18+ DIY Household Products You Can Make at Home

Updated to include even more ideas! The list is now more than 18 and growing!

I love a clean house. Who doesn’t? But, what I love just about as much as saving money. So, to combine my two nerdy passions, I have put together a post with DIY Homemade Household Products you can easily make at home.  Save time and money with the DIY cleaning products.

As you have probably noticed, there are so many cleaning products out there with a variety of ingredients. I try to limit my exposure to harsh chemicals. Therefore, when I can, I like to make my own household products.

I feel better knowing what is going in, on, and around my family and my body. As an added benefit, we save some money too by making our own everyday use products.

If you make these DIY Homemade Household Products then be sure to label everything and keep them out of reach of small children and pets.

Disclaimer – I’m not a doctor, nor a chemist, nor pharmacist. In order to be on the safe side, test a sample and use these products at your own risk.

Keep in mind, some people are more sensitive to certain chemical combinations or scents than others. With that said, let’s dive into our diy household items.

18 DIY Cleaning Products and Homemade Household Products You Can Make at Home

In order to save money, here are the Items You’ll need for these Homemade DIY Household Products.

Ammonia
Apple cider vinegar
Baking soda
Borax
Brown Sugar
Castile Soap
Coconut oil
Conditioner
Cornstarch
Dish detergent (or make your own)
Elmers glue
Essential Oils
Glass jars or mason jars
Hydrogen Peroxide
Lemon juice
Raw unfiltered honey
Rubbing Alcohol
Salt
Spray bottles of various sizes
Vanilla
Vegetable oil
Washing Soda
Water (distilled water is best)
White vinegar
Witch hazel

Start here: 18 DIY Homemade Household Products

1. Homemade Goo Gone – DIY Homemade Household Products You Can Make at Home

Don’t you hate that sticky residue left over from price tags, stickers, wax, etc.? Goo Gone works great, but why not make your own and save some money?

In order to buy Goo Gone, you’ll spend about $5.89, but if you make your own bottle, then you’ll spend only $1.32.

How To Make Your Own Goo Gone

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Vegetable oil

Since all you need is two ingredients – vegetable oil and baking soda, this is super easy.  In order to make Goo Gone, use two parts vegetable oil to 3 parts baking soda. First, start with 2 tablespoons of oil and next add 3 tablespoons of baking soda.

Then, apply your homemade Goo Gone to your sticky mess and wipe away with a paper towel. At the end, you’ll be amazed at how easily you can remove sticky residue.

2. How to make your own Toothpaste  – Household Products You Can Make at Home

Do you know what all of those ingredients are in your toothpaste? I sure don’t.

Yes, you can sometimes get free or at least good deals on toothpaste with toothpaste printable coupons and weekly discounts. But, if you would like to make your own toothpaste, save money, and know exactly what ingredients you are putting in your mouth, then here are instructions on how to make your own toothpaste.

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Coconut oil
Essential Oils

First, in a glass jar, combine ½ cup softened coconut oil with 3 tablespoons of baking soda, 20 drops of mint oil, and then an optional sweetener such as stevia or xylitol.

The cost of making your own toothpaste is around $1.32. Not too shabby!

3. Make Your Own Glass Cleaner – DIY Homemade Household Products You Can Make at Home

I use a lot of Windex at home. No, I’m not like the family in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but I do use it quite often.

I thought I could save some money by making my own glass cleaner.

Here is how to make homemade glass cleaner.

Ingredients:
Cornstarch
Essential Oils
Lemon juice
Rubbing Alcohol
White vinegar

Get your bigger spray bottle and combine 2 cups of warm water, ¼ cup rubbing alcohol, ¼ cup vinegar (white or apple cider), ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch, and some drops of essential oils (optional). Then, shake well.

You could buy Windex for $5 or to save money, make your own for $1.25.

4. DIY Carpet Powder – Household Products You Can Make at Home

If the carpets are starting to smell, then you’ll probably pull out your carpet powder to freshen them up. The problem with these carpet powders is 1) they can contain a lot of chemicals and 2) the price can add up if you have a lot carpet.

If you want to save money, then make your own carpet powder at home. Surprisingly, it is super easy!

DIY Carpet Powder

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Essential Oils

In an empty shaker container, fill it most of the way with baking soda. Then, add 25 drops of the essential oils of your choice. In order to keep kids and pets safe, remember eucalyptus is not recommended for pets or small children.

