20 Best Organic Cleaners for Simple Organic Living

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Switching to organic cleaners might sound like a lot of work, but it’s easier than it looks. DIY cleaners are easy to make, last a long time, and cost less than traditional cleaners, which contain harsh chemicals and toxins. 

To help you start your journey to organic living, I have put together a beginner’s guide to make the transition as seamless as possible! Whether you want to purchase organic brands in the store or create your own, you will find what you need below.

How do you Clean Your House Organically?

Here are the top 20 organic cleaners for organic living.

Some are DIY homemade organic cleaner recipes, some are all natural ingredients, and for those who want added convenience, some are store bought.

Make sure to catch my coupon codes for my favorite store bought cleaners below!

This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission on your purchases at no additional cost to you.

What is Organic Cleaning?

If you’re new to organic cleaning, you may wonder what it actually means. When I first started learning more about organic cleaning, I was intimidated by my lack of knowledge.

So to make it easy for those who may feel the same way, here is a simple answer! Organic cleaning is simply using natural ingredients that are free from harmful chemicals.

In my simple way of thinking about it, I hearken it to the “olden days” before chemical additives were a normal addition to household cleaners.

Basic Ingredients to Have on Hand for DIY Organic Cleaners

My journey to living an organic lifestyle has been continuous and ever-changing.

I started looking for natural cleaning options after I had my children. I needed something that could stand their messes without accidentally exposing them to harmful chemicals when they put something in their mouth off the floor or counter.

After searching for a solution, I was able to find great organic products that were sold at my department store, some that I still use to this day.

However, any green-living expert or organic devotee will tell you that the best natural cleaning products are the ones that you make yourself!

If you are planning to make your own organic cleaners, here are the natural cleaning ingredients I always keep on hand:

1. White vinegar
2. Liquid castile soap or Sal Suds
3. Natural salt
4. Baking soda
5. Borax
6. Washing soda
7. Hydrogen peroxide
8. Lemons
9. Microfiber cloths
10. Essential oils (this is my favorite brand)
11. Glass spray bottles

These ingredients in various combinations are what you will use to create cleaners for your bathroom, kitchen, countertops, and everyday household use.

For the powders, I love to use these classic glass jars for storage. Then, I use my Cricut and make labels so I know exactly what I’m using.

Here are some basic DIY organic cleaner recipes to get you started in your transition to chemical free cleaning!

Introductory Recipes for DIY Organic Cleaners

DIY Organic All-Purpose Cleaner

So, now that you have stocked your house for success, it is time to start making and bottling your own cleaners and detergents. An easy recipe to start with is the classic All-Purpose Cleaner. 

Gather the following ingredients from your cabinet and get ready to clean green!

All-Purpose Organic Cleaner Ingredients 

• 1 tsp borax
• 1/2 tsp washing soda
• 1 tsp liquid castile soap
• Essential oils of choice – I use four drops lemon, four drops lavender, and ten drops orange
• Glass spray bottle for storage

All-Purpose Cleaner Instructions

1. Place borax, washing soda, and soap in a spray bottle (preferably glass)
2. Add 2 cups of warm water. Distilled is best, but any water that has been boiled and cooled will work.
3. Add essential oils of choice (I prefer orange, lemon, and lime)
4. Cover bottle and shake well. 

This beginners guide does not stop here! If you are eager to start making your own organic cleaners and don’t want to stop at the all purpose cleaner recipe, I have included a few more to help get you started. 

These are recipes that have been passed on to me. Feel free to use them or do your own research to find out what works best for you and your family.

Dishwashing Organic Cleaner | DIY Liquid Dish Soap

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups boiling water
• 1 Tbsp borax
• 1 Tbsp grated bar soap (You can use homemade soap)
• 15-20 drops essential oils (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat water to boiling.
2. Combine Borax and grated bar soap in a medium bowl.
3. Pour hot water over the mixture. Whisk until the grated soap is completely melted.
4. Allow mixture to cool on the countertop for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Dish soap will gel upon standing.
5. Transfer to a squirt bottle, and add essential oils. Shake well to combine.
6. Now you’re ready to use your liquid dish soap.

DIY Laundry Organic Cleaner

Ingredients 

• 4 cups Borax
• 4 cups washing soda
• 2 cups baking soda
• 4 cups lye-based bar soap or Castile bar soap—about 2-4 bars, grated 
• 10-20 drops of essential oil optional for scent

Instructions

1. Cut the bar soap into large chunks with a knife.
2. Grate the soap chunks with a fine cheese grater or throw the chunks into the food processor and blend into as fine of a powder as you can make.
3. In a large plastic tub or bucket, mix the Borax, washing soda, and baking soda together (Washing soda, baking soda, and Borax are natural ingredients but can be mild skin irritants, so wear gloves and mask.)
4. Thoroughly mix in the grated/powdered bar soap.
5. Stir in 10-20 drops of essential oil.
6. Store in a covered, airtight container.

