The best everyday homemade degreaser combines 1 cup warm water, 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1 tbsp baking soda, and a generous squirt (about 1/2 tsp) of natural liquid dish soap. Mix in a spray bottle, shake well, spray the greasy surface, let it sit for 5–10 minutes, and wipe clean.
The best natural degreaser combines the grease-cutting power of plant-based surfactants with the mild acidity of vinegar or citrus. For the most effective grease removal, you can either mix a homemade solution or buy top-rated, eco-friendly retail products.
Dawn is a highly effective, versatile degreaser, but it is not "just" a degreaser. It is technically a dish detergent formulated with a blend of surfactants. Because of its mild pH (around 9) and skin-safe composition, it safely breaks down fats and oils without the harsh chemicals found in heavy-duty industrial degreasers.
Acetone is a great degreaser. Not only does it effectively remove large amounts of grease, but it evaporates quickly without leaving behind extra residue. However, this solvent is not suitable for use on some plastic and rubber surfaces, and is extremely flammable.
The strongest over-the-counter degreasers rely on highly alkaline formulas or potent citrus solvents to break down thick, baked-on buildup. Top heavy-duty options include Super Clean, Zep Industrial Purple, and Ecolab Professional Strength, all of which require dilution for safe use.
If you're cooking and have a grease spill, you can clean it up immediately before it becomes a problem later. One easy way is to sprinkle flour over the spill. Let the flour sit for a few minutes to absorb the grease and then you can easily wipe it up.
Best Homemade Degreaser
Use a mixture of hot water, a squirt of dish detergent, a small pour of white vinegar, and a teaspoon of baking soda. Double up on the ingredients you add to your water for really tough grease.
Dish soap has the ability to lubricate and break down the bonds of fats and grease. When poured into the toilet, dish soap helps lubricate the waste causing the clog, while also breaking down its structure, allowing it to easily flow down the drain.
Many Amish households use standard, commercially available detergents like Tide or Gain, as they often shop at the same local supermarkets and bulk stores as non-Amish communities. However, many others prefer to live sustainably and avoid harsh chemicals by using simple, natural, and highly effective DIY detergents.
Best Overall Degreaser: Krud Kutter Original
The overall winning degreaser? Krud Kutter Original. It may not be as light as the others, but it's still gentle enough to use all over your home. Shields notes that Krud Kutter is water-based and works both indoors and out.
House cleaners create that coveted "fresh, clean" aroma not just by masking odors with artificial fragrances, but by deeply sanitizing, eliminating odor sources at the molecular level, and incorporating targeted natural or botanical scents.
Simple Green is a biodegradable, non-toxic cleaner that can be used as a bike degreaser. You can dilute it with water and use a brush to clean your drivetrain components. Other household cleaners like dish soap can also work as a degreaser, although they may not be as effective.
One of the most popular homemade degreasers is a vinegar-based solution. To make this solution, mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with three cups of warm water in a spray bottle. You can also add a few drops of essential oil for a pleasant scent.
The 3-IN-ONE Professional Heavy Duty Cleaner Degreaser features a deep penetrating citrus foaming action, which quickly removes grease, oil, dirt and grime from engines, tools and equipment.
Surfactants, also known as surface-active agents, are a key ingredient in degreasers. You've probably heard the saying that oil and water don't mix. Surfactants act as emulsifiers that have both water- and oil-attracting parts in their molecules.
People put aluminum foil in the toilet as an internet-famous cleaning and maintenance hack, though its actual effectiveness is highly debated. The reasons for doing it generally fall into two categories:
These items should NEVER be flushed down the toilet:
🧼 How It Works: Take a bar of soap (or cut one into smaller pieces). Drop it into the toilet tank—not the bowl. Every flush releases a small amount of soapy water, helping to break down stains and keep the bowl fresh.
Make your mixture: Add vinegar, a drop or two of liquid soap, and baking soda to the spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle to the bottom of the neck with warm water. Add the essential oil: If desired, add a few drops of essential oil. A cup of vinegar is a lot and will smell!
A powerful, heavy-duty homemade degreaser can be made by combining 1 cup of white vinegar, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and a few drops of dish soap (like Dawn) in a spray bottle. For maximum strength, mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water, 1 cup baking soda, and 1/2 cup dish soap.
Vinegar cuts through grease naturally due to its acetic acid content. When mixed with warm water, it dissolves oil and leaves surfaces streak-free.
To clean years of baked-on grease, ditch harsh scrubbing and use a chemical degreaser (like sodium hydroxide-based oven cleaner) or a heavy-duty degreaser like LA's Totally Awesome. Apply the cleaner, cover the area with plastic wrap to lock in moisture, let it sit overnight, and easily wipe the dissolved grease away.
Professional cleaners work fast by following strict, systematic routines instead of just cleaning at random. Their speed comes down to three main advantages: eliminating organizing clutter, using a "top-to-bottom, left-to-right" flow to avoid double-working, and letting chemicals do the heavy scrubbing.
Glass is not well-suited for baking soda, due to its abrasive nature. In fact, you might accidentally scratch your mirrors or windows if you attempt to clean them with baking soda. If you're looking for an all-natural cleaner for these surfaces, vinegar is a better bet.