Social media is full of gorgeous cleaning products. It’s hard not to appreciate the aesthetic. After all, cleaning is a daily task in many homes, so why not make the experience look and smell nicer? Mrs. Meyers always has some new formulation that smells like an upscale spa candle, which is definitely the ambience I need when cleaning.

The problem with green cleaning products

I am a fan of green cleaning brands and products. However, they are not always as green as they appear. Greenwashing is a mainstream marketing strategy in 2020.

The ‘green’ products I love come in plastic bottles and packages that will be fouling up a landfill long after they cleaned up my messes. They often have ingredients that are not much different from conventional cleaners. I enjoy the more modern packaging and scents, but they are often more bougie than green.

So pretty but so much plastic!

In addition, there are many conventional products I have felt in the past that I can’t do without – like sponges. Scotchbrite sponges, my preferred tool of dirt destruction, are not zero waste. And until recently, I went through a lot of them. Making my cleaning supplies at home out of products I know are green and nontoxic is the best option when I can make it work.

DIY cleaning spray

We use a lot of cleaning spray around here. If we are not selective about brands, we end up basically aerosolizing unknown chemicals around the house on a daily basis.

I found many complicated recipes for cleaning spray on the internet but decided to go with the simplest solution:

1. Place the peels from two oranges in a mason jar of vinegar and let it sit for a week

2. Strain the vinegar into a spray bottle

3.  Mix 2/3 vinegar with 1/3 water

4. Add a few drops of citrus essential oils. I used sweet orange.

5. Enjoy! To the point that you can enjoy cleaning, that is.

Make sure no one mistakes this for a beverage.

I followed this “recipe” and then poured the cleaner into my newly empty cleaning spray bottle. I plan to keep refilling it until it falls apart or I find a more attractive, eco-friendly replacement in my price range.

A zero waste alternative to sponges

I use old rags for most cleaning but there’s something satisfying about that green scrubby side of a sponge. I feel like I can move the crustiest mess with very little effort. If the sponge gets too gross in the process, it can be thrown in the dishwasher. I needed something scrubby and biodegradable that could tackle a gross stovetop and then be cleaned easily.

I spotted some hemp twine in my crafting hoard and realized that this could be the answer. I crocheted it into a round in about five minutes. I am… not amazing at crochet, but this scrubber makes up in usefulness what it lacks in symmetry.

I think it is cute though!

Homemade dishwashing detergent: a greener way

We usually wash our dishes by hand, using the dishwasher as a spacious drying rack. I use the dishwasher as a sterilizer when we have illnesses going around or when the dishes simply seem to need it. This winter and spring, we have been using it almost all the time for obvious reasons.

I am picky about dishwashing soap. After all, we eat off these plates? I buy the most natural, nontoxic kinds available; however, this can add up quickly. Making my own is a more reliable way to ensure high quality with the least waste and cost possible. I decided to try this recipe, which incorporates ingredients that we generally keep around the house:

This recipe is supposed to make tablets but we could not seem to pack it solidly enough into our molds. I did not think it would come out in one piece even after drying so I emptied the molds and the rest of the mixing bowl into a jar. We may try another recipe in the future, but this will do.

I was surprised at how well this detergent worked. I feel it cleans my dishes better than the brands we have used in the past. I used a mixture of sweet orange and lemongrass essential oils that smells heavenly. I don’t think I will ever buy detergent again, especially not if it comes wrapped in plastic.

Time and cost of homemade green cleaning supplies: is it worth it?

These are definitely more Earth-friendly and zero waste cleaning supplies than the storebought alternatives. However, any change that sticks in my home needs to be sustainable in time and expense as well. In addition, cleaning supplies need to, well, work.

Because some computer problems and then coronavirus interfered with my writing for a while, we are on our second bottle of orange vinegar. I love that the vinegar smell dissipates quickly but the light citrus scent lingers a bit longer. I’m not sure how it works on hard-core grime because we don’t have a lot of that but it’s great for dusting, floors, and the other daily wipe-downs that are necessary in a small home.

As for the homemade hemp scrubby, it works… acceptably It takes a little more elbow grease than my favorite green and yellow sponges but it gets the job done. That original scrubbie held strong for more than a month with daily use and several trips through both the dishwasher and the clothing washer. I am still looking for a better plastic-free solution, but this will do for now.

The dishwasher detergent is a total win, working as well as the commercial alternative with significantly less waste. The supplies needed to make a month’s supply for my family cost around $2, which is less expensive than buying even the cheapest brands.

I feel these homemade cleaners are a sustainable choice because they work well and are far cheaper than the alternative, even if I were buying conventional cleaning products at the dollar store. Very little additional time was required, which is important now that we are both working and homeschooling.

As an aside, why are green products so expensive? The ingredients are cheap! I don’t mind spending more for my sweet dish soap set up because that requires wooden accessories. But paying more for vinegar and soda ash is a lot to ask. I am happy to have an alternative, although I am already looking for ways to change up the scents.