You probably already have all of the ingredients needed to make your homemade floor cleaner. This mopping solution gets your wood, tile, laminate or vinyl just as shiny and streak-free as the commercial stuff without introducing irritants to your home.
That’s one of the great things about homemade cleaners: you don’t need a lot of different products that only clean one kind of surface. So, once you’ve got your standard cleaning ingredients on hand, it’s easy to mix up a variety of homemade cleaning products.
The Best Homemade Floor Cleaner
Safer for Indoor Air-Quality
Commercial cleaning products contribute significantly to indoor air pollution. For people with allergies or asthma, indoor air quality is critical to good health.
Companies that manufacture cleaning products aren’t required to disclose their ingredients on the label. As a result, there’s no way to tell at a glance whether a product contains volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may cause irritation or even cancer.
Switching to homemade natural cleaners lets you know exactly what you’re using in your home, so you can avoid dangerous combinations. (Related: Household Cleaners You Should Never Combine.)
Easier on Your Budget
If that’s not enough to convince you to switch to a homemade floor cleaner, consider how much money you’ll save. The cost of commercial floor cleaners is crazy!
Using a Swiffer mop, for instance, runs about $0.32 per wet pad — and you have to use two or three of them in even a small kitchen or bathroom. Even bottles of commercial mopping products run anywhere from $4 to $15, depending on the brand.
Over time, those expenses add up. Cleaning shouldn’t cost a fortune, and it doesn’t when you use this homemade mopping solution.
Homemade Floor Cleaner for ALL Hard Flooring
This homemade mopping solution cleans any kind of hard flooring.
✓ It works on laminate.
✓ It works on hardwood.
✓ It works on vinyl, linoleum, and tile.
✓ Yep, you can use it on marble or granite.
✓ It even works on cement!
Have I mentioned that, after powering through grime, it also leaves a gorgeous shine?
It Works With Mopping Robots, Too!
I’ve written before about my search to find the best floor cleaning robots. One of my requirements was being able to use a homemade floor cleaner.
After spending that kind of money on a robot, I didn’t want to be stuck buying a special floor cleaning solution or wet mopping pads all the time.
I’ve been using it in my mopping robot for over two years now, and I’m thrilled with the results.
Homemade Floor Cleaner Recipe
What the Ingredients Do
- Water: Loosens grime and acts helps the other ingredients combine.
- White vinegar: Degreases and provides mild disinfection. At this dilution, it’s safe for natural stone surfaces because it’s not acidic enough to cause etching. I’ve been using this on marble and granite for years without a problem. If you have any concerns, don’t use it.
- Isopropyl (70%) rubbing alcohol: Speeds up evaporation to avoid streaks. Degreases and helps disinfect. (In the UK, if you can’t find it inexpensively at the chemist it’s available online.)
- Liquid dish soap: Dissolves bonds between dirt and floor, degreases and cleans. Don’t use a dish soap that contains moisturizers, antibacterial ingredients, or “oxygen bleach.” I use Dawn Original (Classic). (Fairy is the UK substitute.) Please don’t swap Castille soap for the dish soap. Castille is an oil-based soap and will leave streaks and smears.
- Essential oils: Optional ingredients to offset the smell of vinegar and rubbing alcohol. If you have pets or children, verify the safety of any essential oil you use. Be sure they aren’t compounds (i.e., those with fragrance added to grapeseed or some other form of oil). I buy these from Amazon.
Remember, there are reasons for using the specific ingredients in this homemade cleaning recipe. If you change them, you’re changing the formula, and that may alter your results.
If you can’t find rubbing alcohol at the grocery store, pharmacy, or chemist, you can substitute specific liquors for it instead. When using liquor to disinfect, it must be 120-proof, so it contains at least 60% alcohol. Vodka is not the best choice. Most vodkas are only 80-proof, and some are even lower.
Look for a what’s known as a “neutral spirit” or “rectified spirit,” since these contain very high concentrations of ethanol alcohol. Everclear is one brand that meets the 120-proof requirement and is available in most liquor or package stores.
When substituting liquor for rubbing alcohol in a homemade cleaner recipe, you need to select unflavored, clear varieties. Flavorings may contain sugars or other substances that attract pests, while colorings may stain the surfaces you’re cleaning. Both can leave streaks.
