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How to Clean Your Home Naturally (5 Eco Friendly Cleaning Products)

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Eco-friendly home cleaning products have slowly become a natural part of how I care for our home. Over the years, I’ve realized that keeping a house clean doesn’t have to involve harsh chemicals or complicated routines. Often, the simplest ingredients do the job beautifully.

People always seem to feel better in a clean space. Our energy lifts, our thoughts feel clearer, and suddenly it becomes easier to relax. I’ve often noticed that the state of our homes mirrors the state of our minds. When things feel cluttered or chaotic around us, it often feels the same inside our heads. Creating that sense of calm at home is one of the ideas I share in my post on the essentials to a happier life.

Deborah cleaning her floors in front of her fireplace and kitchen with an eco-friendly spray mop.

Because of that, I’ve stopped thinking of housekeeping as a chore to be tackled once a week. Instead, I try to see it as a quiet ritual that helps reset both my home and my mind.

For me, cleaning means taking time to look after my things. It means fussing over them a little and noticing them again. I’ve always believed that if you truly love the items in your home, you naturally want to care for them so they last as long as possible.

This is also one of the reasons I’m drawn to a simpler home. When a space isn’t filled with endless objects to dust or heavy furniture to move around, cleaning becomes lighter and far more manageable. A simplified home simply takes less time to maintain.

A More Natural Way to Care for Your Home

It’s also why I lean toward natural cleaning methods whenever possible. Many conventional cleaning products release volatile organic compounds into the air we breathe or contain ingredients that eventually make their way into our water systems. Over time, those chemicals don’t just disappear. They circulate through our environment and eventually through our bodies.

So I try to be thoughtful about what I use to clean our home and even what I wash our clothes with.

Most of the eco-friendly home cleaning products I use are made right in my kitchen with simple ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap. They’re affordable, effective, and surprisingly satisfying to make. Of course, there are also wonderful, environmentally friendly options you can purchase if you prefer.

Either way, the goal is the same: caring for our homes in a way that feels simple, intentional, and a little kinder to the spaces we live in every day.

In this post, I’m sharing five eco friendly home cleaning products and methods that I use regularly in our victorian home and in our tiny home, where being mindful about what we bring into the space really matters.

Cleaning naturally is just one part of creating a home that feels simple and intentional. Over the years I’ve found that when a home is organized well and filled only with the things you truly use and love, caring for it becomes much easier. If you’re working toward that kind of space, you might also enjoy some of my guides on small space organization ideas and my full process for how to declutter and simplify your home.

Why Choose Eco Friendly Home Cleaning Products?

There are many reasons people are moving toward eco friendly home cleaning products, but for me it really comes down to three things: health, simplicity, and sustainability.

Many of the cleaning products I use today are actually the same simple ingredients people have relied on for generations. Vinegar, baking soda, and castile soap may seem basic, but they’re incredibly effective and can handle most everyday cleaning tasks in the home.

Eco friendly home cleaning products also simplify the cleaning cupboard. Instead of dozens of bottles, a few versatile ingredients can handle most everyday cleaning tasks.

An old-fashioned label maker making a label for eco-friendly cleaning supplies.

And finally, they’re better for the environment. Natural cleaning products break down more easily and don’t introduce unnecessary toxins into water systems.

For anyone trying to create a healthier and more intentional home, eco friendly home cleaning products are a wonderful place to start.

Before we talk about the eco friendly home cleaning products I use most often, there’s one step that makes everything easier.

Before You Begin: Declutter First

Even the best eco friendly home cleaning products work better when the space you’re cleaning is simple and manageable to begin with.

I’ve learned over the years that the biggest secret to keeping a home clean isn’t actually the cleaner you use.

It’s how much you have in the space.

When surfaces are crowded or closets are overflowing, cleaning starts to feel like a constant battle. But when a home is thoughtfully pared down and organized, it becomes much easier to maintain.

If you’re just beginning this process, I share my full approach in this guide on how to declutter and simplify your home.

You might also find these helpful:

• My step-by-step kitchen declutter guide
• My practical system for linen closet organization

Once your home contains only the things you truly use and love, cleaning becomes less about constant upkeep and more about small daily resets.

And that’s when eco friendly home cleaning products really shine.

When everything in your home has a place, even the smallest spaces start to feel calmer. I’ve noticed this especially with things like linens, towels, and cleaning supplies. Once those areas are simplified, maintaining them becomes surprisingly easy, and the whole home begins to run a little more smoothly.

1. All-Purpose Cleaner Made From Vinegar and Citrus

This is the foundation of my eco friendly home cleaning products lineup and the one I reach for most often.

If you opened the cabinet under my sink right now, this spray would be sitting right at the front.

I love that it’s made from ingredients I already have on hand and that it works just as well as many store-bought cleaners.