If you buy carpet powder then you’ll spend around $4, but to make your own costs less than a box of baking soda ($2.24).

5. DIY Stain Remover – DIY Homemade Household Products You Can Make at Home

With two boys and three animals in our house, stain remover is a staple in our house.

Thankfully, I recently learned I can make my own stain remover with just a few ingredients.

DIY Stain Remover

Ingredients:
Baking soda

Dish detergent (or make your own)

Hydrogen Peroxide

Spray bottles of various sizes
In a spray bottle, mix ½ cup dish soap, 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda.

When using your homemade stain remover, pour a good amount on to the stain. Then, rub the remover on the stain (front and back) with a toothbrush and let it sit for an hour.

Finally, wash your clothes as usual, but do not dry them until the stain is fully removed. Otherwise, the stain will set in and will be difficult, if not impossible to remove.

6. DIY Garbage Disposal Tablets

You can buy products to clean your garbage disposal (around $10), but why not make your own with a vinegar and discarded citrus peels.

Ingredients:

White vinegar

Citrus peels

An ice cube tray or muffin pan

Going forward, save the discarded peels from lemons, oranges, grapefruits.  Then, when you are ready to make your garbage disposal tablets, fill ice cube trays with peels and vinegar.  In order to read more, go here, DIY Garbage Disposal Tabs.

7. Homemade Body Scrub – Household Products You Can Make at Home

Over the last few years, I have made my own body scrubs before and have saved quite a bit of money.

If you would like to save money, then here are instructions on how to make a homemade body scrub.

Ingredients:
Brown Sugar
Coconut oil
Glass jars or mason jars
Vanilla

First, get a glass jar and add ½ cup coconut oil. Then, mix with ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Rub on to moist skin, massage, and rinse with warm water.

8. DIY Bathroom Cleaner – DIY Homemade Household Products You Can Make at Home

Often I write about DIY Homemade Household Products. Recently, I wrote a post on how to clean your toilet and remove hard water stains. There are various ways to get your toilet clean with cleaners and tools, but I thought I’d look into how to make your own bathroom cleaner.

Here’s an easy, inexpensive DIY bathroom cleaner.

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Castile Soap
Essential Oils

Get one of the bigger spray bottles and add 2 cups of warm water to the bottle. Next, add 2 tablespoons of castile soap, 1 tablespoon baking soda, and around 50 drops of essential oils. You can try one or a combination of tea tree oil, mint, or citrus. Lastly, shake well.

When you clean with your homemade bathroom cleaner spray liberally, let it sit for a couple of minutes, and them wipe clean with a damp sponge or rag.

This DIY bathroom cleaner only costs about 50 cents to make compared to brand name bathroom cleaners that cost $3.50 or more.

Force Of Nature – We personally use Force Of Nature for most of our household cleaning. See our full Force Of Nature review, or better yet Give Force Of Nature a try.

9. Homemade Bug Spray Insect and Mosquito Repellant – Household Products You Can Make at Home

I’m one of those people that attract mosquitos. I never figured out exactly why.  Unfortunately, I just have to always be prepared.

I don’t like using harsh chemicals, so finding a homemade bug spray gives me some peace of mind. If you search for homemade bug spray, then you’ll find many different suggestions and combinations of ingredients.

The most popular ones include apple cider vinegar, witch hazel or vodka with essential oils and water.

Here is a simple DIY Bug Spray Recipe that I plan on trying come mosquito season. If you have a mosquito repellant concoction that has worked well for you, then please share.

Ingredients:
Essential Oils
Spray bottles of various sizes
Water (distilled water is best)
Witch hazel

Grab a 4oz spray bottle. Combine 2 ounces of witch hazel with 100 drops of essential oils. Then, fill the rest of the bottle with water.

Here are a few different combinations of essential oils you can use for your homemade bug spray. Choose from eucalyptus, citronella, lemon, cat nip, lavender, rosemary, mint, cedar, and more. Keep in mind, eucalyptus should not be used on babies or pets.

For this spray, use 50 drops eucalyptus, 10 drops lemon, 20 drops lavender, 20 drops rosemary.

You can buy Repel natural bug spray repellant for $12.59, or make your own for around $2.78 including the cost of the spray bottle.