Homemade Floor Cleaner
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1/4 cup isopropyl (70%) rubbing alcohol or 120-proof clear liquor
- 1/8 tsp liquid dish soap (See notes)
- 5-10 drops essential oils optional
Instructions
To Use in a Spray Bottle
- Add all of the ingredients above and gently swirl to mix. Lightly spray 3-foot sections then wipe with a mop. This is best for small areas or touch-up mopping.
To Use in a Bucket
- Scale the recipe depending on the size of your bucket. A 1-gallon bucket holds 128 ounces (US) to 154 ounces (UK). Use the “Serving Size” slider to select your needed amount. You may need to scale more than once to select your desired amount.
For Both Methods
- You do not need to rinse after use.
- Allow the floors to completely dry before walking on them.
- Store unused homemade floor cleaner in a cool, dark spot away from kids and pets. Use within 1 month.
Notes
Save money and get your home brilliantly clean with these other easy DIY cleaning recipes.
- Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
- Homemade Window and Glass Cleaner
- Homemade Floor Cleaner
- Homemade Soft Scrub
- Homemade Bathroom Disinfectant
- Homemade Daily Shower Spray to Prevent Mildew
- Homemade Soap Scum Remover (no scrubbing!)
- Homemade Wipes
- Homemade Furniture Polish
- Homemade Granite Cleaner
- Homemade Disinfecting Sink Spray
Sue says
Well, I’ll be darned!
I was reading your latest post and thought, okay, the furniture polish, air freshener and vinegar tips have been amazing, but alcohol and vinegar (mixed together) on my floors…well, let’s say I was skeptical.
Mixed up a trusty spray bottle of this concoction, and lo and behold, it is fantastic! You are right, it dries to a beautiful shine and the kitchen smells delightful. If it works this well on my hardwoods I will be ecstatic.
Thanks for another huge money saver, especially one which honestly does what is advertised.
I hope you and your family are having a wonderful summer.
Katie B. says
I’m so glad you gave it a try, Sue! I love the way it cleans my white ceramic tile floors. Those things are the bane of my existence! How’d it work on your hardwood?
Katie B. says
Thank you, Mariette!
Karen says
Hi Katie, the reviews for this floor cleaner are exciting, as it is so discouraging to try a new product, homemade or commercial, and get poor results. My question is, is this a no-rinse recipe? I really don’t like the idea of mopping twice, once to clean and then again to rinse. The use of dishsoap is what makes me question this. Please let me know. thanks for your tips.
Katie Berry says
Yep, it’s a no-rinse solution IF you only use the small amount of soap called for. Too much soap will actually attract dirt if you don’t rinse it off, but this recipe involves very little. Just enough to help lift dirt.
Leslie says
I am curious why you can’t use Castille soap?
Katie Berry says
Castile soap is a base, and so it shouldn’t be used with an acid like vinegar (or lemon juice) because they’ll cancel each other out. The vinegar will just turn the castile soap into its original oils, and those will leave streaks on your floor.
Tammy Wright says
Great advice! I am just wondering if this works well on vinyl wood planks. Over time my floor has built up a film that I hate. The shine is gone. I feel it never looks clean even though I just mopped it. Any suggestions? Thanks
Katie B of HousewifeHowTos.com says
It should definitely clean them, but whether it removes that film or haze depends on its cause. Sometimes that film is the result of detergent buildup, and this formula would definitely remove that. You could even skip the liquid dish soap for the first mopping or two if you’re concerned.
Amy says
I just gathered up 4 (yes 4) “steam cleaners” to throw away. They all worked great for a couple months and then would clog even though I used distilled water. I would put them in the garage and buy another. Now I am trying to be frugal as well as green. I bought an O Cedar mop with spinning basket and am going to try this floor cleaner. Steam cleaners are a waste of money.
Anne B says
I just tried this on my ceramic tile floors and it’s great! I also did the peppermint & orange essential oils…which smelled nice! My floors look very clean, clean, clean! Thanks for this non-toxic cleaner.
Carolin Flores says
Great recipe! I like using essential oils my home cleaning products and I’m trying this recipe right next weekend. Thank you for sharing it!
aly says
I made a concentrated version of this and it works beautifully.
