Author: Sam Turnbull Published: April 16, 2025
5 from 3 votes
| 10 Comments
Ditch the store-bought sprays and make your own Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have! This powerful, affordable DIY cleaner is non-toxic, smells great, and is safe for your family, plus it makes your home sparkling clean. ✨
As someone who works in the kitchen recipe testing all day long, there’s a lot of cleaning that happens in our house. I don’t love the idea of using harsh chemicals at home, so over the years I’ve tested all kinds of homemade cleaning sprays using a wide variety of ingredients. Everything from orange peels, castile soap, dish soap, lemon juice, salt, fresh herbs, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, and countless DIY homemade cleaner recipes with different combinations. After all that experimenting, I finally nailed the perfect natural cleaner recipe… and it just so happens to be the simplest one! Just water, vinegar, and a few drops of essential oil. That’s it!
I know some people are hesitant to use cleaning products with vinegar because of the scent, but in this homemade cleaning spray, the essential oils do a great job masking it, and any remaining vinegar smell disappears quickly, leaving everything fresh and clean. We use this spray everywhere: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living room, and even our home office. It truly performs better than anything else I’ve tried, including the store-bought cleaners!
This homemade all-purpose cleaner leaves my countertops sparkling without any residue. It cuts through grease, freshens the air, and I love that it’s safe, eco-friendly, and super cheap to make. Just grab a clean, empty spray bottle and shake up a batch! You can upcycle a bottle you already have or pick one up at the store. Tip: I prefer using plastic spray bottles as glass spray bottles are heavy and can shatter if dropped.
Essential Oils for Cleaning & Their Benefits:
Essential oils not only help mask the vinegar smell, but they also boost cleaning power. You can buy individual essential oils, or if you want to experiment, picking up a mixed kit (likethis one) that contains all of the essential oils mentioned below can be a great way to get started. It allows you to explore different scents and combinations to find what you like best.
Here are some of the best essential oils for cleaning, along with notes on which ones are pet-safe. (While essential oils should never be applied directly to pets, these pet-safe options are generally considered safe when used in diluted cleaning sprays).
Powerful Cleaning Essential Oils:
- Lemon:Cuts grease, freshens, and boosts cleaning power.(pet-safe)
- Rosemary:Antiseptic and refreshing.
- Peppermint:Antimicrobial and deodorizing.
- Tea Tree Oil:Antibacterial, antifungal, and deodorizing.
- Eucalyptus:Antibacterial and great for bathrooms.
- Lavender:Antibacterial and deodorizing.(pet-safe)
- Orange:Cuts grease and deodorizes.(pet-safe)
- Ginger:Deodorizing and gentle cleanser.(pet-safe)
- Cedarwood:Natural deodorizer and insect repellent.(pet-safe)
- Frankincense:Antimicrobial and deodorizing.(pet-safe)
- Chamomile:Antibacterial and deodorizing.(pet-safe)
- Grapefruit:Cuts grease and deodorizes.(pet-safe)
- Lemongrass:Antibacterial and deodorizing.(use with caution around pets)
- Thyme:Strong antibacterial properties.
Make Your Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner Smell Amazing!
You can absolutely use just one kind of essential oil in your cleaning spray. Lemon, peppermint, and grapefruit are three of my favorites that work great on their own and smell lovely in any room of the house. But if you want to experiment with some unique scent combinations that also boost cleaning power, here are some fun blends I came up with (and yes, I gave them cute names)!
