09 May 2023, Read Time : 14 Min

DIY Homemade Floor Cleaner Recipes for Different Types of Flooring

Cleaning the floor in your home can prove to be a task, especially if you are trying not to use chemical cleaners. Most commercially produced floor cleaners have chemicals that can make you and your family ill, and are damaging to the environment.

A homemade floor cleaner, on the other hand, can adequately clean your floors as well as any store-bought floor cleaner, is not damaging to the environment of your home, and results in fewer allergies or asthma attacks.

Making a homemade cleaner is easy, most of the time you will probably have all the ingredients at hand, and you end up saving a ton of money while protecting the environment. A win-win situation through and through!

Ingredients For Homemade Floor Cleaner

Before you start exploring the different DIY floor cleaner recipes you need to understand how each ingredient works and why it is used in recipes. Here are some of the most commonly used homemade floor cleaner ingredients and a brief about how they work.

• • Rubbing Alcohol (70% Isopropyl)

Rubbing alcohol is a natural disinfectant and can kill the germs on your floor. It also helps break down the grit, dirt, and grease on the floor, ensuring easy cleaning. Rubbing alcohol also evaporates quickly preventing the formation of unsightly streaks on the floor.

• • White Vinegar

Vinegar is essentially acetic acid and works as a degreaser and a disinfector too. This helps in loosening the stuck dirt and cutting through the stubborn grease that may have built up over time. But, due to the high acidic content, it is best to dilute it before using it on the floors, especially on natural stone floors, natural wood floors, and laminates as the acid in vinegar can permanently damage the surface of these floorings and even etch upon or eat away the top layer of these flooring materials.

• • Liquid Dish Soap

Regular dishwashing liquid soap is pH neutral and safe for use on all kinds of surfaces. Liquid soap is a great cleaner and can easily break down dirt and also help get rid of built-up grease. It is imperative that you use plain dishwashing liquid in your recipes and avoid those with added fragrances and ingredients. Also, never mix dish soap with bleach or any kind of oil as the mix can be toxic. While using a soap-based recipe make sure you do not use too much, since using a lot of soap can result in the formation of a film on your floors.

• • Essential Oils

If you cannot stand the undiluted smell of rubbing alcohol or white vinegar adding a few drops of your favourite essential oil to the mix can help. Essential oils do not help in cleaning or degreasing or even disinfecting – they are purely added to mask the scent of the ingredients and offer a pleasant smell to the floor.

• • Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a great acid-based cleaner that can help rid the floor of hard water stains and stubborn grease buildup. It is a great choice for ceramic tiles, porcelain, and vitrified tiles, but make sure you do not use it on natural stone floors or any other floors that can get damaged by the acidity of lemon. The added advantage of using lemon juice is that it adds its lemony “fresh” scent to the cleaner, giving you a fresh feeling.

• • Warm Water

Using too much floor cleaner, homemade or otherwise, can end up damaging your floor, sometimes causing irreversible damage. Always make sure you dilute your homemade floor cleaner with enough water since it can dilute the effect of some of the harsher cleaning ingredients. To increase the longevity of homemade floor cleaners some recipes even ask you to use distilled water.

• • Borax

Borax is an alkali-based cleaner that can help cut through oil and grease. Once upon a time, Borax was a highly used cleaning supply, but it phased out with the advent of modern cleaning supplies. But, now, Borax is making a comeback. This powder can be used for a variety of things, such as scrubs, pastes, and cleaning sprays.

• • Ammonia

Ammonia is one the toughest cleaning ingredients out there and can provide you with a clean, streak-free surface. It can help cut through all kinds of tough dirt and grime quite easily. But, beware, it is a very potent ingredient and care should be taken while using it. Firstly, always wear gloves while using ammonia and open all doors and windows for better ventilation. As an additional safety measure, you can wear a mask too. Also, most importantly, never ever mix ammonia with chlorine bleach – it produces a dangerous chloramines gas that can cause symptoms such as nausea, coughing, chest pain, fluid in the lungs, watery eyes, shortness of breath, irritation in the throat, nose, and eyes, and wheezing.

Different Types Of Floor Cleaner For Different Flooring Materials

While using an all-purpose cleaner is good, sometimes certain ingredients present in the cleaner can damage certain surfaces. So, it is best to make a custom home cleaner based on your flooring so that your flooring does not get damaged.

Wondering how to make the floor cleaner? Read on to know!

