How to Make Your Own Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Learn how to make homemade cleaning solutions with vinegar, soap, and alcohol, plus other DIY cleaning recipes and reusable, low-waste supplies.

Making your own homemade cleaning solution is surprisingly easy, and chances are you already have some of the ingredients already in your kitchen pantry.

With just a little vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, or rubbing alcohol, you can tackle plenty of everyday messes without constantly buying new bottles of cleaner. Even better, you can avoid using toxic chemicals found in traditional cleaners around your home, kids, and pets. 

For the ultimate low-waste kitchen, you can pair your DIY all purpose cleaner with reusable paper towels, Swedish dish cloths, and refillable containers to help cut down on wasteful and costly wipes, paper towels, and plastic! 

Why Make Your Own Cleaning Products?

You don't need a cabinet full of specialty cleaners for every different type of task to keep your home looking its best. Most people think they need a specific branded type of cleaner for their toilets, counters, showers, countertops … the list goes on. 

The reality is that for lots of everyday tasks, a few basic ingredients can handle dirt, grease, soap residue, and other common household messes.

Making your own cleaning products also offers a few benefits:

• Less packaging waste: You can refill the same bottles instead of purchasing new plastic containers
• Simple ingredients: Know exactly what's going into your homemade cleaning solutions
• Potential savings: Common household ingredients are often inexpensive
• Less clutter: A few versatile cleaners can replace several specialty products

Of course, DIY cleaners aren't appropriate for every job. Some surfaces need specialty products, and situations requiring disinfection call for products with demonstrated germ-killing effectiveness.

But for regular household cleaning? You can do quite a bit with just a few ingredients, so let’s go over what you need for cleaning sprays and wipes including a DIY all purpose cleaner with alcohol, and a vinegar alcohol cleaning solution.

What Ingredients You Need to Make Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Before getting into the recipes, let's look at a few ingredients you’ll want to have on hand that are commonly used in various DIY cleaning product recipes.

Vinegar

White distilled vinegar is popular for homemade cleaning because its acidity helps dissolve certain mineral deposits, soap residue, and buildup.

It's particularly useful for cleaning glass surfaces and removing hard-water spots.

However, vinegar isn't suitable for every material, so be sure to avoid using it on natural stone like marble and limestone, and check manufacturer recommendations before applying it to grout, wood, or delicate finishes.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol, also called isopropyl alcohol, evaporates relatively quickly, making it useful for cleaning certain glass and other compatible hard surfaces.

You'll find it in recipes for DIY all purpose cleaner with alcohol, but remember that diluting rubbing alcohol does change its concentration and effectiveness.

Always check surface compatibility, use in a ventilated area, and keep alcohol-based products away from heat and flames.

How to Make Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Now for the fun part!

These homemade cleaning solution recipes use basic ingredients and require very little preparation.

Just remember to test any new cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area first.

DIY All-Purpose Cleaner With Vinegar

This simple vinegar-based cleaner works well for many acid-resistant surfaces, including certain glass and ceramic surfaces.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1 cup water
• A clean, reusable spray bottle

Instructions:

• Pour the vinegar and water into your spray bottle
• Secure the lid and gently shake to combine
• Spray onto a compatible surface and wipe clean with a reusable cloth

This solution can help with everyday residue and light mineral buildup.

DIY All-Purpose Cleaner With Alcohol

Looking for a homemade cleaning solution that dries quickly and can be put in a spray bottle? An alcohol-based cleaner can be useful for certain hard, nonporous surfaces.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol
• ½ cup water
• A clean spray bottle suitable for alcohol-based liquids

Instructions:

• Add the rubbing alcohol and water to your bottle.
• Close the bottle and gently mix.
• Apply to a compatible surface and wipe with a clean cloth.

Avoid using it on delicate finishes, certain plastics, or painted surfaces. Rubbing alcohol is also flammable, so keep it away from heat and open flames.

Can You Make a DIY Disinfectant Spray at Home?

For everyday household maintenance, regular cleaning is often enough. However, you will want to follow a specific ratio for making a disinfectant solution. 

