TL;DR
Spring cleaning goes faster with a ready-made cleaning kit in each major area: a bucket of sponges, gloves, sprays and room-specific products under the kitchen sink and in each bathroom. Kathi mixes her own eco-friendly cleaners from dish soap, vinegar, rubbing alcohol and baking soda, and labels every bottle.
Just like nature is refreshing itself, most of us are also feeling the call to do a bit more cleaning than usual.
Here is a bit of motivation before you start: according to the National Soap & Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40% of the housework in the average home.
Why keep a cleaning kit in each room?
One way I personally motivate myself is to have a couple of ready-made cleaning supply kits. They help me get motivated and also make house cleaning much easier.
You might notice that I said cleaning kits, plural. I recommend keeping a separate bucket of cleaning products in each major cleaning area, i.e. a complete set for kitchen & a separate set for each bathroom.
Each bucket should contain sponges, gloves, cleaner sprays & separate specialty items (depending on the room) such as toilet bowl cleaner, shower door spray or oven cleaner. Making your own cleaners is super easy and I am posting a few eco-friendly recipes below.
When you are ready to tackle your spring deep cleaning projects, simply pull out your bucket & begin cleaning! Once the job is completed, put it back in the cabinet under the sink and you’ll be ready to maintain your fabulous and sparkling clean results.
With everything in one bucket, you can take it from room to room as you clean. You won’t have to search for the scrubby sponge or buy duplicate supplies, and when you run out of something you will know it and can restock on your next shopping trip. Another way to save time and money is an all-in-one product; many are now organic and non-toxic and work as whiteners, stain removers and disinfectants.
How do you make your own eco-friendly cleaners?
These eco-friendly cleaning solutions will save you money and help Mother Earth at the same time! You will need to pick up a few new spray bottles and you will be set up with some of the best homemade cleaners around!
- All purpose cleaner | 1 teaspoon dish soap: 4 cups water
- Disinfectant | 1 part rubbing alcohol: 1 part water
- Glass cleaner | 1 part vinegar: 1 part water
- Tub & Tile cleaner | 1 part vinegar: 1 part dish soap
- Degreaser | 1 part vegetable oil: 2 parts baking soda
If you like scented cleaning products, feel free to add a few drops of your favorite essential oils into each mix. I love adding orange or tangerine to mine!
What mistake should you avoid?
Learn from my mistakes and before you begin, do yourself a favor and either buy different colored bottles for each mix OR label them as soon as you add the liquids so you will know what is what! Trust me, I have made this mistake before thinking I would remember and ended up with mystery bottles of . . . ?
Have fun eliminating those dust bunnies under your bed and the fuzzes inside your lampshades!
Organizing your business, too? A Business Logjam Session with Kathi finds what is slowing you down and clears it.
Keep reading
- Spring Cleaning Goes Faster With The Proper Home Cleaning KitMore on building the right home cleaning kit.
- Organize Your Cleaning SuppliesWhere to keep cleaning supplies so they get used.
- Spring Tidying Up & Clearing Versus Spring CleaningWhy clearing comes before cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a cleaning kit?
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Sponges, gloves and cleaner sprays, plus specialty items for the room it serves, such as toilet bowl cleaner, shower door spray or oven cleaner. Kathi keeps a separate bucket in each major cleaning area, one for the kitchen and one for each bathroom, stored under the sink.
How do I make an all-purpose cleaner at home?
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Mix one teaspoon of dish soap with four cups of water in a spray bottle. Kathi’s other recipes: equal parts rubbing alcohol and water for a disinfectant, equal parts vinegar and water for glass, and equal parts vinegar and dish soap for tub and tile.
How do I make a homemade degreaser?
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Combine one part vegetable oil with two parts baking soda. It is one of Kathi’s eco-friendly cleaning recipes that save money and help the environment. All you need are a few new spray bottles or containers, and you are set up with some of the best homemade cleaners around.
Can I add essential oils to homemade cleaners?
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Yes. If you like scented cleaning products, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to each mix. Kathi likes orange or tangerine in hers. The scent makes the job more pleasant without changing the simple, inexpensive ingredients that do the actual cleaning work.
How do I keep homemade cleaners straight?
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Buy a different colored bottle for each mix, or label each one the moment you fill it. Kathi learned this the hard way after assuming she would remember and ending up with mystery bottles. Clear labels also make it safe for anyone in the house to grab the right one.
Originally published on Organized and Energized on May 15, 2022. Moved to addSpace and updated November 7, 2026.
