How To Prepare A Homemade Surface Cleaner?

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cropped picture of a woman wiping a floor with a sponge

How To Prepare A Homemade Surface Cleaner?

By : Jessica Williams
The various surfaces in your home get dirty to varying degrees depending on how commonly and frequently household areas are used and visited. For instance, surfaces in your kitchen and bathroom are dirtier than those in other rooms because they are high-traffic areas. To sanitise different spots in your home, you can invest in commercial cleaners. However, using them is not the best for the well-being of your household members, pets and the environment. Most commercial cleaners contain carcinogens, toxins and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Their repeated and prolonged exposure causes chronic respiratory diseases, allergies, headaches, skin rashes and in extreme cases, cancer. The alternatives to these harmful cleaners are homemade surface cleaners made from natural and non-toxic ingredients. Even professional end of lease cleaners in Adelaide who need cleaning products in bulk use organic alternatives to prevent pollution of indoor air and maintain the purity of the environment. Thus, you should try using natural and safe cleaners while sanitising your home. Here are some recipes by green end of lease cleaning experts in Adelaide for preparing homemade surface cleaners using economical and natural ingredients found in every household.

All-Purpose Cleaner

Rather than buying a multipurpose commercial cleaner with chemicals, it is best to make one at home with ingredients you can easily find in your pantry or kitchen. Things you will need to make this cleaner are mentioned as follows.
  • A spray bottle or a bucket
  • Warm water
  • White vinegar
  • An organic soap – it can be Castile soap, a concentration made with soap nuts, or any other liquid surfactant
  • Any anti-microbial essential oil of choice, but it is best to use lemon, tea tree, or eucalyptus oil.
  • Baking soda (optional)
In the container of choice, add water and white vinegar in equal proportions, mixing them thoroughly. To this solution, add one-two tablespoons of liquid soap and 10-15 drops of essential oil before remixing the ingredients. You can use this versatile cleaner to sanitise almost any surface in your house. It can clean tiles, cement, wood, stainless steel, plastic, acrylic, laminates, and many other materials. However, don’t use this cleaner on natural stone surfaces such as granite, marbles, limestone, quartzite etc. These porous surfaces get damaged due to the acetic acid in white vinegar which can corrode natural stones. You can substitute baking soda with white vinegar when cleaning these surfaces, as sodium bicarbonate is mildly abrasive and can clean natural stone surfaces without damaging them.

Glass and Mirror Cleaner

Mirrors and glass surfaces like cooktops, shower glass, window panes etc. get dirty and grimy, requiring regular cleaning. To sanitise these surfaces like green end of lease cleaners in Adelaide who use organic products, make a runny paste of baking soda, a natural soap (liquid) and water. Apply this paste liberally on the mirror or glass surface and let it dwell for at least 15-30 minutes. Take a wet sponge or soft-bristled brush to scrub and remove any stains, dirt or grime. Wash the surface if possible or clean with a wet microfiber cloth and wipe with a rubber squeegee to prevent streaks from forming.

Floor Cleaner

Floors are among the dirtiest surfaces in your house, especially those in the bathroom, kitchen, and living room. Besides removing physical pollutants from floors by sweeping, it is essential you mop them with a potent cleanser. To make a natural and safe floor cleaner, here are the things you will need.
  • Warm water
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • White vinegar (don’t add if you have natural stone floors)
  • Liquid soap made from vegetable oil, soap nuts, or any other organic ingredients
  • An essential oil of choice
In a bucket, pour 1-1.5 litres of warm water and add 500 ml white vinegar, 250 ml rubbing alcohol, one-two tablespoons of oil, and about ten drops of essential oil. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and mop the floors with the solution after vacuuming or brooming. This cleaner is excellent for sanitising wooden, tiled, laminated, cement, and various other floors except for natural stone ones. For cleaning marble, granite, sandstone, and other natural stone floors, make a simple solution of warm water, baking soda, and soap. This solution will not only sanitise stone floors but also deodorise the surfaces.

The Bottom Line

Over the years, more people have become aware of the harmful and ill effects of commercial surface cleaners. These products cause various health problems and harm the environment too because of which many end of lease cleaning experts in Adelaide use natural and organic cleaners. Therefore, if you want to clean surfaces in your home like professional green cleaners, follow the recipes shared above to make homemade and safe surface cleaners. Use them to effectively and efficiently sanitise household areas without exposing your family members to dangerous chemicals.