Homemade cleaning products can be inexpensive and effective. The Optimist isn’t in business anymore, but their formulas are still great.
For the last decade, I’ve kept an ugly, industrial-looking spray bottle of diluted white vinegar under my sink. I use it mostly as a simple, non-toxic countertop spray that’s good for quick clean-ups during meal prep. While it’s been effective enough, both the look of the spray bottle and the unadulterated scent of vinegar leave something to be desired.
Enter The Optimist Co. Founded by Devin Donaldson after conventional cleaning products left her with a nasty asthma attack, they focus on simple, effective, non-toxic cleaning products that will help you keep your home spotless without compromising your health or the planet.
Devin sent me The Optimist Co.’s Make Your Own Cleaning Products Kit to try out a few weeks back. It comes with two amber-colored spray bottles with the cleaning formulas printed on the labels, a small bottle of castile soap and three small bottles of essential oils to make your custom scents.
Add some white vinegar and flat club soda* from your pantry to the mix and you have everything you need to build both an all-purpose spray (Time to Shine) and a glass and surface cleaner (Bright Side).
I made up both bottles the same day that the kit arrived. I followed the suggested recipes almost exactly, making only one change to the Bright Side. It suggests that you use plain white vinegar but instead, I used some of the lemon-infused vinegar I’d made during my Meyer lemon frenzy back in January (that’s what’s in the smaller measuring cup in the picture above). Bolstered with the enclosed lemon essential oil, every spray of that cleanser is an olfactory pleasure.
I’ve been using these sprays exclusively since they arrived and could not be more pleased with their effectiveness. I use them without worry around food, because I know that if a few droplets land on the contents of the fruit basket, no one will be harmed. Plus, they are far prettier than my old bottle of watered down vinegar.
*When we talked, I asked Devin what the flat club soda added to the mix and she said that it helps the cleaner wipe away streak-free, particularly on stainless steel appliances. So clever!
Disclosure: The Optimist Co. sent me the make your own kit at no cost to me for review and photography purposes. No additional payment has been made and all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
I’ve been researching recipes and where to purchase the items necessary for making my own non-toxic cleaners while using up the current products I have. Having less packaging and non-compostable items to dispose of will be a benefit!
Using ashes to clean the glass on the fireplace, so bizarre how that works…but I would rather try these cleaners for my mirrors! LOL
Hot water and vinegar to clean my windows… Wipe them clean with newspaper! No fuzz sticking to windows and they are clean & streak-free!
I’ve switched to a steam mop with a microfiber pad instead of a swiffer wet jet – with a chemical spray and disposable cloths!
baking soda and vinegar is a go to cleaning strategy. These look great!
I have always been a rag user, rather than a paper products user when it comes to cleaning. I’m trying to learn more about less toxic ways to clean, and this would be a great start.
We’ve switched from horrid oven cleaner to boiling water + baking soda for getting the burned on range-top gunk off. It takes a couple of passes (so did the oven cleaner) but it’s much less terrifying to use. I also make my own floor cleaner for tile/linoleum from lemon juice, castile soap, and water. Smells great, gets the floor clean, and it’s cheap!
Vinegar! I love vinegar and borax.
I use vinegar and recycled rags to clean my windows and other household surfaces.
I’ve tried many DIY cleaners over the years. I like diluted white vinegar for average clean up but it just can’t do the job in the bathroom. I also have some marble and you can’t use vinegar on that. Baking Soda is the magic cleaner for me in the kitchen. Just baking soda and boiling water will get all kinds of stuck on stuff off. Put some baking soda in the bottom of your coffee thermos and pour boiling water in and the coffee residue comes right off. I also boil water in the microwave with a little grapefruit essential oil and it cleans up easy after.
I have started making my own hand sanitizers, and making fizzy bombs for cleaning of the tolit, love to experiment!
I keep shakers of baking soda in my kitchen and bathroom to use in lieu of abrasive cleansers. Works really well!
Way cool! This is much simpler! Thanks Devin for coming up with this kit and thanks Marisa for making this offer!
I also use diluted vinegar (lemon/lavender infused, but still…the smell…) as a household cleaner, and use the classic baking soda/vinegar as a sink drain unclogging agent. And once my current bottle of detergent is finished, I’m planning to make a batch of liquid laundry soap!
I’ve switched to more environmentally friendly cleaners. but having a beautiful bottle like this would be fantastic!
I make all my own cleaning products now. It’s an attempt to help with sustainability, becoming less-toxic in my home, and help with allergies.
Wow what a great offer. I always keep club soda on hand to use as a spot remover. I’ve been wanting to find a nice for you cleaner for my kitchen counters. I have tile and the grout sanitation issue is a worry.
Will surely investigate thiese new products. Thanks !
I slap infused some vinegar with lemon for cleaning, started making my own laundry soap a couple years back and am now making our own hair and skin products. Thanks for hosting this giveaway! Looks exciting!
I’ve been mixing my own cleaning solutions for years but I love the idea of
a kit for someone just getting started!
I use more and more vinegar in my own cleaning and canning.
