9 Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products You Can Make at Home

After having a baby, lots of moms become extra mindful of chemicals in many cleaning products. Luckily, it’s easy (and inexpensive!) to keep baby’s clothes, toys and your home germ-free by making your own cleaning products.

These eco-friendly ideas are from the moms on The Eco-Friendly Family message board. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients lying around in your kitchen.

For laundry
“For laundry, (I have a top loader) I start to fill the tub with water and add vinegar, probably about a cup. Then I add about half a cup of baking soda. My clothing always comes out looking and smelling clean. And I promise the vinegar doesn’t make my clothing smell!”

“Instead of traditional fabric softeners, use ½ cup of white vinegar in softener dispenser per large load of laundry.”

For an all-purpose cleaner
“Take orange peels or rinds and put them in a quart glass. Fill remaining space with vinegar. Let sit for around ten days, and then strain the liquid out into a spray bottle. This makes a GREAT all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar is a natural astringent and the orange makes it smell really nice.”

For DIY hand-sanitizer
“Mix 1 cup plain (natural) aloe vera gel, 1 to 4 teaspoons of witch hazel, 10-12 drops essential oils (you can use lavender, tea tree or lemon).”

To make your home smell good, naturally
“I just put orange slices and a cinnamon stick in the kettle, fill it with water, let it simmer, and add water as needed. It makes the entire house smell great, adds a little humidity and, if it’s not eco-friendly, then I don’t know what is.”

“Leaving a small bowl out with vinegar in it can help to neutralize kitchen odors.”

“Put essential oils in cheap vodka and use that for a fabric or air spray.”

“I make my own carpet sprinkles using baking soda and a few drops of essential oils. Sprinkle the carpet and vacuum it up. I’ve been liking orange and bergamot lately.”

*For an eco-friendly bathroom cleaner *

Try this recipe. You’ll need:

1 2/3 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid soap
½ cup water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 clean 16-ounce squirt bottle with closing cap

1. Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with water and add the vinegar. Stir the mixture with a fork until any lumps have been dissolved. Pour the liquid into the bottle. Shake well before using.

2. Squirt on area to be cleaned. Scrub with a nylon-backed sponge. Rinse off with water. Keep cap on between uses.

Do you use eco-friendly cleaning products? Did any of these ideas work for you?