This article was co-authored by Susan Stocker. Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
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Making cleaning products at home has many advantages. Homemade cleaners give you complete control over the ingredients, meaning you can leave out things with harsh smells, unpleasant residues, or allergy-inducing irritants. Preparing cleaning products yourself is also economical, as you can often utilize simple, cheap ingredients like baking soda and vinegar. Homemade cleaning products are also all natural, which means you aren't using harsh chemicals in your home. There are several recipes you can use to make a natural degreaser at home. Each of these methods will yield a cleaner that cuts tough kitchen grease with minimal odor, skin irritation, and cost.
Steps
Making a Natural Degreaser with Citrus
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1Mix baking soda with lemon essential oil. Citrus is great for cutting grease because of the limonene in the peels. To make this degreaser, use lemon essential oil. Mix 2 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoons of baking soda, and 20 drops of lemon essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray on grease and wipe away with a damp towel.[1]
- You can also use lemon juice in this instead of essential oil.
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2Mix baking soda with castille soap and orange essential oil. An alternative to lemon essential oil is orange oil. Mix 4 ounces of baking soda with 2 ounces of castille soap in a container until a paste forms. Add 20-25 drops of orange oil. Mix together. Wet the surface with water and place the paste on a sponge and scrub. Wipe away with a towel.Advertisement
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3Use natural soap with vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils. Start by making natural dish soap with soap nuts. Boil 2-3 soap nuts in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes. Strain the water, making sure to catch even the small pieces of the shells. Then, add 1/2 cup of the homemade soap, 1 1/2 cups of baking soda, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2-4 drops of a citrus essential oil (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime), and as much water as needed to make a thick, spreadable paste to a bowl. Mix together, then spread the paste over the greasy area and let it sit. Then wash away.
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4Mix salt, washing soda, and multiple essential oils. This degreaser uses baking soda, vinegar, and citrus essential oils with additional grease-cutting ingredients. Mix1/2 cup of salt, 1/4 cup of washing soda, and 16 ounces of baking soda in a bowl, then add 1/4 cup of water to make a paste. Spread the paste on the grease and let it set. Then combine 3/4 cup of distilled vinegar, 10 drops of thyme essential oil, and 10 drops of lemon or orange essential oil in a spray bottle. Shake well and spray over the paste. Wipe clean.[2]
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5Make citrus vinegar cleaner. After eating citrus, use the peels for a cleaner instead of throwing them away. Use 6 grapefruits, 8 oranges, or 12 lemons or limes - or a combination of all! Place the rinds in a jar. Pour distilled vinegar into the jar until the rinds are completely covered. Place the lid on the jar. Let the mixture sit for 2 weeks. Then, remove the rinds and strain the liquid and store in the same jar. Add 1 part water to 1 part citrus vinegar in a spray bottle.
Making a Natural Degreaser with Other Household Products
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1Use distilled vinegar. Distilled vinegar (also called white vinegar) can be used alone as a degreaser. The vinegar can be applied to greasy surfaces with either a spray bottle or a cloth, and should cut most grease with minimal rubbing. Mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes before rinsing with water.
- The vinegar's smell will dissipate shortly after it has been dried away, so be careful to dry the surfaces thoroughly with a cloth after using the vinegar.
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2Make a baking soda paste to cut grease. Baking soda also works well alone as a degreaser. To make it into a usable form, mix it with water to form a paste. Depending on how strong you want the mixture to be, you can add up to 5 parts water to 1 part baking soda, although adding less water will give you a thicker, more potent paste. After applying the baking soda paste with a cloth, rinse the surface with water to avoid leaving a granular residue.
- This natural degreaser cannot be easily applied using a spray bottle, as the baking soda may clog the spray mechanism. It works better when you smear it onto the surface directly.
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3Create a solution of ammonia and water. Another option for a homemade natural degreaser can be prepared easily in an empty dish soap bottle. Fill the bottle about halfway with ammonia and fill the remaining portion with hot water. Add a few drops of natural castille soap. Cap the bottle and shake it well. The solution can be squirted directly onto the greasy surfaces from the bottle, or it can be applied with a cloth.
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4Use vinegar, baking soda, and ammonia in a solution of water. Pour 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water into a large bucket. To the water, add a cup (240 ml) of ammonia, half a cup (120 ml) of vinegar, and a quarter cup (60 ml) of baking soda. Stir these ingredients together well. This mixture can be applied using a cloth to cut grease, and can be stored for later use in a clean jug with a lid. Before each use, stir the mixture in case any baking soda has settled out.[3]
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat is the best homemade degreaser?
Susan StockerSusan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.
Green Cleaning ExpertFor an eco-friendly, natural degreaser, try spreading olive oil over the area you want to clean. Let the olive oil sit long enough to loosen up the grease, then wipe it all away. -
QuestionWhen using the distilled vinegar and baking soda as a natural degreaser, is this flammable?
Community AnswerNo. This actually produces carbon dioxide, which extinguishes fire. -
QuestionHow do I make a de-greaser for animal hides?
Community AnswerUse the same mild facial-wash cream people use. It will gently de-grease the hide, which is just skin, without being too harsh and drying the hide.
References
About This Article
Baking soda is one of the simplest natural degreasers to make. To use it, mix 5 parts water with 1 part baking soda and apply it with a cloth. Then, rinse it off with water so it doesn’t leave a granular residue. For a fast-working degreaser, mix 1 part distilled vinegar with 4 parts water and spray or wipe it onto the greasy surface. Wait 5-10 minutes before rinsing it with water. To learn how to make other natural degreasers, including one that uses left over citrus peels, read on!