Why It Works

White vinegar naturally cuts grease, neutralizes odors, and disinfects surfaces. When it’s infused with citrus peels, it softens that sharp vinegar scent and leaves behind a fresh, clean smell.

How I Make It

  1. Fill a glass jar with citrus peels (lemon, orange, or grapefruit)
  2. Cover completely with white cleaning vinegar
  3. Let it sit for 2–3 weeks
  4. Strain and dilute 1:1 with water
Spraying the bathroom mirror with a natural all purpose cleaner made from vinegar and citrus .

Pour the mixture into a glass spray bottle, and it becomes my everyday cleaner for countertops, sinks, tables, and even floors. (Just don’t use it on galvanized surfaces, as it can cause them to rust)

If you’d like a couple of variations, I share them in my full guide on how to make homemade all-purpose cleaner.

Where I Use It

  • Kitchen counters
  • Bathroom sinks
  • Door handles
  • Dining tables

I love knowing this cleaner is safe around kids, pets, and food prep areas.

To shop the best jars and supplies, as well as my favorite label maker, you can jump here or head to my USA or Canadian Storefronts.

Deb’s Tip

If you’re just beginning to switch to eco friendly home cleaning products, start with one simple swap instead of trying to change everything at once.

An all-purpose vinegar cleaner can replace several products under your sink immediately. Once that becomes part of your routine, adding natural laundry detergent or baking soda scrubs becomes easy.

Small changes done consistently always work better than trying to overhaul everything at once.

2. Baking Soda for Scrubbing and Deodorizing

If vinegar is the liquid workhorse, baking soda is the quiet hero of eco friendly home cleaning products.

It doesn’t look like much, but it handles a surprising number of cleaning jobs.

Why It Works

Baking soda is mildly abrasive, naturally deodorizing, and incredibly versatile. It lifts grime without scratching surfaces, which is especially important in older homes.

My Go-To Uses

  • Scrubbing sinks and tubs
  • Deodorizing carpets and rugs
  • Freshening garbage cans
  • Cleaning inside the fridge

For tougher jobs I mix baking soda with a little water or castile soap to create a gentle scrubbing paste.

3. Castile Soap for Gentle, Effective Cleaning

Castile soap is another staple in my eco friendly home cleaning products routine.

It’s one of those simple products that replaces several others.

Why I Love It

  • Plant-based oils
  • Gentle but effective
  • Multi-purpose

How I Use It

  • Dish soap
  • Floor cleaner
  • Bathroom cleaner
  • Hand soap
A variety of pure Castile soaps used for eco-friendly cleaning in your home.

Just a few drops mixed with warm water creates a gentle but effective cleaner that leaves surfaces fresh without residue.

4. Essential Oils for Freshness and Antibacterial Support

Essential oils aren’t necessary, but they’re a beautiful addition to eco friendly home cleaning products when used thoughtfully.

They add a soft scent and subtle antibacterial support without overwhelming your space.

My Favorite Oils for Cleaning

How I Use Them

  1. Add a few drops to homemade sprays
  2. Refresh cleaning cloths and sponges
  3. Naturally deodorize laundry
Adding essential oils into natural non-toxic cleaning supplies.

5. Microfiber Cloths and Natural Scrubbers

The tools you use matter just as much as the cleaners themselves.

Eco friendly home cleaning products work best when paired with reusable cleaning tools.

What I Keep On Hand

Microfiber cloths used to clean your home.

I keep a small basket of clean cloths under the sink so they’re always ready to grab. Start with one swap. Declutter first. Build habits that feel manageable.

Shop Eco Friendly Cleaning Products

These are just a few of my favorite eco-friendly cleaning products and supplies. If you’re visiting from Canada, you can shop for everything on my Canadian storefront.

Simple Natural Ingredients I Use Around the Home

Many of the eco friendly home cleaning products I make rely on ingredients that are already part of my everyday routines. Simple things like vinegar, baking soda, and dried flowers can serve so many purposes around the home.

For example, I love using dried flowers in natural home projects, as well. If you happen to have roses in your garden, you might enjoy these ideas for what to do with rose petals. They can be used in homemade beauty products, bath soaks, and even natural home fragrance.

Little touches like that are part of what makes a home feel thoughtful and well cared for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are eco friendly home cleaning products really effective?

Yes. Natural ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, and soap have been used for generations. The key is using the right product for the right task.

Can I use vinegar on everything?

No. Avoid using vinegar on natural stone like marble or granite.

What about laundry?

I switched years ago to a non toxic laundry powder and share my full process in this homemade natural laundry detergent recipe.

Do natural cleaners save money?

Absolutely. Most eco friendly home cleaning products made at home cost far less than store-bought alternatives.

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