For more detailed instructions see Get Rid Of Pests Quickly Without Harsh Chemicals

10. DIY Reusable Fabric Softener Dryer Sheets – Household Products You Can Make at Home

I really don’t like doing laundry. I’ll do anything I can to make it easier, faster, cheaper. To save some money on laundry, I now make my own homemade reusable fabric softener dryer sheets.

Ingredients:
Essential Oils
Glass jars or mason jars
Water (distilled water is best)
White vinegar

For these, you’ll need old towels or shirts, white vinegar, essential oils, water, and a mason jar.

First, cut the fabric into pieces the size of dryer sheets. Next, fill a mason jar with ¾ cup vinegar, ¼ cup water, a few drops of essential oils. I prefer lavender oil for these, but you can play around with your favorite scents. Shake. Then, fill the mason jar with your fabric scraps and shake well again.

These are placed wet into the dryer with the rest of your clothes.

We use Earth Breeze for our laundry. Earth Breeze is a dehydrated laundry sheet. So instead of lugging around a big heavy laundry detergent that is mostly water, we use these thin sheets that get our clothes even cleaner. Give Earth Breeze a try. See our full Earth Breeze Review.

11. How To Make Your Own Poo Pourri Recipe – Household Products You Can Make at Home

DIY Poo Pourri

Ha ha! I just like to say poo pourii. If you want to make your own bathroom spray it’s super easy.

Ingredients:
Essential Oils
Rubbing Alcohol
Spray bottles of various sizes

First, take one of your small (2- 4 oz) spray bottles. Then, add 1-2 teaspoons of rubbing alcohol and 10 -20 drops of essential oils (such as lavender, mint, citrus, or a combination of a few). Finally, fill the rest of the spray bottle with water and shake.

Spray the toilet a few times before using the restroom.

The difference between room spray and poo pourri is that poo pourri spray is supposed to be used before doing your business. In order to mask odors, it creates an oil barrier “force field”.

Yes, you can buy Poo Pourri for about $9 a bottle, but instead, make it at home for only $1.79 including the cost of the spray bottle!

12. Homemade Fruit and Vegetable Wash – Household Products You Can Make at Home

Many food and health experts recommend using a fruit and vegetable wash even on organic foods. If you eat a lot of fruit and veggies at home then this can be quite costly.

Ingredients:
Lemon juice
Spray bottles of various sizes
Water (distilled water is best)
White vinegar

Make your own Fruit and Vegetable Wash.  First, grab a larger spray bottle (8 oz or so) and then add 2 cups water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Next, shake well.

In order use your DIY fruit and vegetable wash, spray your food 2-3 times and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, rinse it off.

As a substitute, swap 1 tablespoon baking soda for the vinegar for a foamier fruit and vegetable wash.

If you buy Fruit and Vegetable wash, then you’ll pay around $7, but make your own for about $2.25 including the cost of the spray bottle.

13. How to Make Homemade Dish Detergent – Household Products You Can Make at Home

In order to save some money, make your own dish detergent at home. If you buy dish soap at the store, then you’ll pay around $2, but make your own for about 95 cents.

Ingredients:
Borax
Castile Soap
Essential Oils
Washing Soda
Water (distilled water is best)
White vinegar

To start, boil 2 ½ cups of water, and then mix with ½ cup castile soap, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 tablespoon borax, 1 tablespoon washing soda, 10-20 drops of essentials oils such as lavender or lemon.

Next, pour into an empty container.

14. Make Your Own Face Mask Peel – Household Products You Can Make at Home

Okay, get ready for this. If you have glue in your house then you make a beauty product.  You can use Elmer’s glue as a face mask. Therefore, I decided to try it out.

You can read my review, Why I put Elmers Glue on my Face and see for yourself. With a few tips, you can turn Elmer’s glue into a face mask peel.  Surprisingly, it really does peel right off and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth.

If you have school-aged kids at home, then I bet you have some school glue in the house. Try it out for yourself. You’ll be amazed!

15. Homemade Hair Detangler Recipe – Household Products You Can Make at Home

This is one of the easiest DIY Homemade Household Products! When I was younger, my hair used to get so knotted.

As a kid, I had really curly hair and went through so many hair detanglers. I’m sure we spend a lot of money on all of those throughout my childhood.

Make your own hair detangler with this Homemade Hair Detangler Recipe

If I had known it was this easy, then I would have been making my own hair detangler years ago.

