One of my favorite cleaning combos is lemon essential oil and baking soda! This homemade all purpose cleaner recipe is powered by essential oils. Bonus! It is super easy to make – and to make ahead so you can store extra for convenience and make up an extra batch as you’re cleaning.
Table of Contents:
Why Homemade All Purpose Cleaners?
So many household cleaning products on the market today are incredibly unhealthy for you and your family. Labels include known carcinogens and toxic ingredients such as:
- Sodium laurel sulfate (known skin and eye irritant)
- Ammonia (a category 3 toxin)
- Bleach (damages both skin and lungs)
- Synthetic fragrances (over 3,000 different chemicals!)
- and more….
That’s why this homemade all purpose cleaner I developed avoids harsh chemicals known to damage lungs and introduce toxins to your home. Instead you’ll see I focus on safe ingredients, and powerful essential oils that are proven to CLEAN!
- Baking soda is naturally deodorizing so it’s great for cleaning anything from your kitchen sink to your glass stove top, pots and pans, bathtub, or the pet’s water dish.
- Lemon essential oil is also great at killing off bacteria which causes odors and the fresh scent is always a welcome addition on cleaning day.
Another great use for this homemade all purpose cleaner blend is to use as a carpet deodorizer! Sprinkle on and let sit overnight. Then vacuum! The baking soda draws the bad smells out of the carpet and the lemon helps too. (Be sure to test a small spot first to make sure your carpet or upholstery is color-safe and won’t fade!)
For less stubborn areas, try my DIY Kitchen Cleaner recipe
This cleaning powder recipe is great for cleaning sinks, pans, stovetops and more!
- ½ cup baking soda
- 5 drops lemon essential oil
- 5 drops sweet or wild orange essential oil
- 5 drops grapefruit essential oil
- Cheese shaker jar or glass jar for storage
- Combine the baking soda and essential oils in a glass jar and shake until thoroughly mixed. The mixture will be powdery, like a conventional store-bought cleaner.
- Use as you would a typical cleaner- sprinkle a bit on the surface you want to clean, then use a damp cloth to make a bit of a paste and scrub. Wipe away with a clean wet cloth.
For a little extra cleaning power, spray the soiled area with white vinegar before sprinkling on the cleanser and add an additional drop of one of the essential oils to the surface.