Essential Oil Cleaning Blends
🧼Kitchen Shine:Lemon + Rosemary + Peppermint. Cuts grease, deodorizes, and smells bright and herbal
🛁Bathroom Breeze:Tea Tree + Eucalyptus + Lavender. Kills bacteria, deodorizes, and smells like a spa
🍊Citrus Zing:Orange + Lemon + Ginger. Degreases with a warm citrus twist (Pet-safe)
🌲Woodsy Fresh:Cedarwood + Frankincense + Peppermint. Earthy, clean, and balanced with antimicrobial power (Pet-safe)
🌼Calm & Clean:Lavender + Chamomile + Lemon. Soft, floral-citrus scent with gentle antibacterial power (Pet-safe)
🌞Sunshine Scrub:Grapefruit + Lemongrass + Tea Tree. Zesty and citrusy with strong antibacterial power
🧊Mint Condition:Peppermint + Eucalyptus + Lemon. Crisp, and refreshing with antimicrobial power
🪴Garden Glow:Thyme + Lemon + Rosemary. Strong antibacterial power with a garden-fresh scent
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER:
- Choose your scent:Use one essential oil or create a custom blend.
- Mix:In a clean 16 oz spray bottle, add the vinegar, water, and essential oil(s) using a funnel. Screw on the lid and shake well.
- How to Use:Shake before each use (the oils can settle). Spray directly onto surfaces and wipe clean with a cloth or sponge.
- For stubborn grime or odors:Sprinkle a little baking soda on the surface first, then spray the cleaner over it. It will foam and bubble and be great scrub.
✅Safe for:Countertops, sinks, glass, appliances, and more
❌Avoid using on:Granite, marble, or other natural stone (vinegar can damage the surface)
Why You’ll Love This Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner:
- ✅ Natural, non-toxic, and safe for the whole family
- 💰 Budget-friendly – made with simple, affordable ingredients
- ✨ Powerful and effective – leaves every surface sparkling clean
If you try this cleaning spray recipe, let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram. You can also pin this recipe on Pinterest to save it for later!
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
5 from 3 votes
(click stars to vote)
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Skip the store-bought sprays! This Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner is natural, non-toxic, budget-friendly, and leaves your home sparkling clean. ✨
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Total: 5 minutes mins
Prep: 5 minutes mins
Total: 5 minutes mins
Servings: 1 16 oz / 473 ml spray bottle
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Ingredients
- 1 cup white vinegar, (cuts grease and disinfects)
- 1 cup distilled water, (tap or filtered water is okay if using within 1–2 weeks)
- 10-15 drops essential oil, (see notes for the best options and scent blends)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Choose your scent: Use one essential oil or create a custom blend. See the chart below for cleaning combos that smell amazing and work well. Learn more about each essential oil and its benefits in the notes.
Mix: In a clean 16 oz spray bottle, add the vinegar, water, and essential oil(s) using a funnel. Screw on the lid and shake well.
How to Use: Shake before each use (the oils can settle). Spray directly onto surfaces and wipe clean with a cloth or sponge.
For stubborn grime or odors: Sprinkle a little baking soda on the surface first, then spray the cleaner over it. It will foam and bubble and be great scrub.
✅ Safe for: Countertops, sinks, glass, appliances, and more
❌ Avoid using on: Granite, marble, or other natural stone (vinegar can damage the surface)
Notes
Essential Oils for Cleaning & Their Benefits:
Essential oils not only help mask the vinegar smell, but they also boost cleaning power. You can buy individual essential oils, or if you want to experiment, picking up a mixed kit (likethis one) that contains all of the essential oils mentioned below can be a great way to get started. It allows you to explore different scents and combinations to find what you like best.
Here are some of the best essential oils for cleaning, along with notes on which ones are pet-safe. (While essential oils should never be applied directly to pets, these pet-safe options are generally considered safe when used in diluted cleaning sprays).
Powerful Cleaning Essential Oils:
- Lemon: Cuts grease, freshens, and boosts cleaning power. (pet-safe)
- Rosemary: Antiseptic and refreshing.
- Peppermint: Antimicrobial and deodorizing.
- Tea Tree: Antibacterial, antifungal, and deodorizing.
- Eucalyptus: Antibacterial and great for bathrooms.