Ingredients:
Conditioner
Spray bottles of various sizes
Water (distilled water is best)

To begin, grab one of your bigger spray bottles and fill it ¾ of the way with hot water. Then, fill the remaining part of the bottle with conditioner. Shake, shake, shake! Spray!

Normally, detangler spray will usually set you back about $8.  With this DIY detangler spray, now you can spend just 26 cents! In addition, you will be using less toxic chemicals than with regular store-bought deodorant.

16. Make your own Homemade Jewelry Cleaner – Household Products You Can Make at Home

When was the last time you cleaned your jewelry? What? You’re supposed to clean it?

You can buy jewelry cleaner for $7.95, but why not make your own and save some money? The cost to make your own jewelry cleaner is around 25 cents.

How to make your own jewelry cleaner.

Ingredients:
Baking soda
Dish detergent (or make your own)
Salt
Water (distilled water is best)

To start, line a small bowl with aluminum foil. Then, add 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon dish detergent. Last, add 1 cup of hot water and stir. You’ll see some fun little bubbles form. Let the jewelry sit in the cleaner for about 10 minutes. Then, use a toothbrush to scrub and get into any little crevices. Rinse with water (with the drain closed).

17. Natural Remedy for Colds – Household Products You Can Make at Home

When you start feeling a cold coming on, make one of these common cold natural remedies drink.

Ingredients:
Apple cider vinegar
Lemon juice
Raw unfiltered honey

To begin, mix 2 tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar with 1 tablespoon of raw unfiltered honey, along with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.

Then, chug it fast! It’s definitely an acquired taste, but many people swear this apple cider cold remedy really works.

18. DIY Deodorant Stick – DIY Household Products You Can Make at Home

Don’t you wonder what’s really in your deodorant?

If you make your own deodorant, then you know exactly what’s in it.

How to make your own deodorant.

This one involves quite a few more steps and ingredients, but it’s still worth your time and effort. You’ll save money and use less toxic chemicals than with regular store-bought deodorant.
To start, you’ll need 1/3 cup coconut oil, 3 tablespoons beeswax, 2 tablespoons shea butter, 1/3 cup arrowroot powder, 2 tablespoons baking soda, and then add 10-15 drops of essential oils.

* Use at own risk.  Please read disclaimer on page 1.

You can get the full directions here from Thank Your Body, but basically you melt everything together and pour it into empty deodorant containers.

Bonus Section: Now Way More than 18

Homemade Furniture Polish

1. First, mix one cup of vegetable oil or olive oil with a half-cup of lemon juice.
2. Then, mix the ingredients in a glass jar.
3. Next, dab a cloth into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces.
4. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.

Crayon Remover

Put some toothpaste on a damp rag and rub the surface of the floor or table. Avoid using on wallpaper or a porous surface.

DIY Barbecue Grill Cleaner

1. Roll a lemon under your foot or hand without crushing it.
2. Then, slice it in half and sprinkle with salt.
3. Next, rub the lemon on your barbecue’s grill grate
4. After a few minutes scrub with a grill brush

How To Make Natural Cleaners For Bathtub And Sink

1. Sprinkle baking soda on a wet surface
2. Then rub with a rag that has some liquid castile soap (available in most soap aisles).
3. Rinse well.

DIY Disinfectant

Combine 50 ml to 100 ml of eucalyptus oil with one liter of water. After that, put it in spray bottle and shake before using.

Or

• Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning r add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap. Wipe on with damp cloth or use spray bottle.

To disinfect kitchen sponges, throw them in the dishwasher when running a load.

All-Purpose Homemade Cleaners You Can Make At Home

Combine 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Great for removing water deposit stains on showers, chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors,

or

1/2 teaspoon washing soda

A dab of liquid soap

2 cups hot tap water

Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Then, apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.

Force Of Nature – We personally use Force Of Nature for most of our household cleaning. See our full Force Of Nature review, or better yet Give Force Of Nature a try.

DIY Air Freshener Ideas

• Baking soda or vinegar with lemon juice in small dishes absorbs odors around the house.
• Grind up a slice of lemon in the garbage disposal.
• Simmer water and cinnamon or other spices on the stove.
• Place bowls of fragrant dried herbs and flowers in the room.

Bathroom Mold Remover DIY

Combine one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle and spray on areas with mold. Then, wait at least one hour before rinsing or using the shower.