Basically, I tripled the recipe, excluding the water and using mandarine essential oil, and wherever I need it I just dilute it in a bucket of warm water and mop away.
Also, I used my homemade citrus vinegar ..just because 🙂
Thanks for this great tip /recipe that does wonders.
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you liked it, Aly! Mandarine is one of my favorite scents. I bet your home smells amazing now. 🙂
wacey says
Can you use this in a steam floor cleaner?
Katie Berry says
No, you should never use anything but plain water in a steam floor cleaner or you risk damaging the machine. Also, since rubbing alcohol is flammable it’s not a good idea to heat it like that.
Katie Berry says
Definitely not. The essential oils are in this just for fragrance so you can leave them out if you like.
Fabric conditioner isn’t the same thing at all. It contains highly-concentrated surfactants and lubricants that would leave a streaky, grimy film on your floor.
Katie Berry says
The White Musk from Body Shop is not essential oil. It’s a perfume oil a/k/a fragrance oil. It will not work the same in this recipe and, really, who’d want their kitchen to smell of white musk? To use this recipe, look for a good essential oil (not fragrance or perfume oil).
Katie Berry says
I hope you’re enjoying the routines, Michael, at least as much as anyone can “enjoy” cleaning.
As for using this on marble floors, I’d recommend leaving the vinegar out since its acidic nature might damage your marble over time. If you find it’s not cutting grime sufficiently, try increasing the amount of rubbing alcohol.
Enjoy!
Katie Berry says
Hi Angie! Vinegar shouldn’t be used on granite counters, but you can find my granite cleaning recipe here.
Nicki says
Could This be used on engineered hardwood floors? Apparently there is a difference in what types of things you can use on them vs real hardwood floors.
Thank you for the reply, and thank you so much for the recipe. 🙂
Katie Berry says
Yes, this is safe for wood floors. Just be sure that you use a dish soap that doesn’t contain moisturizing or oxygenating ingredients, or it will leave streaks.
marianna giugni says
You did not mention grade of rubbing alcohol. 50%, 70% or 99%
Katie Berry says
While there are different strengths, you’ll most commonly find 70% grade at grocery stores and pharmacies. That’s what I use.
Katie Berry says
Rubbing alcohol dissolves grime and sticky messes, leaves a nice shine, and helps to disinfect.
Katie Berry says
That’s alcohol abuse, Andy!
Andy Bryan says
Ahahaha…. ??? Okay….
Katie Berry says
I can’t think of any reason why you couldn’t use it elsewhere, Alice. 🙂
Carol Tedford says
I found this today!! I have tile floors and grout and the tiles have places that pool…so hard to clean but I made this and put it in a spray bottle…I did put some peppermint oil in it…I love how it looks and isn’t sticky and doesn’t smell pepperminty at all. Thanks for posting this!!
Katie Berry says
I’m glad you like it, Carol! I use it on my tile floors all of the time and, like you, love the shine it gives them. 🙂
Nicole says
Can you use fresh lemon juice instead of oil?
Katie Berry says
No. The lemon oil is just there for fragrance. It doesn’t change acidity, which fresh lemon juice would do — and not for the better.
Sandra Williams says
Can you put this cleaning solution in the steam floor cleaners??
Katie Berry says
Definitely not. Rubbing alcohol is flammable.
Linda says
Does this have to be rinsed?
Katie Berry says
Nope! 🙂
Morgan says
I just found this today and my floors were awful. They were awful when I moved in. But after mixing this up and going over the kitchen floor and greasy splash wall behind my stove? It’s amazing!
Katie Berry says
I’m glad you like it! This is the only way I clean my floors now.
Laura says
Can you use thus on laminate wood floors
Katie Berry says
Yes, though as with all cleaning methods for laminate floors you don’t want to get them soaking wet.
Mary says
Thanks for the recipe! I had all of the “ingredients” on hand. So much easier than navigating the maze of cleaning products & no harsh chemicals. I doubled the batch to mop my kitchen floor. It worked great!
I’ll be making more to keep in a spray bottle for all-around clean-ups.
Katie Berry says
I’m glad you liked it!
Jen says
I too would like to know what type of mop you recommend. We have tile floors, and a flat sponge mop doesn’t get into the grout lines. There are so many different types of mops that whenever I go shopping for one, I just stand there staring at them, wondering which one to get…..
