Learn how to make a baking soda cream cleaner. This is like a DIY soft scrub, and it works great on showers, tubs, sinks, counters, and more. I keep a container in the bath for the sink and tub and a container in the kitchen for counters and dishes.

Baking Soda Cream Cleaner

Part of homesteading is having well water. And that means minerals and iron. I have a water softener, but me and that thing have been fighting since the day it was installed. It's winning.

Another part of homesteading is having a septic system. It's one of several reasons that I switched to making my own cleaners like this soft scrub recipe.

The main reason, however, was having little ones and not wanting to have chemicals on the surfaces where my kids could get hurt.

This DIY soft scrub with essential oils is incredibly easy to make, and you'll save a lot of money. Each batch costs less than 50 cents to make, which is a considerable savings over buying the real thing at the store.

This soft scrub recipe is one of the recipes in my new ebook Natural Cleaners. In the book, I have 12 easy DIY recipes that you can make at home with common ingredients.

I also have suggested essential oils for cleaning, 12 labels with ingredients, and 12 labels with just the name. Simply print them and use clear tape to attach them. The tape will protect from water and damage.

You can print this ebook or view it on your phone or tablet.

For more natural living ideas, check out these posts:

Can I Mix Baking Soda and Vinegar to Clean?

Vinegar is a weak acid, and baking soda is a base. Both are wonderful natural cleaners on their own, but what happens when you combine them?

A lot of bubbles is what happens when you combine them.

Baking soda and vinegar are safe to combine, but they don't make a super cleaner when combined unfortunately.

Instead, they make water, carbon dioxide (the bubbles), and salt.

While mixing vinegar and baking soda doesn't create a natural super cleaner, I still like to use it in this homemade soft scrub with essential oils.

You can also use this homemade citrus vinegar to make this.

What Does Baking Soda Paste Clean?

Here are some uses for this vinegar and baking soda paste:

Bath tubs
Showers
Sinks
Toilets
Counters
Perspiration stains on clothes
Stained food containers
Tea or coffee stained cups
Coffee pot
Inside the fridge
Greasy pots and pans
Remove baked on grease from dishes
Shoes

What Can You Not Clean With Vinegar and Baking Soda Paste?

As much as I love this baking soda cream cleanser, it can't be used on all surfaces. Don't use it on surfaces that can't be cleaned with baking soda or vinegar.

Do not use this soft scrub recipe on:

Marble
Granite
Stone tiles
Hardwood floors
Egg stains
Stainless steel
Aluminum cookware (use Barkeeper's Friend instead)
Silver
Gold plated dishes or serving ware

If you're unsure, use Google or try this DIY soft scrub in an inconspicuous area.

How Long Do You Leave a Baking Soda Cream Cleaner On?

I use this DIY soft scrub with essential oils and scrub until the gunk or stain is gone. However, you can also let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes on your skin or tub.

Some really stubborn stains may take a bit of soaking to come clean.

You can also let this vinegar and baking soda paste sit on clothes until it dries. It's great for removing perspiration stains and letting it sit until you launder the item.

What is Cream Cleanser Made Of?

I used baking soda, dish soap, vinegar, and essential oils to make a homemade soft scrub without castile soap.

Many soft scrub recipes call for castile soap. Castile soap and vinegar shouldn't be mixed together because they cancel each other out.

Instead, I used Dawn dish soap. I prefer to use Dawn on my shower over liquid castile soap, so that's another reason that I used dish soap.

I've also made this with Mrs. Meyer dish soap. I love Mrs. Meyer dish soap, and it works great with that too.

Best Essential Oils for Soft Scrub Alternative

There are several essential oils that you can use for cleaning.

Lemon essential oil has a light and clean scent. It's naturally antimicrobial and helps dissolve dirt and grime.
Tea tree oil is one of the strongest antimicrobial essential oils. It has a medicinal scent, but it can be blended with other oils.
Lavender essential oil is antibacterial and helps reduce odors. It also has a relaxing scent.
Eucalyptus essential oil is naturally antimicrobial. It's also good for mold or mildew.
Sweet orange essential oil is uplifting, smells great, and helps reduce bacteria.
Peppermint essential oil can kill bacteria and fungus. It's also a good bug repellent, especially for spiders.
Pine essential oil can kill some yeast, bacteria, mold, and mildew. It also helps purify the air.
Thyme essential oil is antimicrobial for cleaning. It's also calming for aromatherapy.
Tangerine essential oil is similar to lemon and wild orange. It's an antiseptic, and it smells great.

I made a blend with lemon, tangerine, and pine. I also recommend learning how to make thieves oil and using that for cleaning.

For premade blends, I recommend using one of the following:

Simply Earth's Defender is a blend of cinnamon leaf, rosemary, lemon, eucalyptus, and clove bud essential oils.
Mountain Rose Herb's Shield is a blend of clove, lemon, rosemary, cinnamon bark, and thyme.
Plant Therapy's Germ Fighter is a blend of cassia, lemon, eucalyptus, clove, and rosemary.
Plant Therapy's Germ Destroyer is a kid safe (2+) blend of spruce, marjoram, lavender, rosalina, and lemon.

Vinegar and Baking Soda Paste

You will need the following to make a soft scrub alternative:

1 1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup dish soap
3 tbsp vinegar
15 drops lemon essential oil
15 drops tangerine essential oil
5 drops pine essential oil

How Do You Make a Baking Soda Scrub Cleaner?

Step #1

Place the baking soda in a medium sized bowl. Add the dish soap and vinegar. It will bubble, so add the vinegar slowly.

Step #2

Add the essential oils. Stir well.

Step #3

Spoon into a container. This made just over 8 ounces of DIY soft scrub.

Use a microfiber cloth to gently scrub surfaces until clean. Rinse well.

Find this vinegar and baking soda paste plus 11 more recipes in my printable ebook Natural Cleaners. This has recipe cards plus labels so you can get started making your recipes right away.

Like this post? Pin it!

soft scrub, baking soda paste, cleaning recipe, natural cleaner

Yield: 12 ounces

Author: Cari @ Homesteading in Ohio

Estimated cost: $1

DIY Soft Scrub With Essential Oils

prep time: 5 Mperform time: 5 Mtotal time: 10 M

How to make a natural DIY soft scrub with essential oils.

materials:

1 1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup dish soap
3 tbsp vinegar
15 drops lemon essential oil
15 drops tangerine essential oil
5 drops pine essential oil

tools:

Measuring cups
Bowl

steps:

Place the baking soda in a medium sized bowl. Add the dish soap and vinegar. It will bubble, so add the vinegar slowly.
Add the essential oils. Stir well.
Spoon into a container. This made just over 8 ounces of DIY soft scrub.

https://www.homesteadinginohio.com/2022/03/how-to-make-diy-soft-scrub-with.html

Created using Craft Card Maker

How to Make DIY Soft Scrub With Essential Oils