I use baking soda and white vinegar for cleaning. I use essential oils instead of candles. And I make my own facewash..
My daughter, mother to 6, would LOVE this –
I don’t use store bought drain cleaners anymore. I use the baking soda, peroxide and hot water method.
My husband does a good share of the laundry, but he uses more detergent than is needed to clean the clothes. Rather than harping on him about it, I simply dilute the detergent in the bottle with half water. He now uses half the detergent he used to, with no loss of cleanliness to the clothes.
we started making our own laundry detergent a few years ago – so much better! also, replaced dryer sheets with the nubby balls for antistatic, and mostly use dilute vinegar in the kitchen and dilute bleach in the bathroom.
still haven’t found a good way to clean the inside of the tub – although i did try grapefruit and salt recently. smelled great, didn’t make much of a dent.
I wet the tub, sprinkle baking soda and then add just a little bit of eco dishsoap. It suds up and works great!
I have banished paper towels. Also made some lovely tangerine scented vinegar when “cuties” were in season this winter.
I use cloth napkins and have nearly eliminated paper towels in cleaning. I’ve just begun exploring things like vinegar for cleaning – this product looks like a great way to jump in!
I have been using a lot more vinegar and baking soda while cleaning. It works, but you’re right the smell is a little off putting.
Trash can filled with old washcloths for dusting/cleaning (no more paper towels), olive oil to shine stainless steel appliances, vinegar for windows/cleaning/washing fruits and vegetables before eating.
I am thrilled at the thought of something that smells better than white vinegar!!!!!!!!!!! WooHoo 🙂
Homemade laundry soap. Baking soda paste for scrubbing bathtub and vanity.
I use vinegar to clean my ceramic floors as well as a rinse aid in the washer.
My daughter used to get carsick a lot. The best smell remover formula is a cup of water, a cup of white vinegar, a tablespoon of castile soap, and a few drops of tea tree oil. I keep it in a spray bottle and it’s great for dealing with all kinds of funky smells.
I’m using more microfiber cleaning cloths, and I still have a nice stash of white flour sack dish towels for easy clean-up. I experimented with the citrus infused vinegar this winter and really love the scent along with cleaning power.
I make my own spray with diluted vinegar but add a little lavender and tea tree oil to cut down on the vinegar scent. But I love the idea of flat club soda for a streak free finish!
Thanks for sharing.
I have started using essential oils while cleaning instead of using store bought chemicals. Slowly but surely, I want to eliminate them all. Here’s one of my favorites. It’s a “tub scrub”:
Mix together 1 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup salt, 10 drops tangerine essential oil, 5 drops lavender essential oil. To use, sprinkle on sponge and clean! The tangerine is a degreaser, and the lavender is an antibacterial.
I’ve been using vinegar for over twenty years for certain cleaning applications. Call me weird (other people certainly do), but I like the scent of vinegar. It makes me feel like I’ve been a good girl. I started this about the same time I began trying to use only preservative-free foods (way back in the day) which mainly meant just cooking everything from scratch. That was because we were realizing something might be amiss with our middle son’s behavior. Turned out he would develop ADHD, and this was back when they weren’t even calling it that! FYI, he has turned out a FINE young man, but it wasn’t an easy road – for him or for the rest of the family.
My two daughters-in-law use newer, non-toxic cleaners, and I’ve really been meaning to expand my repertoire after spending time in their splendidly-kept homes. I’d LOVE to try these!
Love white vinegar!! Also ammonia for grease, and baking soda for scrubbing.
Bleach for the toilets.
Clever I say, Love the idea of marketing a make your own. Love It! I currently reuse and recycle old clothing as cleaning rags / Re-Wash instead of the immense amounts of paper towels I used to use to do daily cleaning.
I made my own counter cleaner and *tried* to make my own soap (but failed)!
http://www.justusgalsbos.com/blog/2015/1/18/diy-green-cleaning-solutions
I use a big jug of white vinegar to clean everything from floors to washers, to bathrooms.
I’ve started routinely using baking soda and vinegar to clean my bathroom drains instead of waiting for a clog that requires (toxic) drain cleaner.
I’ve started using orange and lemon essential oils in my cleaning routine. Thanks for the giveaway.
baking soda for scrubbing & as much as I hate the smell, vinegar for cleaning. Also love to rub fresh lemon on countertops!
I am excited to try this product. I love the amber colored spray bottles!
I use a lot of vinegar to clean. Blasting music is a great incentive as I clean!
I started making my own laundry soap a few years ago. I’ve experimented with different DIY spray cleaners, and would be excited to try something else! thanks for hosting the giveaway.
Baking soda and vinegar to clean my toilets. It’s easy and I like when the vinegar and baking soda react:)
I have gotten back to using rags to clean with instead of paper towels or the container of wipes.
I had to switch to soap-and-water after getting honed marble countertops and realized that there was very little need for so many chemical sprays when the basics can get the job done. I haven’t used much vinegar because of the smell but I’m excited to try out these products.
I haven’t purchased cleaners from the store in years. I make my own with baking soda, vinegar and water. Using essential oils would be a nice addition.