The Best Natural Cleaning Ingredients from Your Kitchen

Introduction

Cleaning and keeping your home sanitary is important. However, many commercial cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that can be harmful to your health and the environment. The good news is that you likely have several effective, natural cleaning ingredients already in your kitchen pantry and fridge. In this article, I will share my 10 favorite natural cleaning ingredients that you can use to make your own safe, eco-friendly cleaners.

Baking Soda

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a mild alkali that makes an excellent natural cleaning powder. It works to neutralize acidic odors and is a gentle abrasive that lifts dirt and stains.

Here are some of the top uses for baking soda as a natural cleaner:

• Fridge deodorizer – Keep an open box of baking soda in your fridge and freezer to absorb odors. Replace every 30 days.
• Oven cleaner – Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of your oven. Spray with water and let sit overnight before scrubbing away baked-on grime.
• Drain cleaner – Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the kitchen sink drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. The chemical reaction will break up grease and grime. Flush with hot water.
• Tub scrub – Sprinkle baking soda on a damp tub or tile surface. Use a sponge or brush with warm water to scrub away soap scum.

White Vinegar

White vinegar, which contains acetic acid, has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties that make it useful for cleaning and disinfecting many surfaces.

Some of my favorite uses for white vinegar include:

• All-purpose cleaner – Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Use on most surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom.
• Glass cleaner – Mix 2 cups water, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 1 tablespoon corn starch. Spray on windows and mirrors and wipe with a microfiber cloth.
• Disinfectant – Wipe counters, sinks, and other surfaces with full-strength white vinegar to kill bacteria.
• Mold remover – Fill a spray bottle with undiluted vinegar and spray on moldy grout or shower curtains. Let sit for 1 hour before rinsing. The vinegar will help break down mold and mildew.

Lemon Juice

The natural acidity in lemon juice gives it grease-cutting and antibacterial properties. Like vinegar, lemon juice can be used to make effective, non-toxic cleaners.

My top uses for lemon juice are:

• Stainless steel polish – Rub full-strength lemon juice on stainless steel and chrome fixtures. Rinse and dry with a soft cloth. The citric acid will help remove streaks and discoloration.
• Copper cleaner – Mix lemon juice with salt or baking soda to make a paste. Apply to copper pans and fixtures to remove tarnish.
• Dusting – Add lemon juice to a small spray bottle of water. Use on wood furniture to clean and add shine as you dust.
• Garbage disposal freshener – Pour a 1/2 cup of lemon juice down the disposal and let sit for 5 minutes before running the water. This will help remove odors.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is composed of just hydrogen and oxygen molecules. When broken down, it releases oxygen which can help lift stains from fabric and kill germs and bacteria.

Some cleaning uses for hydrogen peroxide include:

• Disinfectant – Wipe down counters and other kitchen and bathroom surfaces with a 50/50 dilution of water and hydrogen peroxide.
• Mold removal – Apply full-strength hydrogen peroxide to moldy areas in your shower or other damp places. Let sit for 10 minutes before rinsing and scrubbing.
• Stain remover – For clothes and fabric stains, apply hydrogen peroxide directly to the stain before laundering. Check for colorfastness first.
• Drain cleaner – Pour 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide down the drain followed by 1/2 cup baking soda. Let fizz for 5 minutes then rinse with hot water.

Castile Soap

Castile soap is made only from vegetable oils like olive, coconut, or palm. It’s a versatile natural cleaner that can be diluted with water to make soaps and detergents for dishes, laundry, hands, and more.

Some great uses for Castile soap include:

• All-purpose cleaner – Mix a few drops of Castile soap with water in a spray bottle. Use on most surfaces.
• Hand soap – Dilute Castile soap 1:1 with water and use by sinks to wash hands.
• Dish soap – Add a drop or two of Castile soap to your dishwater or dilute 1:1 for handwashing dishes.
• Vegetable wash – Add 1-2 drops of Castile soap to a bowl of water. Soak produce to remove dirt and residue.

Castile soap typically comes scent-free, but you can add your own essential oils if desired.

Washing Soda

Also known as sodium carbonate, washing soda is a more heavy-duty alkaline cleaner. It helps soak up grease and soften water.

When diluted with water, washing soda can be used for:

• Oven cleaner – Make a thick paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part washing soda. Apply to oven walls and let sit overnight before scrubbing.
• Drain opener – Pour 1/2 cup washing soda down the kitchen drain followed by 1/2 cup vinegar. Let fizz for 5 minutes then flush with hot water.
• Laundry booster – Add 1/2 cup washing soda to laundry to help remove tough stains and odors.
• All-purpose cleaner – Mix 1 tablespoon washing soda per 1 cup of warm water for a heavy-duty cleaner.