Katie Berry says
I know it’s always nice to have one cleaning product to tackle multiple jobs, but I couldn’t honestly recommend using this on countertops. I have a granite cleaner recipe that does a brilliant job of cleaning and is safe for quartz.
Jessica says
Hi! I just loved using your recipe! Clean, fresh and good smelling, without all the harmful ingredients I’m used to. I mixed more than I needed. How long will this stay fresh before I need to dump and mix a new batch? Thank you!
Katie Berry says
I’m glad you liked it, Jessica! If you store it in an air-tight container, away from heat and light, it will stay good for at least two months. That’s the longest I’ve kept it, so I can’t speak to any longer than that.
lee says
9/3/2018
I said to my self You Never know.. Plus I always Try to use/find NonToxic methodology.
Yes i was Pleasantly Surprised
Thank you!
Katie Berry says
I’m glad to hear it!
Katie Berry says
I use it straight. With a spin mop, you might want to spray it on the floor then use the mop to wipe it up.
Terry says
Thank you so much. Worked amazing on laminate floor and best of all no streaks.
Katie Berry says
Glad to hear you liked it!
KimC says
Very happy with this recipe, love that I can just mix it up whenever I need it with household staples. Left out the essential oils due to cats. Hardwood and tile floors look great.
Koni Purscell says
Is this safe in a household with a small dog? I’ve been reading about essential oils harming dogs.
Katie Berry says
I have a French Bulldog and two cats, and they’re fine with it. It’s true that some essential oils can be harmful to animals, so you should research any you plan to use.
Kathy H says
Hope this is still an active blog!
I just purchased a Braava 380t, love it, and am experimenting with a few strategies. Also have an older Romba. At night, I’m alternating one on one side of the house and one on the other. Doing bathrooms and small den during the day.
None of the ingredients in your homemade mix will do any damage to the wheels? I’m thinking that even if it damaged the mophead, it would be inexpensive to replace that. I have run it in dry mop mode with the (manufacture’s wet) cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide and I found that it goes too fast to remove some spots and left streaks. May try rubbing alcohol in dry mop mode for quick, targeted areas.
Do you have more than one cube? I have a very open floorplan with some angles to it and I’m thinking that I should get a second cube.
Thank you so much for your help.
Katie Berry says
I use this in my Braava 380t without a problem. From what I can tell, the mop head has to be replaced every few months regardless of what solution you use. I don’t store the mop with any cleaner remaining in the head having learned about the design flaw early on.
If you put it into mopping mode, the Braava goes slower and in a Y-shape, so it also scrubs the floor while it mops. The rubbing alcohol in my floor cleaner helps it to dry faster, so it doesn’t streak. Also be sure to change your pad every 15 minutes or so — a dirty pad will leave streaks, which is true of any mop.
TBH, I don’t even bother with the cube anymore. My bedroom and kitchen open off of the great room, so I usually block the Braava from doing the kitchen one day, then use it in the kitchen but block off the other two rooms the next.
Carolyn Bjorner says
I’ve read that your not supposed to use vinegar on granite. What am I missing?
Carolyn B
Katie Berry says
Straight vinegar, no, nor even a 50:50 mix. The amount of vinegar in this recipe is diluted so greatly, however, that it does not cause etching. If you’re very concerned, you could try using my DIY granite cleaner but I have not tried using that on floors.
Nancy Summers says
Have tried a number of DIY floor cleaner recipes, THIS one is the best! Was also pleasantly surprised that this quantity was enough to clean my whole (very dirty) big kitchen floor ! Thank you! I’ll be checking out everything else on your site!
Katie Berry says
I’m so glad you liked it. It’s my favorite, too!
Katie Berry says
There’s no dilution involved — just use the mixture straight. Due to that, there’s also no way to gauge how much area it will cover since some people use mops and others use spray bottles. Even the style of mop or strength of spray can change how much gets applied to the floor, and so the amount of area covered would change, too.
Andrea says
I have ethyl rubbing alcohol, will that work the same?
Katie Berry says
No.
Judy says
UnbelIevable! This formula cleaned my grout!! And floors are nice and shiny! Thank you!
Katie Berry says
You’re welcome!