- Lavender: Antibacterial and deodorizing. (pet-safe)
- Orange: Cuts grease and deodorizes. (pet-safe)
- Ginger: Deodorizing and gentle cleanser. (pet-safe)
- Cedarwood: Natural deodorizer and insect repellent. (pet-safe)
- Frankincense: Antimicrobial and deodorizing. (pet-safe)
- Chamomile: Antibacterial and deodorizing. (pet-safe)
- Grapefruit: Cuts grease and deodorizes. (pet-safe)
- Lemongrass: Antibacterial and deodorizing. (use with caution around pets)
- Thyme: Strong antibacterial properties.
Essential Oil Cleaning Blends
Here are some of my favorite scent and cleaning power combos (I gave them all fun names too)!
🧼 Kitchen Shine: Lemon + Rosemary + Peppermint. Cuts grease, deodorizes, and smells bright and herbal
🛁 Bathroom Breeze: Tea Tree + Eucalyptus + Lavender. Kills bacteria, deodorizes, and smells like a spa
🍊 Citrus Zing:Orange + Lemon + Ginger. Degreases with a warm citrus twist (Pet-safe)
🌲 Woodsy Fresh:Cedarwood + Frankincense + Peppermint. Earthy, clean, and balanced with antimicrobial power (Pet-safe)
🌼 Calm & Clean: Lavender + Chamomile + Lemon. Soft, floral-citrus scent with gentle antibacterial power (Pet-safe)
🌞 Sunshine Scrub: Grapefruit + Lemongrass + Tea Tree. Zesty and citrusy with strong antibacterial power
🧊 Mint Condition: Peppermint + Eucalyptus + Lemon. Crisp, and refreshing with antimicrobial power
🪴 Garden Glow: Thyme + Lemon + Rosemary. Strong antibacterial power with a garden-fresh scent
Note on Cleaning Vinegar
I recommend using regular white distilled vinegar (which is around 5% acidity) as it’s gentle on most surfaces. You can also find something called “cleaning vinegar,” which is often 6%–10% acidity and can be too strong for some surfaces. But if you have cleaning vinegar on hand and want to use it up, it should be diluted to make it gentle on surfaces.
- If your cleaning vinegar is 6% acidity, use ¾ cup cleaning vinegar + 1¼ cups water + essential oils
- If your cleaning vinegar is 10% acidity, use ½ cup cleaning vinegar + 1½ cups water + essential oils
Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Insta and let the world see just how amazing plant-based creations can be!
Author: Sam Turnbull
Cuisine: DIY Home & Body
Course: DIY Home & Body
Author: Sam Turnbull
Cuisine: DIY Home & Body
Course: DIY Home & Body
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Diane says
For making the oil blends do you use equal parts of each scent?
Reply
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Diane, yes! So if using three essential oils I would use 5 drops of each. You can also play around and add a bit more or less to your preference 🙂
Reply
Kerrie says
Love the idea of this but I'm concerned about the essential oils. I know that lots of them are not safe around animals. Any suggestions on where to check which ones are safe?
Reply
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Kerrie, check my recipe notes, I include a full list of all of the essential oils I recommend using for this cleaner and why, and I note which ones are pet safe there as well 🙂
Reply
Sylvia W says
Wonderful collection! I already use castile soap, vinegar and baking soda for so much of my cleaning, but this ups my game! So glad I just splurged on a collection of essential oils to bolster the ones I already ahd!Reply
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
So happy you like it Sylvia!! Yes I have a nice collection of essential oils too, it's so fun to play around with fragrance combos. 🙂
Reply
Amanda Heinrichs says
I have used 50% vinegar - 50% water spray for cleaning for many years. It works well and there are no toxic fumes. I am allergic to very many things!
I also wash fruit with water and vinegar.Amanda
Reply
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Love it! So natural and clean 🙂
Reply
Arianna says
Sounds like great cleanersReply
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Thank you Arianna!
Reply
5 from 3 votes