Be sure to wear gloves when handling washing soda as it can be drying to the skin. Rinse surfaces thoroughly after use.

Essential Oils

Many popular essential oils like lemon, clove, oregano, tea tree, lavender, and orange also have natural disinfectant abilities. When added to cleaners, essential oils provide a fresh, natural scent.

Some of my favorite ways to use essential oils for cleaning include:

• Disinfectant spray – Add 5-10 drops of tea tree, lemon, or lavender oil to a diluted Castile soap spray.
• Fridge deodorizer – Place 3-5 drops total of lemon, orange, and/or lavender oil on a paper towel. Place in fridge.
• Floor cleaner – Add 10 drops each lemon and lavender oil to a bucket of water. Mop floors for a clean, fresh scent.
• Laundry booster – Add 5 drops each of lemon and lavender oils to laundry before washing.

Be sure to never ingest essential oils or apply undiluted to the skin. Always perform a skin test before widespread use.

Salt

Table salt works as an effective, eco-friendly scouring agent. The coarse grains gently lift dirt and stains from a variety of surfaces.

Some of the top uses for salt as a natural cleaner are:

• Cast iron pan scrub – Sprinkle coarse salt on cookware. Scrub with a paper towel or sponge to remove stuck-on food. Rinse thoroughly.
• Coffee pot cleaner – Add ice, salt, and lemon rinds to the empty pot. Swish around and scrub to remove stains and buildup.
• Drain cleaner – Pour 1/2 cup salt down the kitchen drain followed by 1/2 cup baking soda. Add 1 cup vinegar and let fizz for 5 minutes before rinsing.

Be sure to use kosher or sea salt rather than iodized table salt for cleaning purposes. The additives in table salt can leave residue.

Coconut Oil

The fatty acids in coconut oil help break up grime. It can be used to condition and shine wood as well as lift grease and lubricate stuck parts.

Some of my favorite uses for coconut oil as a cleaner are:

• Furniture polish – Rub a small amount of melted coconut oil into wood furniture with a soft cloth. Buff to a shine.
• Sticky residue remover – Apply coconut oil to sticker residue or tape marks. Let sit for 5-10 minutes then rub off.
• Rust remover – Rub coconut oil onto rust spots on metal tools, bike chains, etc. Let sit before rubbing off rust. Reapply if needed.
• Squeaky door lubricant – Rub coconut oil onto hinge pins and sliding mechanisms on squeaky doors and drawers.

Be sure to wipe excess oil off treated surfaces to avoid greasy buildup over time.

Cornstarch

The fine powder of cornstarch works well to absorb grease and oil. It can be used for light cleaning and to add friction to scrub away dirt.

Some cleaning uses for cornstarch include:

• Greasy stove cleaner – Sprinkle cornstarch on greasy stove burners and grates. Rub with a damp cloth to absorb grease.
• Oil absorbing – Sprinkle cornstarch on an oil spill on concrete. Let sit for 15 minutes before sweeping up to absorb the slick.
• Glass cleaner – Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch in 1/2 cup of vinegar. Dip a cloth in the solution and wipe windows clean.
• Furniture polish – Mix cornstarch into a small amount of olive oil. Rub onto wood furniture with a soft cloth to clean and polish.

Distilled White Vinegar

White vinegar contains acetic acid that helps cut through grease, soap scum, and mineral deposits naturally. It has antibacterial properties and works as a deodorizer as well.

Some of my favorite cleaning uses for white vinegar are:

• All-purpose cleaner – Mix 1 part vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle. Use to clean most surfaces.
• Glass cleaner – Mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water. Spray on windows and mirrors and wipe clean with newspaper or a lint-free cloth.
• Disinfectant – Wipe down counters, sinks, and appliances with full strength vinegar to kill bacteria. Let air dry.
• Mold remover – Spray undiluted vinegar on tile grout or shower curtains with mold growth. Let sit 1 hour before scrubbing and rinsing.

White vinegar is safe for most surfaces but should be avoided on natural stone, waxed wood, and aluminum. Always test on an inconspicuous area first.

Conclusion

With these 10 natural cleaning ingredients from your pantry and fridge, you can save money and avoid exposing your family to harsh chemical cleaners. Baking soda, vinegar, lemon, hydrogen peroxide, Castile soap, essential oils, salt, coconut oil, cornstarch, and washing soda each have unique properties that make them invaluable natural cleaners. Start experimenting to find the perfect combinations for tackling dirt, stains, grease, and grime in your home.