In a pinch with little time to clean?
Then this recipe for a DIY All-Purpose Natural Surface Cleaner will be your best friend! The solution can be applied to much more than just counter-tops.
And it holds the simplicity of using just ONE cleaner for almost everything.
According to Good Housekeeping, a cleaning mixture of 50% white vinegar, 50% water, and essential oils is an effective natural cleaner. That’s is exactly what we are going to create here with essential oils known for their cleaning abilities.
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Related: DIY Natural Stain Remover Spray
Related: Heavy Duty DIY Natural Kitchen Cleaner
What’s in it?
This recipe starts with vinegar, a great all-purpose tool for your natural cleaning toolbox. It contains 5% acetic acid that fights against bacteria on your surfaces! Although, because vinegar is acidic, it can cause some etching on granite, marble, or stone surfaces.
Test it an inconspicuous area or substitute rubbing alcohol for vinegar in the ingredients below. Rubbing alcohol also gives counter-tops with a sheen a streak-free finish. This recipe for an all-purpose cleaner includes the following powerful cleaning essential oils:
Lemon Essential Oil
You can’t go wrong with the fresh, zesty aroma of lemon essential oil! It is a powerhouse in homemade cleaning recipes. Lemon essential oil is commonly used to de-grease, remove stains, and deodorize. That zesty aroma wipes out strong, unpleasant odors!
CLEANING BENEFITS:
Stain-Lifter
Plant-Based
Natural Cleaning Agent
Odor Eliminator
Non-Toxic
Multi-Purpose
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary essential oils’ natural properties make it a great addition to homemade cleaning solutions. I love to combine rosemary essential oil with lemon, peppermint, or lavender for a lovely fresh scent.
CLEANING BENEFITS
Clean Herbal Scent
Plant-Based
Non-Toxic
Naturally Derived
Natural Cleaning Agent
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
A natural cleaner at heart, eucalyptus essential oil is powerful against troublesome dust mites and other pests. Use it to deter pests on your linens and in your cupboards. Its clean smell is also effective against stinky bathroom odors.
CLEANING BENEFITS
Odor Eliminator
Plant-Based
Non-Toxic
Insect Repellent
Fresh Clean Scent
Naturally Derived
Clove Essential Oil
The warm, spicy scent of clove essential oil is often instantly familiar because of its connection with fall and winter traditions. Pumpkin pie anyone? The oil comes from flower buds of the clove tree in exotic Indonesia, Madagascar, and the Melaka Islands. It is an effective moth repellent and commonly used as an air freshener.
CLEANING BENEFITS
Insect Repellent
Plant-Based
Multi-Purpose
Non-Toxic
Odor Eliminator
DIY All-Purpose Natural Surface Cleaner Ingredients:
4 ounces distilled water
4 ounces distilled white vinegar
3 drops clove essential oil
2 drops rosemary essential oil
3 drops eucalyptus essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
How to make a DIY All-Purpose Natural Surface Cleaner:
Pour four ounces of water and four ounces of vinegar into a glass spray bottle using a funnel. Remove the funnel and add 3 drops clove, 2 drops rosemary, 3 drops eucalyptus, and 4 drops of lemon essential oil.
Place the spray nozzle on the bottle. With the spray nozzle turned off, shake well to combine. Keep in mind citrus essential oils should be stored in glass containers (these are the amber glass spray bottles I use). Yields: 8 ounces
Use this natural solution to clean:
- Windows
- Carpet Stains
- Oven
- Microwave
- Mirrors
- Toilet
- Sink
- Shower
- Floors
Shake before each use. Spray DIY all-purpose natural surface cleaner on the desired surface and wipe clean with a cloth. Want more green recipes and tips for home and beauty?
So the next time you’re in a pinch to clean your home, grab a few cleaning cloths and a bottle of this DIY All-Purpose Natural Surface Cleaner. Then spray down your bathroom, kitchen, or toy room and wipe clean! I love using essential oils for naturally cleaning our home, if you would like to know more, check out how I got started with essential oils.
Melanie at Dish Dish
I enjoy the simplicity of this cleaner recipe, and the fact that the essential oils inhibit the aroma of the vinegar (which is not my favorite thing). 🙂 Thanks for sharing these tips!
lifenreflection
Thanks Melanie, vinegar is not my favorite scent either and I have been steered away from it in the past. That is, until I learned I could mask it with essential oils. The essential oils in the recipe are hard working cleaners and masking the vinegar scent is bonus no doubt!
Debbie
Hi Kristy…who really bothers you as much as I lol!!
I made this today and used it…oh my it works wonderfully …you did it again another great one!!
A question though, can this be used on wooden areas it’s very close to the one I made of yours for wooden furniture which by the worked great also..
Hugs
Deb.
lifenreflection
Girl, you never bother me! I would avoid using the all-purpose cleaner on wood. I think the vinegar ratio is too high and may strip the varnish. And without olive oil, you’ll be missing the chance condition the wood.
Debbie
Kristy of course you are right…why I didn’t think of that is beyond me lol!!! So glad I asked you.. because I have a few very old pieces and wouldn’t want to do something that couldn’t be reversed.
Many thanks again my friend!!
Hugs Deb.
lifenreflection
That’s what I’m here for!
Debbie
Hi Kristy, I didn’t notice this before when making this recipe..in the ingredients you have 4 ounces water and 4 ounces vinegar…..then in the instructions you have 2 ounces water and 6 ounces vinegar…did i miss something here or is it a mistake in one or the other??
lifenreflection
I didn’t notice that either, sorry hun. It is a 50% mix of water and vinegar. So, 4 ounces of each for an 8-ounce bottle.
Debbie
Kristy thank you for getting back to me so quickly on this!!
Kristy I really must take this time to thank you from the bottom of my heart for you being so patient with me and helping me to make this great change in my life ( going natural as possible) even so late in my life , as you know I’m trying to get my young granddaugnter to start off on the right foot by going all natural.
You my friend have made it all so much easier with your continuous support and help ,when someone asks where i started I just say “Kristy on Pinterest ” and your recipes are the best so far!!
Hugs Deb.
lifenreflection
Awe, you are such a sweetheart! I am so happy I could help you live a more natural simplified life. To foster those values into your granddaughter will be quite a legacy from you.
Kate
Hey! I’m wondering what the benefit would be of using vinegar over rubbing alcohol in this? I’m new to making homemade cleaners!
TIA 🙂
lifenreflection
Kate, vinegar contains 5% acetic acid that fights against bacteria on your surfaces. You can substitute rubbing alcohol for vinegar or use them both by split the ratio like this 50% water, 25% rubbing alcohol, and 25% vinegar. Adding rubbing alcohol removes streaks that vinegar can sometimes leave on different types of countertops.
Suze
How long does it last in the bottle before it becomes ineffective?
lifenreflection
This will last 6 months, but I use it up in 3