Homemade Deodorizer

• Plastic food storage containers – soak overnight in warm water and baking soda
• Garbage disposal units in the sink – grind up lemon or orange peel in the unit
• Carpets – sprinkle baking soda several hours before vacuuming. Add essential oils to help with the aroma
• Garage, basements, storage areas – set a sliced onion on a plate in center of room for 12 – 24 hours

Drain Cleaner DIY

As a light drain cleaner, mix 1/2 cup salt in 4 liters water, heat (but not to a boil) and pour down the drain.

For a stronger cleaning, pour about 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, then 1/2 cup vinegar. After about 15 minutes, pour in boiling water to clear residue.

Or

Pour 1/2 – 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then slowly pour 1/2 – 1 cup of vinegar in after it. Cover the drain and let it sit for 15 minutes. It might bubble like a volcano but that just means it’s working. Then flush with a gallon of boiling water. For tougher clogs use a plumber’s snake.

Or, drop 3 tablets of Alka Seltzer into drain followed by a cup of white vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run hot water.

*Caution: only use these methods with metal plumbing. Plastic pipes can melt if excess boiling water is used. Also, do not use this method after trying a commercial drain opener–the vinegar can react with the drain opener to create dangerous fumes.

DIY Laundry Detergent

Combine 1 cup Ivory soap (or Fels Naptha soap), 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 tbsp for light loads; 2 tbsp for heavy loads.

We use Earth Breeze for our laundry. Earth Breeze is a dehydrated laundry sheet. So instead of lugging around a big heavy laundry detergent that is mostly water, we use these thin sheets that get our clothes even cleaner. Give Earth Breeze a try. See our full Earth Breeze Review.

Homemade Tub And Tile Natural Cleaner

To clean a tub and tile of soap scum, rub in baking soda with a damp sponge and rinse with fresh water.

For tougher cleanings fill a spray bottle with vinegar.

1. Spray the tub and tile
2. Wipe down the vinegar
3. Sprinkle with baking soda as a scouring powder.
4. Wipe down with a sponge or paper towel
5. Rinse with fresh water

Vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly.)

Or

• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
• 3 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 cups water
• Put everything into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use your homemade cleaning solution as you would a commercial brand

More DIY Cleaning Ideas

We have many more guides for DIY natural cleaning products. Actually we have an entire category. A few other ideas you’ll find there:

• How to Clean A Microwave in 5 Minutes! No Scrubbing
• How to Clean Your Dishwasher with Vinegar or Cleaning Tablet
• How to Clean Your Washing Machine with Vinegar and Baking Soda (Front Load and Top Loading)
• How to Clean Keurig Coffee Maker with Vinegar – Easy and Quick Video Tutorials
• How to Clean Silver – Easy DIY Silver Cleaners (No Harsh Chemicals)
• DIY Homemade Shower Head Cleaner – No Tools.
• How to Clean a Toilet and Remove Hard Water Stains

List Of Environmentally Safe Products You Can Use In Your Home For Natural Cleaning

• Baking Soda – cleans, deodorizes, softens water, scours.
• Lemon – one of the strongest food-acids. Lemon acid is effective against most household bacteria.
• Borax – (sodium borate) cleans, deodorizes, disinfects, softens water, cleans wallpaper, painted walls and floors.
• White Vinegar – cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, some stains and wax build-up. Vinegar is the ultimate homemade all purpose cleaner ingredient. We love its cleaning power
• Washing Soda – or SAL Soda is sodium carbonate decahydrate, a mineral. Washing soda cuts grease, removes stains, softens water, cleans wall, tiles, sinks, and tubs. Use care, as washing soda can irritate mucous membranes. Do not use on aluminum.
• Isopropyl Alcohol – is an excellent disinfectant. (It has been suggested to replace this with ethanol or 100 proof alcohol in solution with water. There is some indication that isopropyl alcohol buildup contributes to illness in the body. Isopropyl alcohol is not the same thing as rubbing alcohol
• Cornstarch – can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs.
• Citrus Solvent – cleans paint brushes, oil and grease, some stains. (Citrus solvent may cause skin, lung or eye irritations for people with multiple chemical sensitivities.)
• Force Of Nature – We personally use Force Of Nature for most of our household cleaning. See our full Force Of Nature review, or better yet Give Force Of Nature a try.

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