This homemade cleaning solution not only works, it saves you money and reduces waste! Try this effective DIY all purpose cleaning spray on the dirtiest areas in your home! (Originally published in April 2016. Revised and updated 2/24/2020)
Don’t you just love it when you open the microwave door and get slapped with the realization that you live with heathens? I kid. One of them can’t even see inside of it, even when standing on the step stool. And we don’t really use it that much!
Anyway, the crumbs and splatters had me grasping under the sink for my bottle of DIY All Purpose Spray. It was nearly empty! And I haven’t made a new batch in I don’t know how long! I had to search my site for this cleaning tutorial.
That’s when I realized that I don’t use it as often as I used to because our new house has granite counters and soooo much tile. This all purpose cleaning spray shouldn’t be used on marble, tile, granite, and other natural stone surfaces. But, don’t you worry, I have an amazing DIY Granite Spray so we’re good!
Related: Unconventional ways I motivate myself to clean.
Combining tasks that I don’t like with something I do enjoy, like crafting and DIY projects, has great results! I like making things, so when I make my cleaning products I am motivated to use them. But when something works (and costs less) I keep making it long after the novelty wears off.
The Homemade DIY All Purpose Cleaning Spray
- 1/3 cup of distilled white vinegar
- 1/3 cup of Vodka (get the the cheap stuff for cleaning!)
- About 15 drops of melaleuca essential oil (also known as tea tree oil)
- 1-2 drops of lemon essential oil
- About 1.5 cups of warm water
- Approximately 5 drops liquid dish soap, I use Lemishine Dish Soap (which is excellent at cutting through grease and grime) in this solution or the blue Dawn
- A 16 oz spray bottle, (use a dark glass spray bottle if you plan to use more than a drop or two of the lemon essential oil.) Citrus oils break down plastic and can be broken down by light. I like to use a plastic bottle for this solution. My tile floor is hard and broken glass sucks!
Homemade all purpose cleaning spray directions:
Mix the ingredients in the spray bottle, saving the soap for last. I like to add the soap last so that the solution doesn’t get too bubbly. Then gently shake the bottle. It’s ready to use!
This homemade cleaning spray works wonders on:
- toilets and surrounding area
- pet soil
- inside the microwave
- the outside of the instant pot, rice cooker, can opener
- the inside of the refrigerator
- cleaning the outside and tops of the washing machine and dryer
- plastic patio furniture
Vinegar breaks down urine (especially boy urine that didn’t land in the toilet) and aids the vodka in killing germs.
Tea Tree is also a disinfectant, astringent and has all sorts of anti-yucky properties. It stunts the formation of mold and mildew, is antifungal, and antibacterial. Also, A little goes a long way.
The lemon essential oil cuts the sharp smell of the tea tree essential oil and is great for cleaning.
I spray the solution on the toilets and wall in the bathroom and let it sit for about 10 minutes before wiping it down once a week or so.
In the refrigerator, I found that it breaks up any dried out gunk or food that sometimes ends up stuck on the shelves or in the door. It even worked perfectly on old crusty barbecue sauce that one of my kids spilled in the fridge and covered up. I let it sit on the mess for a couple of minutes and it wipes right off.
When you would rather make messes craft than clean, having an all purpose spray makes things much more efficient and likelier to get done!
Reduce waste by making eco friendly cleaning products
Instead of buying a new spray bottle of cleaning solution every few weeks, the ingredients you buy for homemade cleaning supplies like this DIY all purpose spray will allow you to make many refills in the same bottle, reducing the number of plastic bottles being added to the landfill. It works well, is less expensive, and takes only a few minutes to make. So why not??!
Looking for more DIY recipes for your home?
Make one of these easy homemade air fresheners this weekend!
Kristen Hewitt says
Totally making this! Thank you!
Kristen Hewitt recently posted…Easy DIY Crayon Party Favors
Susan says
This is perfect timing. I’ve been thinking about switching to a DIY Cleaner. Thanks for sharing at the This Is How We Roll Link Party at Organized 31.
Savanna says
This sounds awesome! I would love to make my own cleaning spray! I use vinegar all the time to clean out bottles and sippy cups… I never thought about alcohol! 🙂
Savanna recently posted…May Designs: Meal Planner after Weight-loss Surgery
Kristen says
What’s the advantage of making this – less toxic? How does it smell…like does your house smell like a bar? Curious!
Kristen recently posted…What Parents Can Learn from Curt Schilling
Echo says
You know, you could just put good vodka in the spray bottle by itself and then, tell people you need to go “clean”.
Echo recently posted…{Almost} Wordless Wednesday with Snow!
Herchel says
I thought of that lol. Hide in a corner and clean my mouth 🙂