DIY Floor Cleaner

　　We have all been there, feeling unsettled reading the ingredients listed on the cleaner. More than reaching clarity, it has caused more confusion because of the list of chemicals it has. So having that uncertainty regarding commercial cleaning products is quite natural.

　　But, the good news is, you can easily keep this confusion aside and know what goes into your floor cleaners with your DIY homemade cleaner. All you have to do is head to your pantry, and in all likelihood, you might already have the ingredients to make an effective floor cleaner.

　　Doing a DIY homemade floor cleaner is the most guaranteed way of ensuring that you and your family are not exposed to any harmful chemicals, even with the little residues left on the floor.

　　In this article, we will look into different homemade DIY floor cleaners that can tackle a range of materials, that is from wood, tile, carpet, vinyl to all-purpose cleaner and a cleaner to remove tough stains and grime. But, before we go into the details of different types of DIY floor cleaners, let’s see why homemade floor cleaners are the best?

　　Top 4 Reasons To Use DIY Floor Cleaners

　　Apart from the fact that homemade floor cleaners does not reek of harmful chemicals it is also an excellent choice for several other reasons. Here are our top 4 reasons on why you should make your own floor cleaners.

　　1. Allergen-free

　　Any family dealing with asthma or allergies will be aware of the fact that cleaning the surfaces, including the floor regularly, is to be taken seriously. Everyday cleaning helps in keeping the dust mites, pollen, mold, and other allergens at bay. But buying cleaning products from the market can be more harmful at times in such cases.

　　Some chemicals that release pungent smell and fumes can be more harmful when inhaled during or after cleaning. In most store-bought cleaning products, mainly the tile cleaners have hydrochloric acid. This chemical is not only highly corrosive but can also cause blisters and burns from residue on the floor if not cleaned properly.

　　Creating a solution at home, you can ensure no such harmful chemicals are added since you control selecting the ingredients for the mixture.

　　2. Safe For Children

　　If you have a toddler or children at home, you will know the parents' concern with cleaning products. When you have a crawling baby, they can come in contact with the possible residue from the commercial cleaning products.

　　By mixing your own cleaning product, you can ensure no harmful chemicals are put in the floor cleaner, thus making it safe for your children to be around, even when you clean. You can also engage them with a spray bottle and ask them to help you by spraying while you are mopping.

　　3. Environment Friendly

　　After cleaning the floor, we generally dump the cleaning solution into the drain or toilet. But have you ever given a thought to where that ends up? They will go to the ground or sewer. At times these chemicals can seep into the groundwater from the ground and will contaminate the water. Furthermore, the fumes emitted from the cleaning chemicals mix with the air while you are cleaning. This reduces the air quality around you and increases other ailments when you breathe that air.

　　DIY floor cleaners typically use natural ingredients; hence, they are safe to use and dispose of, reducing contamination chances with water and making them eco-friendly.

　　4. Budget Friendly

　　Most commercial products are designed to target specific areas and different surfaces. Hence, in the long run, buying cleaning products does become an expensive monthly expenditure mainly because you have to buy multiple products to clean different areas.

　　With DIY floor cleaners, you can use them in multiple areas and can easily become multi-purpose cleaners. Since the ingredients used are from your pantry, they automatically become budget-friendly.

　　Now that we know the benefits of DIY floor cleaners, let’s take a look into DIY floor cleaners for different surfaces.

DIY Floor Cleaners

　　1. Multi-purpose Floor Cleaner

　　The all-purpose cleaner should always be kept at home and handy that can help you to save lots of time. Here’s an easy DIY all-purpose floor cleaner recipe.

　　Ingredients

　　· 2 cups of warm water

　　· ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol

　　· ½ cup of white vinegar

　　· 1/8 tsp dish soap without oils, moisturizer, or bleach

　　· 5-10 drops of essential oil of your liking or lemon juice

　　· If you want the cleaner to be stronger, then replace ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol with ½ cup of it.

　　But remember to avoid using this cleaner for natural stone floors because it contains vinegar.

　　2. Wood Floor Cleaner

　　For wooden floors, you need a gentle but effective cleaner that will clean the surface and ensure shine and keep it in top condition. Also, we suggest that after mopping, immediately dry the place and not allow water to sit on the floor as it will damage the wood.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1-gallon warm water

　　· ¼ cup of white vinegar

　　· 5-10 drops of essential oil of your liking or lemon juice

　　If you want to add the extra shine, use this mixture

　　· 1-gallon warm water

　　· 3/4 cup of olive oil

　　· ½ cup of lemon juice

　　3. Laminated Floor Cleaner

　　A wrong cleaning product can damage the finish of a laminate floor; hence it is a good idea to use a DIY floor cleaner that will ensure the texture of the floor stays the same.

