I have made my own cleaning products like all purpose cleaning spray and dish soap for a few years now. I started making all of our personal care products like toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, and moisturizer nearly two years ago. Once I started, I never went back.
It’s easier and less time consuming to make your own products than many people think. It certainly takes less time than going to the store to shop for them. Often homemade products contain fewer ingredients and less toxins. Making your own supplies cuts back on packaging waste. It’s often simpler. I was amazed by how few ingredients and solutions I needed to keep my home clean. It’s also cheaper overall once you make the switch.
There are tons of reasons to make your own household cleaners and toiletries at home. For those curious about making the change, I offer my personal reasons for how and why homemade works better for my family:
1. Less Toxins, Chemicals, and Additives
Have you tried to read a label on a cleaning products or shampoo bottle lately and make sense of what is in it? It’s frustrating to have to google each ingredient to identify what you’re dealing with. Labeling laws are changing all the time and companies take advantage of loopholes with their marketing terms.
It can feel like a full time job just to make sure what you’re buying is indeed “green” or “eco friendly” or “natural”. I got tired of finding a product I thought was “good” only for the company to switch ingredients soon after. Sometimes I would come across contradicting information later.
If you make your own you know exactly what goes into it. You can make it as simple or as complicated as you would like. Even if it takes some research in the beginning for recipes and sourcing ingredients, it’s one time research that you can count on.
2. It’s Cheaper Overall
Once you find DIY recipes that work for you, it’s cheaper to make your own. Often the same ingredients are used in various recipes so you can buy one large quantity that will last you a long time throughout several batches.
You might have to drop $50 on 7 or 8 basic products but they will last you months rather than spending $50 on bottles of cleaner, soaps, toothpastes, and deodorants every time you hit the store.
Cleaning ingredients like white vinegar and baking soda are inexpensive and go a long way. Castile soap is a little more expensive but it lasts a long time as can be used for cleaning solutions or bath products. Coconut oil comes up a lot in different personal care products. It can bought in a large container and used in a variety of diys as well as cooking.
3. Less Waste with Less Packaging and Fewer Purchases
The plastic bottles can add up when you “need” a shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, nighttime face wash, lotion, moisturizer, toothpaste, mouthwash, dish soap, hand soap, deodorant stick, hair oil, hair spray, beard oil, and a variety of cleaning supplies. That’s just what I could think of in 60 seconds. Far more is being marketed to us as necessities for personal hygiene and cleaning.
By purchasing more in bulk and also using fewer ingredients in a variety of ways, you cut back on packaging waste. You can make your own personal care and cleaning products in a few reusable glass containers and jars.
4. Allows for Simple Living and Cleaning
At any box or grocery store, there are shelves and shelves of different brands with tons specialty cleaners for a single function! The secret is you don’t need 5 different bathroom cleaners and then 5 for the kitchen and 5 for the rest of the house. Just a few can take care of the whole house.
A walk down the bath and beauty aisles is even more overwhelming with hundreds of choices.
It’s easier to make my own because I don’t get overwhelmed with options and I can limit it to two or three different solutions to cover everything. I don’t have a cabinet full of 20 different cleaning products. I’m not moving tons of different bottles out of the shower to clean it. We have homemade shampoo and I make a body wash. It allows me to keep my bath and beauty products and routine quite simple and our space doesn’t get cluttered with tons of lotions, soaps, and moisturizer options.
5. Add Essential Oils for Extra Aromatherapy Benefits
A benefit of homemade products is scenting them with natural oils rather than synthetic chemicals. Essential oils (so long as you follow the guidelines) are safer to put into the air you’re breathing and the products your skin is absorbing. Plus different oils can add an extra aromatherapy benefit. The possible combinations are endless!
Lemon is a natural disinfectant when added to a cleaning solution. Tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. To create a calm relaxing scent, add lavender to bath or beauty products. Peppermint in a body wash can help open your airways and make you more alert. Rosemary promotes hair growth when added to shampoo or beard oil.
6. It’s Fun to Experiment
Once you discover a few recipes that cover the basic necessities, you can have fun experimenting further with other diys for the same products or discover ones you never would have thought of. It opens up a world to homemade gift options for friends and family – one Christmas we made lip balm for everyone! Plus it goes hand in hand with exploring essential oils for emotional and physical health support.
What are your thoughts on making your own cleaning supplies? Do you make any homemade personal care products?
