17 Simple Natural Recipes You Can Make From Pantry Staples

Most people “clean” their house the way Big corporations trained them to:
Buy a different plastic bottle for every surface… full of mystery fragrance… and ingredients you can’t pronounce.

Here’s the punchline: your house isn’t dirty because you don’t have enough products.
It’s dirty because you don’t have a system.

And the good news? You can clean damn near your whole home with a handful of cheap pantry staples—vinegar, baking soda, castile soap, hydrogen peroxide, salt, lemon, and a couple oils—without turning your indoor air into a chemical fog.

This is the article that makes readers feel smart, capable, and a little angry they’ve been played.

Quick safety note (because we’re not idiots)

• Never mix vinegar with bleach.
• Never mix hydrogen peroxide with vinegar in the same bottle. (Use one, rinse, then the other if needed.)
• Label everything. Keep away from kids/pets.
• Patch-test on delicate surfaces.

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Your “7 Staples” Natural Cleaning Kit

If you have these, you can make everything below:

• White distilled vinegar
• Baking soda
• Castile soap (unscented)
• Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
• Salt
• Lemons
• Optional: essential oils (tea tree, lemon, lavender), rubbing alcohol

Add: spray bottles, a jar, microfiber cloths, old toothbrush, scrub brush.

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17 Simple Natural Cleaning Recipes (Pantry-Staple Edition)

1) All-Purpose Counter Spray (Kitchen + Bath)

Use for: counters, cabinets, sealed surfaces
Mix:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 10–15 drops essential oil (optional)

How to use: Spray, wait 30–60 seconds, wipe.

Avoid: natural stone (granite/marble) — vinegar can etch it.

2) Grease-Cutting Kitchen Degreaser

Use for: stove tops, greasy cabinets, backsplash
Mix:

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp castile soap
• 1 tbsp baking soda

How to use: Shake gently. Spray. Let sit 2 minutes. Wipe. Rinse cloth and wipe again.

3) Natural Glass & Mirror Cleaner (No Streaks)

Mix:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp rubbing alcohol (optional but helps)

How to use: Spray lightly. Wipe with microfiber or newspaper.

4) Sink Scrub (Makes Stainless Shine)

Mix into a paste:

• ½ cup baking soda
• enough castile soap to make a thick paste

How to use: Scrub. Rinse hot. Buff dry.

5) Drain “Refresh” (Not a Miracle Unclogger)

This is for odor + gunk maintenance, not major clogs.

Do:

• ½ cup baking soda down the drain
• 1 cup hot vinegar
• Cover 10 minutes
• Flush with hot water

6) Cutting Board Deodorizer + Sanitizer

Do:

• Sprinkle salt heavily
• Rub with half a lemon
• Let sit 5 minutes
• Rinse and dry

7) Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Do:

• Sprinkle ½ cup baking soda into bowl
• Add ½ cup vinegar
• Let fizz 10 minutes
• Scrub and flush

For heavy stains: use a pumice stone carefully.

8) Bathroom Soap Scum Buster

Mix:

• 1 cup warm vinegar
• 1 tbsp dish soap or castile soap

How to use: Spray on shower walls/doors. Wait 10 minutes. Scrub. Rinse.

9) Grout Brightener (Targeted)

Make a paste:

• 3 tbsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp hydrogen peroxide
• 1 tsp castile soap

How to use: Brush into grout. Let sit 10 minutes. Scrub. Rinse.

10) Mold/Mildew Spot Treatment

Use: hydrogen peroxide only (3%)

How to use: Spray on affected area. Wait 10 minutes. Scrub. Wipe dry.

Important: Ventilate. Fix moisture source or it comes back.

11) Floor Cleaner (Tile/Vinyl/Laminate)

Mix in a bucket:

• 1 gallon warm water
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 tsp castile soap

How to use: Mop. Don’t soak laminate—wring well.

Avoid: wood floors unless they’re sealed and you use very little vinegar.

12) Wood “Dust + Shine” Spray

Mix:

• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp vinegar

How to use: Shake. Light mist on cloth (not directly on furniture). Wipe.

13) Stainless Steel Polish (No Weird Residue)

Do:

• Put a drop of olive oil on a cloth
• Wipe with the grain
• Buff with a dry cloth

14) Oven Cleaner (Elbow Grease Version)

Make a paste:

• ½ cup baking soda
• a few tbsp water

How to use: Spread on oven grime. Leave overnight. Scrape/wipe. Spray vinegar to help lift residue. Wipe again.

15) Microwave Steam Clean (2 Minutes)

Do:

• Bowl of water + lemon slices (or 2 tbsp vinegar)
• Microwave 2–3 minutes
• Let sit 2 minutes
• Wipe clean

16) Laundry Booster (Odor + Brightness)

Do:

• Add ½ cup baking soda to wash
• For whites: ½ cup hydrogen peroxide (instead of bleach)

Avoid: mixing peroxide with vinegar in the same load.

17) “Room Reset” Fabric Refresher

Not perfume. Just fresh.

Mix:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp vodka or rubbing alcohol (optional)
• 10 drops essential oil (optional)

How to use: Light mist on curtains, couches, bedding. Don’t soak.

The Lazy Person’s Cleaning System (So You Actually Use This)

You don’t need motivation. You need a routine.

Daily (10 minutes)

• Quick kitchen wipe (Recipe #1 or #2)
• Sink scrub (Recipe #4)
• Bathroom counter wipe (Recipe #1)

Weekly (30–60 minutes)

• Toilet (#7)
• Shower (#8)
• Floors (#11)
• Mirrors (#3)

Monthly (1–2 hours)

• Grout (#9)
• Oven (#14)
• Deep dust + wood (#12)

Print This “Do-Not-Mix” Safety Mini-List

• Vinegar + bleach = toxic gas
• Hydrogen peroxide + vinegar (same bottle) = irritant
• Baking soda + vinegar = good fizz… but don’t store it (it neutralizes)