Just an important reminder: never mix bleach with vinegar, rubbing alcohol, or other cleaning products.

How to Make Reusable DIY Disinfectant Wipes

Love the convenience of grabbing a cleaning wipe for quick messes, but don’t want to contribute to the waste that comes with disposable wipes? You don't have to give that up when switching to DIY cleaning products.

Reusable cloth wipes offer a washable alternative to disposable wipes, and they're easy to incorporate into your routine.

The ZWS Essentials Reusable Disinfectant Wipes DIY Kit includes 18 reusable cloths measuring 6 by 7 inches, along with a glass storage jar and metal lid.

The jar features measurement markings for preparing a cleaning solution, making it convenient to refill and simple to follow.

Here's how to get started:

• Prepare a cleaning solution appropriate for your surfaces
• Follow the kit's instructions for filling the jar
• Add the cloths and allow them to absorb the solution
• Use the wipes for compatible everyday cleaning tasks
• Wash and reuse the cloths when they're dirty

Note, the kit doesn't include cleaning ingredients!

We recommend you avoid storing homemade water-based mixtures in a sealed jar for extended periods. It’s best to make small batches for immediate use. Don’t worry, the ingredients themselves are inexpensive and easily accessible.

Reusable Supplies for Your Homemade Cleaning Products

Making the cleaning solution is only part of your zero-waste cleaning routine. Adding a few more reusable and eco-friendly items to your home makes a huge difference. 

Refillable Glass Bottles

Instead of buying a new plastic container every time you run out of cleaner, consider keeping a refillable bottle on hand. The ZeroWasteStore Amber Glass Pump Bottle is a 16-ounce glass dispenser with a removable metal pump.

It's designed for refillable liquid products, including soap and compatible cleaning liquids. Because it's a pump dispenser rather than a spray bottle, it's especially useful for dispensing liquid soap directly onto a cloth.

For spray recipes, use a separate spray bottle rated for the ingredients you're storing.

Reusable Paper Towels

How many paper towels do you go through cleaning your kitchen in a week?

Between wiping counters, cleaning the sink, and tackling everyday spills, those disposable sheets can add up quickly.

ZWS Essentials Reusable Paper Towels are made from GOTS-certified organic cotton flannel and come in packs of 12 or 24. They're washable, absorbent, and useful for everyday cleaning throughout the house.

Keep a few near your homemade cleaning solutions, then toss them in the laundry when they're dirty!

Washable Mop Covers

While we’ve mostly been talking about wiping down surfaces, don’t forget about your floors! You can apply the same reusable, zero-waste principles.

ZWS Essentials Reusable Mop Pads are made from 100% cotton and designed to fit standard Swiffer-style mop heads.

They come in packs of six or twelve and can be washed and reused instead of thrown away after cleaning.

Use them dry for sweeping and dusting, or pair them with a floor cleaner approved for your flooring material.

Tips for Using and Storing DIY Cleaning Products

Homemade cleaning products are straightforward, but a few precautions can help you use them safely.

• Label every bottle. Include the ingredients and preparation date.
• Never mix cleaning chemicals. Keep bleach separate from vinegar, alcohol, ammonia, and other cleaners.
• Check surface compatibility. Natural stone, finished wood, and delicate coatings may react poorly to DIY ingredients.
• Make small batches. Homemade water-based mixtures can become contaminated during storage.
• Store products safely. Keep cleaners away from children, pets, food, and heat sources.

For more ways to rethink your cleaning supplies, check out our guide to non-toxic cleaning products for a zero-waste home.

Keep Your Cleaning Routine Simple and Low-Waste

You don't need a complicated collection of products to keep your home clean.

A few homemade cleaning solutions, reusable cloths, and refillable containers can handle plenty of everyday tasks while reducing the amount of packaging and disposable cleaning supplies you go through.

Start with one recipe, see how it works for your routine, and build from there.

And if you're ready to make a few more changes around the house, check out our guide to living a zero-waste lifestyle with 10 easy tips and swaps.