How to Make Non-Toxic Kitchen Cleaner

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Ok, I have to be honest. I’m not really into DIYs. And I never truly understood the essential oil craze (sorry). So it might seem odd that I’m posting about how to make non-toxic kitchen cleaner with essential oils. But here’s why: making this kitchen cleaner is EASY (like takes-5-minutes-easy aka manageable for us DIY-naysayers 🙋🏼‍♀️) and it’s truly non-toxic.

And because I’m trying to lessen the toxic burden in my home, especially in the kitchen where I spend so much time creating content for Loveleaf Co., I decided it was time to up my game in the kitchen cleaner department. Read on to find out how you can too.

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. There is no additional cost to you. I only link to products I truly recommend and trust.

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Why Switch To a Non-Toxic Kitchen Cleaner

This DIY non-toxic kitchen cleaner couldn’t be simpler to make. All you need is distilled white vinegar, filtered water, and an essential oil or two of choice. Not only will you be using clean, straightforward, ingredients but you’ll be reducing your plastic use and saving money too. It’s a win-win-win. Here are just some of the reasons to switch to a non-toxic kitchen cleaner:

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REDUCE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE

Conventional cleaning products contain tons of chemicals like synthetic fragrance and synthetic preservatives that have been shown to harmfully affect our mental, emotional, and physical health.

And in the kitchen you are more likely to ingest cleaning products since they come in close contact with food, work surfaces, and cooking utensils, making the use of a non-toxic kitchen cleaner even more important.

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REDUCE PLASTIC USE

While most distilled vinegar comes in plastic, I buy this HUGE 64 oz bottle, which makes about 8-10 bottles of non-toxic kitchen cleaner. So I’m using about 8x less plastic than I was before when I was buying store-bought cleaner.

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SAVE MONEY

While you might spend a little more upfront to buy the glass bottles and essential oils, you’ll save money in the long run.

A Few Notes Before We Start

THE SMELL

I’m just going to cut to the chase: this non-toxic kitchen cleaner is made with white vinegar and smells like… vinegar. When you first spray it, it will smell VERY strongly of white vinegar but will dissipate as it dries (promise) and you’ll begin to smell the essential oil instead.

If you can’t stand the smell of vinegar – even temporarily – this is probably not the route for you (find my store-bought favorites here). If you don’t mind the smell of vinegar (I don’t), my best tip is to leave the room as soon as you’re done cleaning. Go back in an hour or so and voilà, no vinegar smell (if you still smell it, it just means something you cleaned hasn’t fully dried yet).

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MARBLE & SOFT STONE

Acid, like vinegar, can etch away at porous stone like marble, some granites, and soapstone so DO NOT use this kitchen cleaner on those surfaces. If you have a countertop made out of one of those stones, you can still use this kitchen cleaner for your stove-top, pantry, fridge, etc.

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STORING THE CLEANER

Because this cleaner is half water, and water can harbor bacteria if left sitting too long, I like to store the cleaner in the fridge to increase the shelf life. Stored in the refrigerator, one bottle will last about three months.

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REMOVING THE SPRAY NOZZLE

Vinegar can deteriorate the rubber inside of the spray nozzle, so I like to flush out the nozzle with water after each use. Then I store the cleaner in the fridge with the cap that comes with the bottles instead of the spray nozzle itself.

About the Ingredients

WHITE VINEGAR

White vinegar is 5% acetic acid, which is a natural disinfectant, and is good at cutting through grease and grime.

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WATER

As mentioned above, water can harbor bacteria when it sits out too long. To prevent this, I like to use filtered or boiled tap water (allow to cool before using in the recipe) and to store the bottle in the fridge when done cleaning. This will allow the kitchen cleaner to stay fresh for about three months.

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ESSENTIAL OILS

The essential oils are optional, though I like to use them for extra cleaning benefits and the refreshing scents. I chose lemon oil because it’s antibacterial and antiviral and wild orange oil because it’s great at cutting grease.

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Where You Can Use This Non-Toxic Kitchen Cleaner

Really anywhere in the kitchen is fair game! (…except for marble, granite, and soapstone ;). Here are some ideas:

• kitchen sink
• stovetop
• inside of cabinets and pantry
• inside of drawers
• refrigerator
• microwave
• cutting boards
• appliances

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Not Into DIY? Try These Instead

If you really can’t bring yourself to do anything DIY (I get it), here are three of my favorite non-toxic store-bought kitchen cleaners, all rated “A” on the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning.

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1. SEVENTH GENERATION DISINFECTING MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER
2. ECOS ORANGE PLUS ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER
3. ATTITUDE KITCHEN MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER CITRUS ZEST

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Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. There is no additional cost to you. I only link to products I truly recommend and trust.