatar

    WAS CURIOUS IF I WERE TO ADD RUBBING ALCOHOL TO THIS MIXTURE, WOULD THAT END UP BEING SOME KIND OF EPIC FAIL OF A SCIENCE PROJECT? THOUGHTS?

  13. Kaleena Avatar
    Kaleena

    A friend of mine told me about your blog and I’ve been hooked for about a week straight now. Thanks for everything!

    I have one question about storing this multipurpose cleaner. Should this be stored in a glass container because of the citrus oils?

      1. Lisa B Avatar

        If I’m concerned and want to use a glass container, what do you do about the plastic tube in the bottle attached to the sprayer?

  14. KC Avatar

    Hi Just curious with the washing soda and borax is it necessary to wear gloves for everyday cleaning? Do you need to rinse countertops after use? If I wanted to use only a single essential oil( lavender) how many drops would you recommend to increase disinfecting capabilities. Thanks so much- I love this site!

  15. Adrienne Avatar
    Adrienne

    I do not like the idea of using Borax. Can I use something else or just omit it?

  16. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    I’m super excited to make this. The hubby and I are Paleo and try to buy natural products as much as we can. I try my best to buy “natural” cleaners but after much research was disappointed to find things that are still toxic in the products I was buying. Slowly but surely I will be making all of our products, including beauty/personal products. Thank you for making this journey so much easier! We do not have children but do have a dog, and I worry about exposure to chemicals when it comes to her health as well as ours. You are awesome!

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