My Natural Cleaning Routine with Simple DIY Recipes

A simple way to clean the entire house with natural recipes using basic ingredients.

I’m excited to share with you my natural cleaning routine with simple DIY recipes. I found that splitting my house up into sections to clean over the entire month makes it easier, less overwhelming, and EVERYTHING gets clean each month. No need for stressful spring cleaning, or “All hands on deck! Company is coming; clean everything QUICK!” Nobody likes that mom, am I right? I certainly don’t want to be her. Not that I have experience at it. Or am known for it. Or got the t-shirt. Jus’ say’n.

K.I.S.S.

You know the old adage. Yep, the one about keeping it simple. Well, I’m here to encourage you with it yet again: Keep it simple, Sister!

I feel this can be applied in all aspects of life, even house cleaning. So, in my typical type-A fashion (self-proclaimed recovering, of course), I came up with a plan of attack. One that easily divided all the things I felt should be cleaned (and mostly never did before now, if I’m being honest) into bite-sized chunks that seemed less daunting and easier to divide and conquer.

Enlist the Troops!

You see, that’s the beauty of having a tribe. A tribe of your people residing under the same roof. Don’t be afraid to enlist those troops! They profit from responsibility, life skills, cleanliness, and contributing to the family as a whole, which boosts their confidence, self awareness, and self esteem. Truly! They are a part of the family and they need to know their part is vital, important, loved, and cherished. And amen.

With all that outta the way, let’s get down to why you’re here. The actionable steps.

My Natural Cleaning Routine Video

Steps to a Natural Cleaning Routine

Each week my family helps keep the house clean with the basics that need cleaned: kitchen, bathrooms, floors, and dusting. Everyone has their assigned chores. But with the use of a master list, we’re able to do a little bit of deeper cleaning each week, making it so that everything gets cleaned once a month. And it goes even faster with extra hands helping!

Step 1: Make a List of Rooms to Clean

Take inventory of the rooms in your house. That’s where I started.

Step 2: When to Clean

In our farmhouse, we have designated one day of the week for “cleaning house” day. We chose it for the ease of how it fits into our schedule. For us it’s Fridays. Don’t get me wrong. We switch it up sometimes to fit our schedule. Because life happens. For real. I’ve learned to roll with it. So much wisdom can come with age. Wink wink.

Step 3: Assign

Each Friday we clean the house with certain tasks that need cleaned every week. Every tribe member has their specific chore to complete. Those are their regularly scheduled tasks each week, no matter what week it is in the overall cleaning schedule.

So this looks like the basics that need cleaned: dusting, toilets, sinks, showers, floors, and counters. We have four of us that this is divided amongst, which makes quick work for sure!

Step 4: Make a Cleaning Schedule

I have created a simple, detailed list of things that I’d like cleaned every month for each room of my house. This is a deeper clean and attention to the finer details. Things like light fixtures, underneath beds and couches, baseboards, and freezers. Basically all the things that aren’t feasible to get done in a single day. Well, at least if you don’t want to fry your every last nerve and then self-medicate with less than desirable means. Wait, what?

Back to the list. You can download a free copy! If you’re interested in that kind of thing. Use it as a guide and adjust as necessary to fit your own situation and household demographic. Grab your copy here! And because it’s pretty. At least I think so. Something neat, pretty, and organized with check boxes just calls to me. Anyone?

Print out this 4 page list, organized for each week of the month. I laminated mine in true homeschool-mom fashion. I keep my list attached to my fridge where I can reference it on the corresponding week of the month we’re on and complete the tasks on the schedule for deeper cleaning. Each person gets to choose a thing or two to work on and we check it off as we go (I like to use dry erase markers—hence the laminating). Before we know it, spit-spot! The house is lovely!

Basic Ingredients for a Natural Cleaning Routine

Now for the easy part: what to use to clean all this stuff! I am a complete natural cleaning freak. I hate using products that are harmful to my family. Plus, I’m frugal. OK, I’m cheap. I love to pinch my pennies. When I see my budget line-item balances in savings rising to heights of glory, I get giddy. I know. I’m weird.

