I started my Zero waste journey a few years back now and while my habits are far from perfect, I have made several positive changes to my daily habits which has a low impact on the environment (inside and outside myhome) and is overall better for my health.
One of the biggest changes I made was making my own cleaning supplies. I make everything from linen spray, toilet bowl cleaner right on up to laundry detergent. With a few simple ingredients (aka staples) you will have everything you need to clean your home from top to bottom. All the ingredients are eco-friendly in that you can purchase them in bulk or in paper packaging…no plastic thank you very much!
The staples you will need:
- Washing soda
- Baking soda
- Distilled water
- Essential oils
- Citric acid
- Rubbing alcohol
- Epsom salt
I’ve included here two very simple, yet effective household products that I make on a regular basis, Linen Spray and Laundry detergent. I will share a few more DIY household cleaners in another post.
Recipe for Lavender Linen spray
- 20 drops of Lavender essential oil
- 3 oz. Rubbing Alcohol
- 1 ½ cup Distilled water
First add Distilled water to a spray bottle (I prefer a dark glass bottle so that the ingredients aren’t exposed to light and will potentially last longer). Next add the rubbing alcohol followed by the essential oil. Lavender oil can kill bacteria, fungus and viruses as well as prevent mold and mildew buildup. Please keep any essential oil away from your pets- do not let them ingest! Finally let solution sit for 24 hours and use to freshen your linen and upholstery (always do a patch test first).
Recipe for a simple, yet effective Laundry detergent
- 1 ½ cup of Washing soda
- 1 ½ cup Baking soda
- ½ cup Oxiclean Free (no perfumes or dyes) This ingredient is optional!
- ½ cup Epsom salt
- 8-10 drops of essential oil of your choice
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Add essential oil last and mix again. Put into an airtight container and use 2 tbsp per wash. I put any powder detergents directly into the drum of my front loader machine. I’ve opted to not use grated wash soap because I found it wasn’t as effective as I would like and I was worried about it clogging up the HE machine and hoses.
The Blind Thistle 
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