DIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray with Essential Oils
This all-purpose cleaning spray with essential oils is one of the simplest things I’ve made and used in my natural cleaning repertoire, and the one I come back to most often.
A handful of all-natural ingredients, a glass spray bottle, and a few drops of essential oil are all it takes.
The result is a natural, non-toxic all-purpose cleaning spray that takes about two minutes to put togethr and handles everyday kitchen and bathroom surfaces while giving off a pleasant scent.
The recipe below uses lemon essential oil as the lead scent. It’s bright, crisp, and unmistakably clean. I’ve also included other options for those who prefer a softer or more herbal scent.
Mix and match essential oils based on your mood, the season, or whatever you happen to have on hand.
Table of Contents
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Why Make Your Own Cleaning Spray?
Making your own cleaning spray puts the scent choice entirely in your hands, and for those of us who pay attention to what goes into our homes, knowing exactly what’s in the bottle is a quiet kind of comfort.
You only need 3 ingredients, and the whole process takes less time than a trip to the cleaning products aisle.
It is also a natural fit for anyone already exploring natural cleaning with essential oils. This all-purpose cleaning spray is the easiest place to start if you’re new to making your own natural cleaning products with essential oils.
Once you’ve tried the basic recipe, it’s fun to experiment with different scent combinations.
All-Purpose Cleaning Spray Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) White Vinegar
- 1 cup (240ml) Distilled Water
- 20–25 drops Lemon Essential Oil (see alternate options below)
- 1 x 16 oz (500ml) Amber Glass Spray Bottle
What Each Ingredient Contributes to the Cleaning Spray
White vinegar is the workhorse of this recipe. It cuts through grease and grime on hard surfaces and evaporates cleanly, taking its sharp smell with it as it dries, especially once paired with essential oils.
Distilled water dilutes the vinegar and helps the essential oils disperse more evenly through the spray. Tap water works in a pinch, but distilled water extends the shelf life a little bit.
Essential oils give your homemade all-purpose cleaner a pleasant scent. They do the aromatic work here, transforming a functional spray into something that actually makes cleaning feel pleasant.
It’s best to store vinegar-based cleaners in glass spray bottles. Glass is impervious to the acid in vinegar and will not degrade. It also holds scent better.
A plastic bottle, on the other hand, can interact with vinegar, degrading both the bottle and its contents.
The amber color protects the essential oil from degradation due to light exposure. A 16 oz amber glass spray bottle is the ideal size for this recipe.
How to Make the All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
The process is super easy and involves just 3 straightforward steps.
- Pour the white vinegar into the spray bottle first.
- Top up the bottle with distilled water, leaving some space at the top.
- Drop in your chosen essential oil. Start at 20 drops and increase to 25 if you prefer a stronger scent.
That’s it! Secure the spray top and shake gently to combine.
Label the bottle with the date and contents and store it in a cool spot out of direct sunlight.
This spray keeps well for up to four weeks. The amber glass helps protect the essential oils from UV degradation.
Shake the bottle before each use, as the oils and water will separate slightly between sprays.
Important Note about Surfaces: This all-purpose spray is suitable for sealed countertops, sinks, stovetops, appliances, and tiled surfaces. Do not use on unsealed wood or natural stone surfaces such as granite, marble, travertine. The acidity in vinegar can dull and damage these surfaces over time.
Best Essential Oils for All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Lemon essential oil is the top choice for use in a cleaning spray. Its scent is sharp, bright, and unmistakably fresh, which makes it feel right at home in a kitchen or bathroom.
But you’re not limited to only lemon. These essential oils are also good options. Each one offers a different aroma profile if you want something softer or more relaxed.
- Lemon: Crisp, zesty, and energizing, lemon essential oil is the classic choice for a cleaning spray.
- Sweet Orange: Warmer and rounder than lemon, with a softer citrus sweetness, sweet orange essential oil is a lovely option if sharp scents aren’t your preference.