1. Laminated Floors
   

   
   Laminate flooring is hassle-free and does not require extensive maintenance. But, to clean up the occasional messes, a strong floor cleaner is required. Using the wrong kind of floor cleaner can have a disastrous impact and can permanently damage the finish of your floor. This floor cleaner will get your laminate flooring gleaming, without damaging the flooring.

   DIY Laminate Floor Cleaner Recipe

   Ingredients:

   • 5-10 drops of essential oil of your choice
   • 2 cups vinegar
   • 2 cups hot water

   Method:

   1. Add all the aforementioned ingredients into a spray bottle or a mop bucket and mix well until combined.
   2. If using a mop bucket: soak a clean mop in the solution and gently mop your floors, ensuring that all corners are thoroughly mopped too. You do not need to rinse this solution – just let it dry under a fan. Discard the leftover cleaning mix.
   3. If using a spray bottle: spray generous amounts of the cleaner on the floor and wipe it off using a clean rag or a mop. Rinse the rag or mop if you feel it is getting dirty – this way you do not contaminate the whole batch of cleaner and do not need to throw away the leftover cleaning mix.

   This solution can be used to clean bamboo floors and dirty walls too.

2. Vinyl Floors
   

   Vinyl should always be cleaned using non-abrasive floor cleaners that are free from some of the harsher chemicals. The following cleaning solution can be used on vinyl flooring without damaging its surface.

   DIY Homemade Vinyl Floor Cleaner Recipe

   Ingredients:

   • 1/8 tsp dish soap (without bleach, oils or moisturisers)
   • ½ cup white vinegar
   • 2 gallons of warm water
   • ½ cup rubbing alcohol

   Method:

   1. Combine all the aforementioned ingredients in a spray bottle or a mop bucket. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
   2. If using a mop bucket: soak a clean mop in the solution and thoroughly mop your floor; pay special attention to the corners. While you do not need to rinse the floor, make sure you dry the floor and do not let pools of the solution sit on the floor.
   3. If using a spray bottle: spray generous amounts of the cleaner on the floor and wipe your floor using a clean rag or a mop. Dry the floor well and do not let the solution pool on the surface of your vinyl floor.

3. Hardwood Flooring
   

   Hardwood can be mopped on a daily basis with warm water, but in case of stubborn stains, you need something stronger. With this homemade wood floor cleaner you can mop your hardwood floors to clean all the built-up grit, dirt, and grease. This recipe will also help polish your floor and give it a beautiful sheen. The lemon juice and the hot water in the recipe make the solution strong enough to clean out the dirt, while the olive oil helps polish your floor.

   DIY Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner Recipe

   Ingredients:

   • ½ cup lemon juice
   • ¾ cup olive oil
   • 1-gallon hot water

   Method:

   1. Combine all the aforementioned ingredients in a large bucket and mix well. The mix will not completely combine as water and oil won’t mix, which is ok.
   2. Wring out a rinsed mop and thoroughly clean your floors. Do not rinse and allow the solution to air dry.
   3. Homemade Tile Floor Cleaner

4. Tile Flooring
   

   If the floors of your home are tiled using ceramic, porcelain, or vitrified tiles, you can use ingredients commonly found in most households to clean your floors and get rid of the layers of built-up dust, grime, and dirt. The best part about this solution is that it doesn’t leave behind a sticky soapy residue. With this solution, you can easily stop buying commercially produced cleaners completely.

   Homemade Tile Floor Cleaner Recipe

   Ingredients:

   • 1 cup baking soda
   • ¾ cup white vinegar
   • 1 gallon of hot water
   • 1 cup ammonia

   Method:

   1. Pour the hot water, vinegar, and ammonia into a large bucket. Add the baking soda and mix well until all the baking soda has dissolved.
   2. Pour the mix into a spray bottle and spray a small amount of the cleaner in a small area.
   3. Clean the area using a clean rag or mop and allow the surface to dry. Repeat until the whole floor is done.

5. Carpeted Floors
   

   The easiest, no-fuss way of keeping a carpet clean is to vacuum it on a daily basis. But in cases of spills and stains, a vacuum can do no good. In such cases, you need a cleaner that can clean your carpet without damaging it and without leaving behind a soapy or sticky residue. Here is an easy homemade carpet cleaner recipe that can be used for spot cleaning.

   DIY Homemade Carpeted Floor Cleaner

   Ingredients:

   • 1 tsp baking soda
   • 1/8 tsp liquid dishwashing soap (without moisturisers, oils, or bleach of any kind)
   • 1 tbsp white vinegar
   • 1 cup of warm water

   Method:

   1. Combine the water, vinegar, and dish soap together in a spray bottle and mix well until combined.
   2. Add the baking soda and mix well until the baking soda dissolves.
   3. Spray a small quantity of the cleaner on the stain or spill and gently rub it with a clean towel. Repeat until the stain disappears or at least lightens.
   4. Use another clean and dry towel to mop up the extra cleaner and dry the carpet.

