Do D.I.Y. Cleaners Really Work? (Published 2019) (2024)

In an age when practically anything can claim a spot on social media, the lowly kitchen spray is having its day — reimagined as a curated, crafty and oh-so-pretty countertop accessory.

Search Pinterest for a recipe for homemade cleaners and hundreds of suggestions pop up, with photographs of glass spray bottles surrounded by artful arrangements of lemons, rosemary and essential oils. Mason jars packed with orange peels and vinegar promise a fragrant and affordable way to clean the counter.

Those utilitarian plastic bottles that live beneath our sinks — it doesn’t get less exciting than oven cleaner, am I right? — can hardly compete with these Instagram-worthy creations that rival the aesthetic appeal of a plate of freshly baked cookies. Stack a bunch of homemade toilet cleaning bombs (balls made of baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and citric acid) in a glass jar and suddenly one of a homeowner’s grossest chores has a tool that’s downright adorable.

“Why do I have to have a florescent green bottle on my counter? Why can’t it be pretty? Why can’t it be in a glass bottle?” said Becky Rapinchuk, the author of “Clean Mama’s Guide to a Healthy Home.” “If it’s cute, it might be a little bit more enjoyable.”

The interest in do-it-yourself cleaning formulas comes out of a growing anxiety that the products sold on supermarket shelves may contain harmful chemicals. Many may include volatile organic compounds, known to cause asthma, headaches, allergic reactions and potentially even cancer or organ damage.

When the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit advocacy organization, reviewed more than 2,000 cleaning products, it found that more than half contained ingredients that irritate the lungs. Common organic pollutants are as much as five times higher indoors than outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.