The pitfall to popular household cleaning solutions is that they typically contain toxic chemicals. But the good news is that you have other cleaning options, many of which you can make on your own using basic ingredients. You don’t have to pay a lot of money or buy any fancy products to clean your apartment naturally. If you’re looking for some alternatives to harsh chemical cleaners, try out some of the following DIY natural cleaning solutions the next time you want to give your apartment a deep-clean. (You’ll probably save some money, too.)
White Vinegar Cleaning Solutions
All-Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
All-purpose cleaner is a necessity for any apartment, and making your own using white vinegar is ridiculously simple. We love this basic option from Good Housekeeping. Here’s what you’ll need:
White Vinegar
Lemon rind
Rosemary springs
Water
Mix one part white vinegar with one part water in a spray bottle. Next, add in some lemon rind and a few springs of rosemary. Place the top on the bottle, make sure it’s on tight and shake well so that the ingredients mix together, forming a solution. This can be used to clean everything from walls to water stains to trash bins.
Important: If you have granite countertops in your apartment, steer clear of vinegar-based cleaning solutions, as they damage the stone over time. Opt for a baking soda-based solution instead. Check out the instructions below.
Baking Soda & Warm Water Cleaning Solutions
Baking soda and warm water are a match made in cleaning heaven. That’s why it’s one of the most popular DIY cleaning solutions out there. Here are a few of our favorite ways to utilize this dynamic duo.
Basic Baking Soda Kitchen Cleaner:
Baking soda is great for cleaning almost everything in your kitchen, from countertops to refrigerators, to appliances. Mix 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 quart of warm water. Take a cleaning rag, submerge it in the solution, then use it to clean all around your kitchen.
Baking Soda Water Ring Removal:
If you’re dealing with water rings on wood, a simple mix of baking soda and some gel-based toothpaste can resolve the issue in a pinch. Mix about 1 tablespoon of gel toothpaste with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Dip a damp cloth in the mixture, then rub the water ring to remove it from the wood. For best results, go against the grain.
Baking Soda Tub Cleaner:
Instead of pouring bleach into your tub, consider this alternative, natural solution. It’s free of toxins and simple to make. It also smells good, thanks to the anti-bacterial essential oils it includes. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 10 drops of either tea tree or peppermint essential oil. Add 1 teaspoon of castile soap, forming a paste. Add water as needed. Coat your entire tub with the paste, then rub it in with a soft sponge. Allow the paste to sit for about five minutes before rinsing it off with the showerhead.
Clean Naturally With Lemon
Lemon boasts natural aseptic cleaning properties, making it a popular ingredient in many DIY natural cleaning solutions. Lemons are acidic and naturally antibacterial. Plus, the fresh scent of lemons just smells “clean.” You can use lemon juice to clean your apartment naturally in the following ways:
- Clean Your Microwave with lemon and water.
- Remove counter stains by soaking them in lemon juice to break down whatever caused the mark. After you’ve allowed it to work it’s magic (it will only need a few minutes), pour some baking soda onto the juice, then wipe away the stain with a warm cloth.
- Clean glassware and windows with lemon juice. Mix the lemon juice with vinegar for an extra powerful natural glass cleaning solution.
Bonus Tip: Create Your Own Spray Bottles
Instead of purchasing plastic spray bottles, you can repurpose glass bottles for a more eco-friendly, toxic-free option. We think Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar bottles do it best.
