The Homemade Way to Dust Furniture


When I was working full time away from home, most of my cleaning and general household chores were taken care of in the evening. However, I started to notice a trend on nights when I took care of the dusting: I couldn’t fall asleep. My heart would race, my nose was dry and my mind would not settle. After a little bit of consideration, I realized that the problem was the popular dusting spray I was using. I believe the unknown chemicals and the compressed air inside the spray can was quietly poisoning me. While people who clean during the day might not realize these side effects, I couldn’t ignore them!

So, I set out to find a better dusting product. I tried using the Pledge wipes, but they left an icky, greasy residue on my hands and on the furniture. And, even worse, throwing all those disposable wipes into the trash was giving me a panic attack. The multi-surface sprays were not very effective either. So, it was time to create my own solution! After just a few trial-and-errors, I believe I found the perfect recipe. My homemade dusting spray is just – if not more – effective as the leading store-bought brands, but it contains no scary chemicals and costs a teeny-tiny fraction of what you pay for the regular stuff.

Seriously, my recipe works! Your furniture will be free of dust and your house won’t smell like a fake lemon!

Homemade Dusting Spray

1 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups water

Pour all three ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Shake well and spritz on furniture. Wipe with an old cotton t-shirt. Done!

If you feel like you’re missing out on a lemony scent, you can chop a lemon and drop it into a small saucepan of simmering water. Feel free to also toss in a few springs of rosemary and your home will smell naturally fresh!

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75 Comments for this entry

  1. Colleen says:

    I have been incredibly unhappy with my dusting products as of late. I'm going to give this a try!

  2. dailythread says:

    Thank you!!! I have switched to all homemade cleaning products, but the dusting spray wasn't one of them…I just use a microfiber cloth dry. But I've been looking for a spray and here it is. 🙂 Can't wait to try!

  3. The Iowa Farmer's Wife says:

    Thank you! I made this concoction yesterday to clean my living room and even used it on my ceiling fans! I think I used a bit more olive oil than you suggested, but it still works great!

  4. HomemadeMother says:

    So glad you like it! Its economical and eco-friendly!

  5. Jessica says:

    How much water would you suggest adding?

  6. HomemadeMother says:

    Jessica, for every cup of water I probably use about 1/3 cup of vinegar.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I'm confused…is there water in this recipe? It only lists vinegar and oil?

  8. HomemadeMother says:

    Yes, you should top off the spray bottle with water – I'd say one part vinegar to three parts water. I'll adjust the recipe.

    Thanks!

  9. Anonymous says:

    Great, thanks!

  10. Amber Miller says:

    I googled homemade dusting spray and yours came up first and I love it. I also added some essential oil for a delicate scent and I love it!
    Thank you so much!

  11. HomemadeMother says:

    So glad you like the recipe, Amber! Isn't making your own cleaning products fun?

  12. kristen says:

    thanks for this recipe! My son wanted to help dust our diningroom table today and I was out of our usual Method dusting spray. Well, now I will not have to buy it again, and I have no worries about my kids helping with the chore! 🙂

  13. HomemadeMother says:

    So glad you like the spray, Kristen! It really does work well, doesn't it?!

  14. Diana says:

    Thank you for this recipe! I stopped using cleaning and home fragrance products with artificial scents and chemicals about a year ago but still want to do more. I think this is a great solution for dusting. My mom has a cleaning business and I’m going to pass this along too. I’ve noticed that the simpler the ingredients the better the result. I just recently did a deep clean of my bathroom with vinegar and baking soda and even the air smelled so fresh and clean – not even close to any other commercial product or fragrance!

  15. melissa says:

    Thank you!
    One could also add a few drops of lemon essential oil to the mix to get that fresh lemon smell.

    I’ve been making my own all-purpose cleaners for years and it is the way to go- saves so much money.
    Can’t wait to try this!

  16. Megan says:

    Does this work on faux wood? It is a about all I have in my home since I can not afford the real stuff.

  17. Charissa says:

    Does the oil have to be olive oil? I’m fresh out of that but need to dust!!

  18. Kate says:

    Thanks, I often get headaches after cleaning the house. I’ve been looking for a natural cleaner for dusting.

  19. Ashley says:

    I didn’t have the olive oil either so I said what the heck and used vegetable oil instead just a little less and it works wonders on my furniture

    • Maureen says:

      Great idea! I sometimes skip the oil and just use a damp rag with a bit of all-purpose vinegar spray (1 part water, 1 part vinegar, a few squirts of dish soap).

  20. Melva Williams says:

    I am so excited. I just made me a batch after discovering that I did not have any furniture polish. My baby girl thought that she did not have any dusting to do. HAHAHAHA

  21. Lavone Goldmanp says:

    How to clean pinewood floors finished in polyurathane(msp)? What can I use on a dust mop for them?
    Thank you!

  22. Lavone Goldmanp says:

    Looking for a gluten free graham cracker recipe.

  23. neema says:

    can this all purpose solution be used on leather and wooden furniture, painted wood trims and baseboards too.

  24. Alicia says:

    Yay, I really dislike cleaning/dusting but making your own cleaners sounds great. Going to go dust now. 🙂
    Here’s one I heard the other day a jar full of peels from 2 oranges, then fill with white vinegar seal it and let it set, can’t remember how long,a day maybe, and then you have a good orange cleaner. Fyi, orange can dry out your skin. 🙂

  25. Ruth says:

    Mixed a batch quickly and added a few drops of lemongrass essential oil! Thanks, it works great.

