Just what you’ve been needing to complete your green cleaning cabinet! Here’s a set of handy labels to print out for the recipes that I use the most, and I imagine you do, too. Not only do these say what’s in the bottle, but also the recipe for what’s needed to refill it. Now isn’t that handy?
Print them out on sticker paper, if you have it, or on plain paper. Either way, to keep them legible even if they get wet during use, you may want to print on vinyl sticker sheets (we tested Buttercrafts brand) or tape over them on your container with clear packaging tape.
Table of contents:
- Downloadable recipe labels
- What is GIY?
- GIY Housecleaning Wipes
- GIY All-Purpose Spray recipe
- GIY Baby Wipes recipe
- GIY Foaming Hand Soap recipe
- GIY Scouring Powder recipe
- GIY Glass Cleaner recipe
- Why should you use these labels?
Downloadable recipe labels:
What is GIY (Green-It-Yourself)?
“Green-It-Yourself” and “GIY” are a spin-off of “Do-It-Yourself” and “DIY.” Green-It-Yourself is all about making something on your own without harsh or potentially harmful ingredients. Throughout my Going Green platforms, I use the term GIY to refer to making my own versions of body or cleaning products using simple, low-tox components.
GIY Housecleaning Wipes
These GIY Housecleaning Wipes are a great time saver for busy moms, busy professionals, busy anyone! Not only are they great to use all around the house, you can also use them on shopping cart handles, restaurant highchairs, dining tables, door handles, and more!
What you’ll need:
- 1 1/2 c. (360 mL) filtered, distilled, or boiled then cooled water
- 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Magic Soap or 1/2 Tbsp. (7.5 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
- 1/4 tsp. (20 drops) tea tree essential oil
- For Reusable Wipes: An old t-shirt or two cut into wipe-sized squares
- For Disposable Wipes: A paper towel roll cut in half (an electric knife works best)
- A glass or plastic container large enough to hold your wipes.
How to make it:
Put the wipes in your container. Mix up the solution ingredients and pour it over the wipes. Let them sit for 20 minutes or so to soak up all the liquid.
Now they’re good to go!
To use:
Pull one out and wipe off the target surface.
These have a shelf-life of 1 to 2 weeks, so make up as many as you’d use in the period of time.
GIY All-Purpose Cleaning Spray
This All-Purpose Spray cleans as well as any ready-made, store-bought solution. It is a streak-free cleaner for every surface, takes the place of many other cleaners thereby reducing clutter in my cabinet, and because it dilutes a concentrated cleaner with water, it’s a whole lot cheaper.
What you’ll need:
- 2 cups/16oz (500 mL) water*
- 2 Tbsp. (30 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap (any scent)
OR
- 1 ½ tsp. (7.5 mL) Sal Suds Biodegradable Cleaner
- 10 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)
How to make it:
Fill the spray bottle with the water. Add the Magic Soap or Sal Suds and the tea tree essential oil, if desired. Swirl gently to mix. Spray surfaces and wipe with a damp cloth. Alternately, spray a damp cloth and use it to wipe surfaces.
*Use distilled or filtered water for a clearer solution.
To use:
Spray and wipe with a damp cloth. Dry surface with a towel if desired.
GIY Baby Wipes
To simplify one of the many “must-have” purchasing decisions when it comes to baby needs, consider making your own “GIY” baby wipes. GIY-ing your baby wipes means you have control over what contacts your baby’s skin, saves you money, eliminates trips to the store, and reduces trash with reusable wipes.
What you’ll need:
- 1 ½ c. (360 mL) warm distilled or filtered water
- 1 tsp. (5 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Baby Unscented Magic Soap**
- 1 ½ Tbsp. (22 mL) Dr. Bronner’s Virgin Coconut Oil, warmed to a liquid
- 9 drops tea tree essential oil
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
How to make it:
Add all liquid ingredients to a jar and shake well to combine.
- For reusable wipes: Pour solution into a small spray bottle. Spray baby’s bottom, and wipe with a soft cloth. OR Place soft cloths in a container or wipe warmer and pour solution over them.
- For disposable wipes: Place half a paper towel roll in a jar and pour the solution over. After a few minutes, pull the cardboard tube out of the middle. Wipes dispense from the middle.
To use:
These wipes are not just for babies or for bottoms. Keep them on hand to wipe anybody’s sticky hands or messy face
GIY Foaming Hand Soap
A foaming hand soap with a pump soap dispenser is a super simple way to put your Castile Magic Soap to use sink-side and elsewhere. A standard pump is not the way to go with the Magic Soap, because it’s concentrated formula can clog standard pump apparatuses, causing soap to shoot out in unexpected directions. Like onto your mother-in-law’s blouse—or at least on to MY mother-in-law’s blouse. Just saying. The foaming pumps are absolutely the way to go.
A foaming pump soap dispenser functions differently than a traditional pump dispenser. It uses a mixture of soap, water, and air. Because the soap is diluted in the bottle and then further mixed with air, it doesn’t block the tubing responsible for the unexpected and undirected jet of soap. The result is a cloud-like dollop of soft soapy foam that cleans all manner of body parts and then some.
What you’ll need:
- One part Dr. Bronner’s Castile Magic Soap in your favorite scent
- Three parts distilled or filtered water
How to make it:
Add together and swirl to mix.
To use:
Keep beside your sink or in the shower as a body wash.
GIY Scouring Powder
This GIY Scouring Powder is great for sinks, tubs, showers, toilets, and other hard surfaces that need extra scouring. Spot test, though, to be sure the surface is scratch resistant.
What you’ll need:
2 cups (500mL) baking soda, optionally scented with essential oils.
How to make it:
Add to a mason jar with a shaker lid.
To use:
Sprinkle onto wet surfaces and scrub with a brush or cloth. Rinse. For extra cleaning oomph, spray with your All-Purpose Spray.
It’s also great to deodorize carpets by sprinkling this on, brushing it in, letting it sit 10 minutes, and vacuuming it out.
GIY Glass Cleaner
Here’s something to know about me: I like washing windows. Glass so blatantly shows its dirt, and cleaning it instantly brightens a room. And this is one of the simplest GIY recipes of them all!
What you’ll need:
- Water
- Standard food-grade distilled white vinegar
How to make it:
Recipe: In a spray bottle, combine equal parts vinegar and water. That’s as complicated as this recipe gets.
To use:
Spray glass surface evenly. I like to use a squeegee followed by a wipe with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Why should you use these labels?
Storebought formulations are easy to identify, even without reading the label, because of their intentionally distinctive bottle shapes, formulation colors, and scents. With GIY recipes, you don’t have any of those telltale signs. These labels will help you identify your own GIY recipes and keep them sorted.
Further reading:
- The Low Cost of Green Cleaning
- How to Build a Green Cleaning Starter Kit
- What is GIY? Non-Toxic DIY Recipes for Cleaning & Body Care
**Peppermint & Eucalyptus Castile Magic Soaps are best for ages 3 and up—peppermint & eucalyptus oils may be too strong for younger children.