6. Natural Stone Floors
   

   Natural stone, whether a tile or a slab, is usually porous in nature. This means that if the stone is unsealed it can easily absorb the cleaner that you use and get discoloured and damaged. To avoid this, you need to use a pH-neutral cleaner that contains neither bleach nor any kind of acid. Here is a floor cleaner recipe that can help you clean your natural stone floors without damaging them. Try this cleaning solution in a fine mist spray bottle.

   Homemade Floor Cleaner For Natural Stone Floors

   Ingredients:

   • 5-10 drops of lemon juice or essential oil of your choice (optional, it is just to cover the smell of the rubbing alcohol)
   • ½ cup rubbing alcohol
   • ½ tsp liquid dishwashing soap (without any kind of moisturisers, oils, or bleach)
   • 1 1/2 cups warm water

   Method:

   1. Combine the ingredients in a fine mist spray bottle and mix well until combined.
   2. Spray a small, low-visibility section of your floor with the cleaner and check if it causes any kind of damage or discolouration to your stone floor or the grout joints.
   3. Once you are sure the cleaner will not damage your floor, spray a small amount of cleaner on a small section of your floor and mop using a clean mop. Repeat until your whole floor is done. Air dry once done.

7. Marble Floors
   

   Marble is temperamental and even the slightest imbalance in the pH of your floor cleaner can cause irreversible damage to your marble floors. Using the right floor cleaner is imperative. Here is a recipe for a mild floor cleaner that will clean your marble floors without damaging them.

   DIY Marble Floor Cleaner

   Ingredients:

   • 2 cups warm water
   • ¼ cup rubbing alcohol
   • 3 drops mild liquid dishwashing soap (without any kind of moisturisers, oils, or bleach)

   Method:

   1. Combine all the ingredients together in a spray bottle. Shake well until all the ingredients are well combined.
   2. Spray the cleaner in a small low-visibility area of your floor and check if it reacts with the stone or causes any kind of damage or discolouration to the marble or to the grout.
   3. Once you are sure that the cleaner is not damaging your marble floor you can spray the cleaner onto the surface and then wipe it off using a damp mop or cloth.
   4. To disinfect your floor, re-spray the cleaner on your floor and wait for 5 minutes and then wipe using a clean damp mop or cloth. This will help kill the germs that may be present on your floor.

Frequently Asked Questions on Floor Cleaning (FAQ’s)

How do I clean a sticky laminate floor?

If your laminate floor is sticky and you cannot figure out why, it is probably because your cleaner is building up on its surface. An easy way to get rid of all the built-up cleaners is to use a mix of warm water, liquid dishwashing soap, vinegar, and alcohol to mop your floor. You will notice a change within the first mopping cycle.

Can you clean vinyl floors with vinegar?

Vinyl flooring is highly durable and robust, which is why it is a popular choice for most people. While it can handle most cleaning products, vinegar is highly acidic and can damage the surface of your vinyl. An easy fix for this is to dilute the vinegar with water in a 1:4 ratio and you should be good to go.

Why do some mopping solutions leave a residue?

Sometimes, mopping solutions contain too many surfactants (soap), which causes them to leave behind a residue. While soap is a necessity for cleaning dirt, it can cause streaky, unsightly-looking floors.

How do you make floor cleaner safe for pets?

While using any floor cleaner, even a pet-safe home cleaner, it is best to keep your pet away in another room until the floors are completely dry. If you are making a homemade floor cleaner and adding essential oils to your floor cleaner, make sure you use only pet-safe essential oils to keep your furry baby(s) safe.

What is the best homemade floor cleaner?

One of the quickest and safest homemade floor cleaners is this all-purpose floor cleaner. Simply fill a bucket with about 8 litres of water. Add ½ cup vinegar, ½ cup rubbing alcohol, and 5 to 7 drops of liquid dishwashing liquid to it and mix well. Mop the floor with it and then rinse with fresh water if required.

How can I disinfect my floor at home?

Rubbing alcohol or 70% alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is a great disinfectant and can be used to disinfect your floor at home.

Here you have some of the best homemade floor cleaner recipes for some of the most common types of flooring. You can easily make these at home with natural ingredients at a fraction of the cost of store-bought cleaners while creating a healthy environment for you and your family.

Also read how to clean the cement stains from tiles using home made solutions.