  26. Sarah says:

    Has anyone had any isses since trying this recipe? My only concern is the olive oil. I’ve heard it’s better to use mineral oil on furniture instead of olive or vegetable because over time it can produce a rotten smell in the wood. I have no idea where I heard this though. I am just curious because I have olive oil on hand and am interested in trying it, especially because my 6 month old will be more mobile very soon and everything ends up in his mouth! Olive oil sounds safer than mineral oil. Guess I need to do my research.

    • Maureen says:

      I have used this for a while and I never noticed an off smell. You can certainly use mineral oil, though. Sometimes I skip the dusting spray and just use a very damp cloth to remove dust.

  27. T says:

    Those symptoms are also from cleaning just before bedtime not just because of some cleaning products. I use all natural products and if I am to do all that before bedtime I also have those symptoms

    • Maureen says:

      For me personally, the symptoms were directly related to the toxic cleaning products. I have not suffered with these issues since switching over to a homemade lifestyle. Gotta love plain white vinegar!!

  28. T says:

    I use olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and baking soad to clean floors too

  29. Phyllis says:

    This is great! It leaves a great shine without all that greasiness!! Thank you!

  30. ed says:

    Not getting the olive oil. Only had canola olive oil mix in the cupboard. So I have a see through spray bottle and I have about 10 seconds after shaking until the oil rises to the top. What am I missing here?

  31. Carla says:

    Is there a homemade cleaning solution to get rid of those little white bugs that get in books and grain and dust?

  32. Ray says:

    Had nothing to dust with, found this online and had all the “ingredients” in the cabinet. Will add essential oil next time for some extra scent.

    Thanks!!!!!!!

  33. Lindsay says:

    Does white wine vinegar work? It’s all I can find.

    • Maureen says:

      I have always used plain white vinegar for all my cleaning. Any major grocery store or discount store like Target will carry it – I buy it for about $3.50 in large 1 gallon jugs.

  34. Melissa says:

    How do you keep the oil from separating? Keep shaking it?
    Thanks

  35. Helloo There. I foundd yojr blog using msn. This is a
    really well written article. I’llbe sure to bookmark it and
    return to read more of your useful info. Thanks
    for the post. I woll definitely return.

  36. rpacheco says:

    Hey Anonymous- the recipe was listed — in its entirety in the article above. It does not just say vinegar and oil . Here it is copied from above:
    Homemade Dusting Spray
    1 cup white vinegar
    1/2 teaspoon olive oil
    3 cups water
    Pour all three ingredients into an empty spray bottle. Shake well and spritz on furniture. Wipe with an old cotton t-shirt. Done!

  37. Trang Phap says:

    It’s great . Im going to try this . Thanks for sharing

  38. Kailah says:

    Hello there I was wondering do you think coconut oil will do the same or should it be olive oil? I use coconut oil instead of olive oil for most things in my home? Please help…

  39. Valery says:

    Using an air purifier to clean the air is a good choice as it better than using chemical products that may cause harmful body effects.

  40. Cindi says:

    Does this help even when the dust is totally stuck on with static charge?

    Thanks!

  41. Rocky says:

    Mixed a batch quickly and added a few drops of lemongrass essential oil! Thanks, it works great.

  42. Great recipe! I use almost the same but with one cup of water. I am going to try with three next time. Thank you for sharing your idea. Greetings!

  43. Amy says:

    Do not use vinegar on wood it will strip the finish. I work for a cleaning company and that is a big no-no.

  44. Peter says:

    Does lemon can help? I often use lemon in my house.

  45. Chits says:

    How safe is it on wooden(teak) furniture ? Also can one use synthetic vinegar(acetic acid) ?
    Thanks

  46. Susan says:

    I only use a vinegar water solution to dust. This way I can clean my electronics at the same time. Of course I spray the rag first before cleaning my electronics.
    On the muggy east coast I don’t need to oil my furniture; but when I lived in Colorado, I oiled my furniture every week with a little olive oil.

  47. ClearHomeAir says:

    air purifiers are best cleaning solution to get rid of those little white bugs that get in books and grain and dust

  48. Karlene says:

    I cleaned houses for 30 years and used vinegar to clean just about everything. Never lost a client and everyone loved how clean their house was. On furniture, this keeps build up off allowing the natural wood to glow. Just make sure it’s dry. Moderation is the key to everything.

  49. Darkarky says:

    Thank you for information!

  50. Miller David says:

    Thank you for information!

  51. Marj says:

    My question is how long of a shelf life does this homemade dusting solution have?

  52. Marj says:

    My question is how long of a shelf life does this dusting solution have?

  53. Norma says:

    Informative website ….thank you

  54. Norma says:

    Question I used old English lemon oil on my wooden furniture and It looks like it stripped. Now I am afraid to use anything. Any information that you can give to me would be greatly appreciated.

  55. Norma says:

    I will be 77 this yr & need to slow down my daily routine – I have recently moved and find dust on furniture every day like I have never experienced before! Fine powder-dust like! Many, many yrs ago I used a product call “Endust” which kept the dust from settling & would dust just once a week…now it’s a daily routine. Will try you recipe – btw – do I add WATER to the solution? & what is “Castile” soap.
    Thanks.. Hope to hear from u soon.

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