Table of Contents
- When you want your clean to be more green!
- The down and dirty on most conventional cleaning supplies
- With a few simple, eco-friendly ingredients you can clean just about any surface in your home.
- The staple cleaning ingredients
- The staple materials
- What to store your cleaner in
- Our two favorite DIY multipurpose cleaners
- Sterilizing Multipurpose Cleaner
- Citrus Multipurpose Cleaner
- Reusable trumps recyclable. Let’s save a tree! (and some dough)
- Where to begin and what to use
- Countertops and tables (with the exception of soft stones such as marble)
- Marble and granite countertops
- Cutting board (clean and remove stains)
- Sink
- Hard water stains on sink hardware
- Garbage disposal
- Dishwasher
- Oven
- Microwave
- Floors (leaves no residue)
- Garbage can
- Windows (twice annually)
- Mold and mildew (inside and outside the house)
When you want your clean to be more green!
The down and dirty on most conventional cleaning supplies
Did you know that most conventional cleaning products, especially in the kitchen, contain a myriad of harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc on your health? Many of the toxic chemicals used in these products can absorb into your skin and your bloodstream.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, "Manufacturers are not required to list all of the ingredients on cleaning product labels. Words such as “natural,” “non-toxic” and “green” that appear on cleaning product labels are poorly regulated by the government. Researchers have found that cleaning products labeled with these terms often have as many hazardous chemicals as conventional cleaning products."
Because these gaps in information make it difficult to discern which products are actually eco-friendly and which aren't, why not eliminate unnecessary anxiety and make our own?
With a few simple, eco-friendly ingredients you can clean just about any surface in your home.
The staple cleaning ingredients
- Branch Basics concentrate
- This can be found in most stores: Target, Walmart, grocery stores and Amazon.
- The brand Dr. Bronner's is hands-down the reigning champion. It comes in unscented (perfect for babies), as well as scented, such as tea tree and citrus, so you don't need to add any essential oils for fragrance.
- Oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine bleach)
- Water (distilled is best)
- White vinegar
The staple materials
- 16 oz. spray bottle for storage
- 16 oz. mason jar for storage
- Microfiber cloths, old rags, hand towels or shirts for cleaning
- Scouring pad/sponge for cleaning
What to store your cleaner in

Our two favorite DIY multipurpose cleaners
Sterilizing Multipurpose Cleaner
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup distilled water
- 1/2 teaspoon Sal Suds
- A 16 oz. spray bottle for storage
Citrus Multipurpose Cleaner
- 2 lemon or 1 large orange peel (try not to include pith, the white stuff between the fruit and peel, as it can make the solution sticky)
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 cup (distilled) water
- Mason jar

Reusable trumps recyclable. Let’s save a tree! (and some dough)
Where to begin and what to use
Countertops and tables (with the exception of soft stones such as marble)
- Sterilizing Multipurpose Cleaner (recipe above)
Marble and granite countertops
- 1/2 cup vodka (or rubbing alcohol)
- 2 cups (distilled) water
- 1 tablespoon castile soap
- 10- 20 drops of essential oils (for fresh scent)
Cutting board (clean and remove stains)
- Sterilizing Multipurpose Cleaner (recipe above)
- Salt
- 1/2 lemon
Sink
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
Hard water stains on sink hardware
- 1/2 lemon
Garbage disposal
- 3/4 cup baking soda
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 lemon, cut into slices
Dishwasher
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 2 dishwasher safe bowls
Oven
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 3-6 tablespoons of water (adjust ratio until you have a spreadable paste)
- Sterilizing Multipurpose Cleaner (recipe above)
Microwave
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 microwave safe bowl
- 1 toothpick (optional, but recommended to help prevent mixture from boiling over or glass from cracking)
- sponge
Floors (leaves no residue)
- 1/4 cup castile soap
- large bucket warm water
- mop
Garbage can
Windows (twice annually)
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 cup vinegar
- spray bottle
- microfiber cloths
Mold and mildew (inside and outside the house)
- Oxygen bleach (not to be confused with chlorine bleach – it’s almost as effective, but less caustic and eco-friendly)
It’s incredible that with just a few household ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen cupboards, you can make so many natural cleaning products.
These recipes don’t take much time to make, minimize the amount of cleaning products you need to purchase, are much safer for you and your family to use and save you money.
Let’s keep the kitchen clean by being a little more green – together!
What are some of your best tips for cleaning the kitchen naturally? Share below!
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*Please note that these cleaners are not medical grade cleaners. They’re sanitizers designed for household use.