What if you could personalise your cleaning products to suit your needs and preferences? Laundry detergent, washing-up liquid, floor or multi-surface cleaner: making your own household products lets you choose their fragrances and get to know the ingredients you use every day.
But not all cleaning products work in the same way. What are their roles? How do you choose the right cleaner? And what precautions should you take before getting started?
We explain the basics of detergency to help you create products suited to each use. We also have other types of guides, such as our guide to learning how to make solid and liquid soaps.
Complete beginner’s guides to help you make your own household products
Which household products can you make yourself?
Making your own cleaning products at home does not necessarily mean starting from complex raw materials or piling up ingredients.
At Terre de Bougies, we offer ready-formulated neutral bases that let you personalise different household products, in particular by adding a suitable fragrance.
Each base is designed for a specific use:
| Product | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| Liquid laundry detergent | Washing textiles and removing dirt from laundry. |
| Floor cleaner | Cleaning floor coverings that are compatible with the formula. |
| Multi-surface cleaner | Cleaning various washable surfaces around the home. |
| Washing-up liquid | Removing food residue and grease from dishes. |
| Vacuum cleaner powder | Neutralising unpleasant odours and spreading a pleasant fragrance around the home as you vacuum. |
While their main function is still cleaning, their compositions are adapted to different uses. That is why it is important to choose a base that matches the product you want to make.
Why use neutral bases? They let you personalise your household products without having to formulate yourself all the ingredients they need to clean.
You can then focus on choosing the fragrance and on the scent experience you want to enjoy in your home.
What precautions should you take with homemade household products?
Even when they are made from ready-to-personalise bases, household products call for a few precautions to make sure they are used correctly.
Do not mix products without checking their compatibility
Some household ingredients can react with each other and cause unwanted, or even dangerous, effects.
Match the product to the surface being cleaned
A multi-surface cleaner is not necessarily suitable for every material. Check the product page of the base you are using to find out which materials it is compatible with.
Store your preparations in suitable containers
To store your household products, choose containers that are clean, sturdy and compatible with the preparation. Finally, always keep your products out of the reach of children and pets.
Can you sell your homemade household products?
Yes, you can sell your own laundry detergents and cleaning products, provided you comply with the regulations that apply to detergents.
In the European Union, placing them on the market is governed in particular by:
- The Detergents Regulation, which sets requirements for composition and consumer information.
- The CLP Regulation, which governs the hazard classification, labelling and packaging of chemical mixtures.
- The REACH Regulation, which sets out various obligations relating to chemical substances.
Using a ready-formulated neutral base does not automatically exempt you from the obligations that apply to the final product, especially when a fragrance is added.
At Terre de Bougies, we provide regulatory documents for certain formulas to support you as you prepare to sell your products.
To find out which steps to follow, read our complete guide to detergent regulations in our Entrepreneur guide.
Over to you: personalise your everyday cleaning!
Making your own household products lets you rethink your everyday routine and tailor your cleaning to your preferences.
With our neutral bases for laundry detergent and cleaners, you have a starting point for creating products suited to different uses, without having to design a complete formula.
To get started, find out how to make your own scented laundry detergent with a simple, easy-to-follow recipe.