Did you know that you can make your own cleaning products for cheap? Dirt cheap!

With the exception of the problematic hard water stains. I live on a well, people. Oh that hard water! Oooooo I can’t stand the evidence it leaves behind. Burns my biscuits, I tell ya. I’ve found by experience (unfortunately) that as long as we keep up with regular weekly cleaning, there’s not a problem. But if the troops of the teenage persuasion have memory lapses, or sudden limb paralysis, as it may seem, then I find myself having to use the good ‘ol pumice stone (which isn’t so bad—works great on single lines or rings), or worse yet, a harsh chemical to rid the toilet bowls of hard water staining.

Note to self:

… when admonishing said troops of the teenage persuasion, for the ump-teenth time, don’t become THAT mom. Take a deep breath. Breathe in Jesus. And breathe out their smug looks of ‘here she goes again *insert eye roll*; wonder what I should wear tomorrow?; how many wrinkles does she have now?; I can’t wait to move out; she really needs to color all that grey; why does she have to be so picky about everything *insert yet another eye roll*; she hates me; this is stupid’. Etc., etc., etc. (Movie quote anyone?) Yeah, you know the look. I’m pretty sure it’s universal. Not that I EVER donned that look toward my parental figure. Sorry, Mom.

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Microfiber cloths

Glass spray bottle

Essential Oils

Castile Soap

My Natural Cleaning Routine with Simple DIY Recipes

The basic ingredients I love and use are baking soda, vinegar, castile soap, hydrogen peroxide, and essential oils.

Here are my favorite recipes I use that are easy, basic, and serve all our cleaning needs.

All-Purpose Spray—Two Ways

I use two different all-purpose sprays because in one bathroom we have granite countertops. In case you were unaware, you DO NOT use vinegar on any kind of natural stone.

#1—Vinegar and water

For most applications in my house, I use 3 parts of water to 1 part vinegar for all-purpose cleaning: countertops and quick wipe-downs of surfaces. I will use a few drops of essential oils if I’m feeling it. Lemon, orange, or rosemary are my go-tos. I also will take orange or lemon peels and place them in a mason jar of vinegar to infuse for a few weeks. It makes a citrus vinegar without the need of added essential oil, which is frugal!

#2—Natural Stone Safe

• 2 C warm water
• 1 TBL baking soda
• 2 TBL liquid castile soap, I use Dr. Bronner’s
• 20 drops rosemary essential oil
• 10 drops sweet orange or lemon essential oil
• 16 oz. glass spray bottle (I don’t like to use plastic with essential oils)

Instructions

1. Fill glass bottle with a cup of water.
2. Using a funnel add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Gently swirl around to combine.
4. Then fill the bottle the rest of the way with remaining water, leaving room for spray nozzle.

This is an anti-bacterial, antimicrobial cleaning spray that can be safely used on your natural stone surfaces.

DIY Soft Scrub

Perfect for deep cleaning of sinks, toilet bowls, showers and baths, and ovens.

Ingredients:

• 1 C baking soda—I buy in bulk at Costco or you can find it here
• 1/4 C castile soap
• 1 TBS hydrogen peroxide
• glass jar for mixing

Instructions:

1. In a glass jar or measuring cup, combine all ingredients.
2. To use, apply with a damp cloth or scrub brush. Allow to sit several minutes on tough stains before scrubbing and rinsing clean.

I don’t recommend storing as it can harden over time. I find that one batch is enough to clean our whole house with kitchen sink, two bathroom sinks, two toilets, a shower, and a shower/bath combo. Adjust the ingredients accordingly to fit the needs of your home.

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More DIY Tutorials For You

I have a whole page where you can find other household and personal care products that our family makes and uses regularly. You can check that out at Simply Handmade.

Do you find cleaning your house fun?

I hope this post helps you find maybe even a little joy in the privilege of cleaning your humble abode! I believe with a little organization of how and when and what to clean, along with a pretty checklist to laminate and display, makes for a little more fun while cleaning all the things. Don’t you think?