If your powder has trouble completely dissolving, try mixing it in a little hot water before adding it to the laundry. Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load, and you are ready to wash!

These recipes are also a great way to save money on laundry. You can save over half on your laundry bill by switching!

DIY Toilet Organic Cleaner Recipe

This toilet bowl formula can take care of nasty rings in your commode, or any other tough toilet cleaning task. It leaves a sparkling bowl and eliminates stale toilet odors.

Ingredients 

• ¾ cup borax
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl or squirt bottle.
2. Swish water around inside of the toilet bowl with a toilet brush, or simply flush to wet the inside of the bowl.
3. Pour the entire mixture into the toilet bowl, and allow it to sit for several hours or overnight. Make sure family members do not use the toilet during this time.
4. Scrub the bowl and flush the toilet to rinse.

Now that you have options for DIY organic cleaners, let’s talk about what you can find in the store if you’d rather purchase them ready to use.

For really tough toilet stains, try making these organic toilet cleaner balls!

How to Get Deodorant Build Up Out of Clothes

This is potentially an embarrassing problem to have, but we all have dealt with it I’m sure. How to get deodorant stains out of black shirts, or dark clothing, has been a questioned I’ve asked for years. I have thrown away many tops because none of the store bought detergents were working to remove that white build up.

So here is a simple DIY option for how to get deodorant build up out of clothes, that actually works!

1. Wet armpit areas of the clothing.
2. Spray hydrogen peroxide onto the build up.
3. Next, spray the DIY all purpose cleaner recipe above onto the arm pit area.
4. Dump 2 tablespoons of baking soda over top the now-saturated deodorant build up.
5. Use a tooth brush to scrub the mixture into the stain, breaking up the build up. The baking soda should not have any clumps left after scrubbing.
6. Let the clothes sit with the solution on it for 45 minutes.
7. Wash as normal.

If you have very heavy deodorant build up, you can do this process twice, making sure to scrub the interior of the top as well as the outside.

Store-Bought Organic Cleaners

There is good news for those of you who want to transition to natural cleaners, but feel intimidated by a DIY option.

There are store-bought cleaners with healthy ingredients that make it even easier! While recently I have found joy in making my own DIY cleaners, I started my journey with store-bought options. 

Utilizing store-bought options made it simple for me to keep my house clean while keeping my family safe.

Here are some store-bought green cleaners I’ve used over the years and love:

1. Thieves Household Cleaner – This cleaner works throughout the home on almost any surface. It is derived of plant based ingredients and is toxin free. Search 3743 or Thieves Household Cleaner.
   
2. Branch Basics – I really enjoy this non-DIY option. It is a concentrated cleaner that was developed by a mother with a chemically sensitive son. Branch Basics is my number one store bought option. Thankfully, they have partnered with me to offer you a coupon! You can use code GRACEINMYSPACE for 15% off starter kits.
   
3. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds Concentrate – This is a coconut-based natural formula that cleans great. One drop added to two quarts of water is enough to clean carpet stains! 
   
4. Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap Concentrate – For personal care uses, gentle house cleaning, foaming hand soap and more.
   
5. Dropps laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent  – These are great if you decide not to make them on your own! It is safe and works better than leading brands loaded with harsh chemicals. Use code SARAH15 for 15% off!
   
6. E-Cloth Home Cleaning Set, Microfiber Cleaning Cloths – Instantly equip yourself with all you need for a sparkling home with the E-Cloth Home Cleaning Set. I can literally clean my entire house with just water! 

Want to tour my recent bathroom remodel? Learn all about the modern organic design I chose in these posts!

• Organic Modern Bathroom Design Plans
• Tile Shower Cost Breakdown
• How to Mix Metals in Bathroom Finishes
• Guest Bathroom Essentials List for Easy Hosting

What’s Next in the Organic Living Series?

This beginner’s guide is just the start of my Organic Living Series. I am excited for you to go on this green cleaning adventure with me.

As I said, this journey we will embark on is continuous and will change and evolve as we all learn more about healthy and environmentally friendly options to incorporate into our lives. 

Here are some items you can look forward to in the near future: green back to school supplies, toilet bomb recipe, how to clean your garbage disposal, how to clean your stove, tricks to sustainable everyday habits, tutorial videos, and much more!

I also want to encourage people to share their own recipes and journeys below! I am always open to try new things and would love for you to share your favorites with me as well.

Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! Make sure to subscribe below for access to my free printable library!

You can also follow along with me daily on Instagram and weekly on YouTube! Happy cleaning!