- Peppermint: Cool, clean, and a little invigorating, peppermint essential oil works especially well in the bathroom.
- Lavender: Soft, floral, and calming, lavender essential oil gives the spray a completely different mood, less ‘kitchen cleaner’, more ‘weekend ritual’.
- Eucalyptus: Crisp and spa-like, eucalyptus essential oil has a clean, almost medicinal freshness.
Tips for adjusting the scent profile and intensity:
- For a stronger scent: Increase to 30 drops of essential oil total.
- For a citrus blend: Combine lemon and sweet orange – 10 drops each – for a layered, sunny scent.
- For a spa feel: Use eucalyptus and lavender in equal parts. Works especially well as a bathroom spray.
Tip: Lemon and lavender blend beautifully together. Try 15 drops of lemon and 10 drops of lavender for a softer, more nuanced scent.
If you’re new to mixing essential oils, the citrus family blends easily and forgivingly. It’s hard to go wrong.
If You’d Rather Skip the Measuring
Once you’ve made this spray a few times, you might find yourself curious about a ready-to-go concentrate.
Plant Therapy’s Citrus Burst Multi-Surface Cleaner works on the same principle and is just as easy to put together and use. Pour the 30ml concentrate into a 16 oz spray bottle, top up with water, shake, and you’re done.
Citrus Burst cleaner is scented with a blend of pink grapefruit, lemon, lime, and sweet orange, so it carries a similar bright citrus character to this recipe. A good option to keep on hand for weeks when mixing from scratch isn’t on the agenda.
Making the All-Purpose Spray Part of Your Cleaning Routine
While this all-purpose spray has a distinct practical appeal, the sensory side is just as appealing.
More and more, people are approaching cleaning less as a chore and more as a weekly reset, a deliberate, enjoyable ritual rather than something to rush through.
Choosing your scent for the week, shaking up a fresh batch on a Sunday morning, and moving through the kitchen with something that smells genuinely good makes the whole process feel different.
It’s a small shift, but a satisfying one.
Pair it with a homemade room spray or linen spray, and you’ve got a full sensory reset with very little effort.
If you’d like to take this seasonal reset further, this spring cleaning guide includes easy tips on using essential oils for a full room-by-room refresh.
If you’re just getting started with essential oils for the home, take a look at the guide to citrus essential oils. It covers the scent characteristics of lemon, sweet orange, and other citrus oils in more detail, which is handy when you’re choosing oils for recipes like this one.
Once you’ve made this spray a couple of times, it becomes second nature. A batch takes two minutes, and the ingredients are always on hand.
Keep a bottle in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, and switch up the scent whenever you feel like a change. A small thing, but one that makes the everyday feel a little more considered.
For a fully natural kitchen cleaning routine, pair this spray with this all-natural liquid dish soap made with Sal Suds and essential oils.
Frequently Asked Questions about Making an All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar?
White vinegar is better for cleaning sprays because it’s clear and odorless once dry. Apple cider vinegar has a stronger smell and can leave a slightly brown tint on some surfaces.
Does the vinegar smell go away?
Yes,it dissipates quickly as the spray dries. When you add essential oils, you’ll smell the oils long after the vinegar scent has gone.
Can I use this spray on glass?
Yes, this works well on glass and mirrors. After spritzing on glass or mirrors, buff dry with a microfibre cloth for a streak-free finish.
Can I mix castile soap with this recipe?
No, you should never combine castile soap and vinegar. The acid causes the soap to separate and curdle, leaving a white, filmy residue. Use one or the other, not both.
How many drops of essential oil should I use?
Twenty drops is a good starting point if you’re using the quantities mentioned in the recipe above. This creates a noticeable but not overpowering scent. Adjust up to 25–30 drops if you prefer a stronger scent.
Can I use this to clean my stovetop?
Yes, you can use this cleaning spray on sealed ceramic and glass stovetops. Avoid using it on cast iron or any unsealed surfaces.