　　Ingredients

　　· 2 cups hot water

　　· 2 cups of vinegar

　　· 5-10 drops of essential oil of your liking

　　You can mix this in a mop bucket or put it in a spray can. Soak the mop in this solution, and then mop the floor. Let it dry; you do not have to rinse it.

　　You can use this mixture to clean bamboo floors and dirty walls using a sponge or microfibre mop.

　　4. Vinyl Floor Cleaner

　　Non-abrasive floor cleaners should be used for vinyl flooring. Harsh chemicals will take the gloss off the vinyl floor. Hence for the best result, you can do the following DIY floor cleaner

　　Ingredients

　　· 2 gallons warm water

　　· ½ cup of white vinegar

　　· ½ cup of rubbing alcohol

　　· 1/8 tsp dish soap without oils, moisturizer, or bleach

　　Mop the floor thoroughly with the mixture and then dry the floor with a dry towel or mop. Though some vinyl is waterproof, you are not let water sit on the surface hence should dry it immediately.

　　5. Tile Floor Cleaner

　　You can make this mixture using household ingredients that can help you to remove the dust, dirt, and even grime that often stick to the tile floors. The best feature is there won’t be any soapy residue after you mop the area. Also, you can use this every week or as frequently as you want, which is not possible or recommended for commercial cleaners.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1 gallon of hot water

　　· ¾ cup white vinegar

　　· 1 cup baking soda

　　· 1 cup ammonia

　　Mix the ingredients and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Next, spray the cleaner directly on one tile at a time and mop it using a mixture of one cup of vinegar and 10 cups of hot water. Let the place dry.

　　6. Stone Floor Cleaner

　　If your flooring is of natural stone, you have to take the cleaner's precautions that you are using. The reason is natural stone is porous, so it can soak the cleaner, which will result in discoloration. So we recommend use cleaners that are pH neutral. Use cleaners that do not have bleach or acid.

　　We also recommend that you use any cleaning solution on a low visibility area before doing the entire floor.

　　For your DIY stone cleaner, use the following

　　Ingredients

　　· 1 ½ cups of warm water

　　· ½ cup of rubbing alcohol

　　· ½ tsp dish soap without oils, moisturizer, or bleach

　　· 5-10 drops of lemon juice or essential oil of your liking (optional)

　　7. Rubber Floor Cleaner

　　You can clean the rubber floor whether it is in a gym, dance studio, or at home, like the play area of the kids, to ensure the floor is hygienic. It will also make your rubber floor smell better.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1-gallon warm water

　　· 1 cup dish soap without oils, moisturizer, or bleach

　　· 5-10 drops of lemon juice or essential oil of your liking (optional)

　　In case you want to reduce the off-gassing smell from the rubber flooring, you have to repeat the mopping process of the floor several times and allow proper ventilation.

　　8. Carpet Floor Cleaner

　　We all know the nightmare we have when there is a spill or stain on the carpet. Here is a homemade DIY solution for such an instance if you don’t want to hire a professional carpet cleaner.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1 cup warm water

　　· 1/8 tsp of dish soap without oils, moisturizer, or bleach

　　· 1 tsp of white vinegar

　　· 1tsp of baking powder

　　Mix the ingredients and put them in a spray bottle, and spray it over small areas. Next, scrub it with a clean towel to remove the stain. With another dry and clean towel, dab the excess moisture off the carpet.

　　9. Glass Areas

　　If you have a glass floor or need to clean the mirror, the easiest way to do it is to spray this solution directly onto the area and then wipe it off with a soft cloth.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1 cup apple cider vinegar

　　· 1 cup water

　　Mix them and put them in a spray can.

　　10. Disinfecting Floor Cleaner

　　With the pandemic creating havoc, disinfecting everything has become the ‘new normal. But using store-bought disinfectant cleaners is not only expensive but also has harmful chemicals. You can use this concoction instead every day to disinfect the bathroom, shower, and even kitchen tops.

　　Ingredients

　　· 1 gallon of hot water

　　· ¼ cup Borax (you can get it at grocery store’s laundry aisle or online)

　　In the bucket, mix these ingredients and dip your mop to clean the area. The mixture can even clean the grossest mess on a wide range of surfaces like marble, granite, and stone.

　　Wrapping It Up

　　It’s time that you start using DIY floor cleaners instead of store-bought ones. These work much better, and you can make them anytime using the ingredients from your pantry..