Chelsea says
Can you use 90% rubbing alcohol over the 70%?
Katie Berry says
You can, but keep a couple of things in mind. First, you’ll notice a far stronger alcohol scent. Also, I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re using this on hardwood floors since the higher alcohol concentration may affect the finish.
Katie Berry says
Hi Joanna,
This isn’t a concentrated mix — it’s used at the exact strength described in the recipe. So, if you want to make a larger quantity, you need to multiply the ingredients, not add additional water. 🙂
Katie Berry says
Hi Judy,
That haze on dark ceramic floors can be awful to deal with. One method involves using a gallon of water and 1/2 cup of household ammonia, which is fantastic at cutting through grime. Apply a generous amount of the mixed liquids to your floor and let that sit for a few minutes, then rinse your mop and bucket and use fresh water to re-mop the floor. Follow with a towel-drying to get it all up. You should only have to do this twice a year.
Let me just warn you, though: ammonia smells awful until it dries, and it can be highly irritating to eyes, skin, and lungs. So open the windows wide when you use it, and never, EVER use it at or near the same time you’ve used other cleaning products.
Vicki Moore says
I was under the impression you could not use water on wood laminate floors. Is it truly safe?
Katie Berry says
Hi Vicki,
Most modern laminate is water-resistant, which means you can use a damp mop to clean it — like with the spray bottle method I’ve described. You don’t want to slosh water everywhere, obviously, just as you wouldn’t with a hardwood floor or even vinyl.
Bobby Powell. says
I just bought a Vorfruende spray mop with a refillable bottle.
I used your recipe, (cut it in half), and added a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil.
Just mopped the kitchen floor, and WOW!
It worked fantastic. My how how mopping has changed!
Katie Berry says
So glad to hear it, Bobby!
JodiAnnie says
I bought a floor mopping robot. How much of the cleaner would I use in this.
Katie Berry says
Hi JodiAnnie,
There’s no need to dilute it, so just fill the robot’s tank. Mine takes about a cup for a full tank, and I save the rest for the next mopping session.
Dd says
The manufacturer of my new laminate floor says not to use vinegar on them….any thoughts. I have always used vinegar to clean, but I am not sure at this point. Thanks for your thoughts!
Katie Berry says
Hi Dd,
If it’s against the manufacturer’s advice, then I’d try something else. Sam’s Club makes a fantastic, affordable laminate floor cleaner. It’s the pink one.
Debbie Hess says
What is the serving size slider you mention on the directions for bucket use?
Katie Berry says
Hi Debbie,
In the recipe box where it says “22 ounces,” if you click on the number 22 you can adjust the amount as needed.
Katie Berry says
Hi Carleigh,
Dark laminate flooring can be very frustrating to live with. This homemade floor cleaner should definitely help to remove haze and residues that other cleaners can leave behind. Once that residue is gone, you’ll see fewer footprints, too.
If you’re concerned about mixing up and testing an entire batch, you could easily cut the recipe to one-fourth and try it in a small area first. I’d suggest going over the space twice to clean away any residue and letting the floor dry between. Please check back in and let me know how it went!
Julie says
Hi, can you use different percentages of rubbing alcohol? Or does it need to be the 70%? So in other words would a 91% work?
Katie Berry says
Hi Julie,
I recommend using 70% rubbing alcohol because it’s what’s most commonly available in stores. It’s also more affordable. If you have 91% on hand, you can certainly try it — but I’d recommend mixing up a small amount of the homemade floor cleaner to test whether the higher percentage causes such rapid evaporation that it’s too difficult to clean with.
Ruth Lanton says
If you have stronger alcohol (90% instead of 70%), it’s easy enough to use slightly less alcohol and slightly more water. I haven’t done the math on paper to confirm it, but I’d guestimate that using 7 ounces 90% alcohol and 1 ounce water should be about the same as one cup of 70% alcohol.
Felix says
What type of dish soap do you recommend? I have seventh generation will this be okay?
Katie Berry says
I haven’t tried Seventh Generation dish soap in this since I use Dawn Original. I looked it up and saw that Seventh Generation is fragranced with citrus oils, so if you have pets you should consider using a different soap to avoid health risks. It also contains glycerin (as a foam stabilizer) and that might leave streaks.