Cleaning With Citric Acid – Your Ultimate Guide

If you’re interested in cleaning with citric acid, then keep reading. I’m going to show you exactly how to clean with citric acid, what it works best on, what to avoid, how to use it safely, and a lot more. By the end of this article you’ll be a green cleaning pro!

Citric acid is a brilliant natural cleaning ingredient. I use it all around my home to get things sparkling clean – from my kitchen to my toilet!

Because I use it so often, I get questions from readers wondering how to use citric acid effectively. I also get questions about its safety – both in terms of people and the planet.

So, to help you out, here are answers to the most common questions I’ve received, so that you can clean with confidence:

Quick Answers: Citric Acid Cleaning At A Glance

If you’re short on time, here are the essentials you need to know:

• Citric acid is a natural acid that’s excellent at removing limescale and soap scum from hard surfaces.
• It works especially well in kettles, toilets, washing machines, and bathrooms, and anywhere else that builds up mineral deposits.
• Avoid using citric acid on natural stone, coated wood, and delicate surfaces, where it can cause damage.
• It’s biodegradable, vegan-friendly, and septic-safe – making it a good alternative to conventional cleaning products.
• Always handle it with care to avoid irritation – especially to your skin, eyes and lungs. It may be natural, but it’s still a chemical.

Cleaning with Citric Acid – All You Need to Know

Want the extended in-depth version? Here you go!

What Is Citric Acid?

First, let’s cover the basics. It’s important to know exactly what citric acid is so you can decide whether to use it in your home or not.

So, to start with, citric acid is a naturally occurring acid found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. As you may deduce from its name, citric acid is particularly found in lemons and limes. However, to help meet increasing demand, most citric acid is now synthesised from fungus.

Don’t worry about the performance of synthesised citric acid, though. It looks and performs exactly the same as the natural stuff.

You might be worried about the use of acid in its name. Its pH level sits somewhere between 3 and 6, with 0 being very strong and 7 being very weak. This middling pH level makes it ideal for a variety of natural cleaning applications.

As well as being used in natural cleaning, citric acid is also commonly used in the food industry. It’s often used as a food additive to add natural flavouring, and as a preservative to help increase the shelf life of pre-packaged foods. It’s also a common ingredient in both beer brewing and winemaking.

You can also find citric acid in many cosmetic and personal care products, alongside standard cleaning products and medical products. In short, you can find citric acid almost everywhere!

What Can You Clean With Citric Acid?

Now that you know what citric acid is, you’re probably wondering what you can clean with it. Here are some of the most common ways I use this green cleaning wonder in my home:

How To Use Citric Acid To Tackle Limescale

Citric acid has incredibly effective descaling properties. It’s very effective at removing limescale from your toilet, as well as descaling your kettle. Follow my links for my full guides on how to do both safely and effectively.

It’s also great at descaling your dishwasher. Simply, dissolve 100g of citric acid in a bowl of warm water and place this on the bottom rack of your dishwasher. Do the same in another bowl, which you should then place on the top rack, before running an empty hot wash.

You can also use citric acid to descale your washing machine. Add 250g into the drum, and run an empty hot wash.

I would definitely recommend this cheap, natural option every time over any pricey and chemically dubious descaling solutions.

Make An All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

You can also make a powerful citric acid cleaning spray (find the full recipe by following my link) that is brilliant at tackling soap scum and water deposits. I use this particular cleaning spray in my bathroom to leave my shower screen and taps looking shiny and spotless.

Citric acid also has de-greasing, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, making it ideal for cleaning both your kitchen and bathroom.

However, as citric acid is chiefly used as a cleaning product, rather than as a disinfectant, I’d exercise caution when cleaning surfaces where raw meat has been prepared. In this instance, I’d say that citric acid is best used in tandem with something antibacterial to guarantee all germs are killed.

Personally, I would clean a chopping board with a citric acid spray, and then use something specifically anti-bacterial to finish off. I like using these plastic-free refill anti-bacterial sachets (£1.79) at Ethical Superstore for no-fuss, zero-waste germ-killing.

As A Natural Stain Remover

Other great uses for citric acid include as a natural stain remover, particularly when it comes to tomato or fruit-based stains.

Simply make up a solution of 100 g of citric acid and 75 ml of boiling water – ensuring the citric acid is fully dissolved. Allow it to cool before applying the liquid to the stain. Leave it to soak in for an hour before washing as normal.

As with any stain removal products always patch-test your item of clothing before using the citric acid.

What Not To Use It On

Whilst citric acid is a bit of a natural cleaning wonder, there are some things that should never be cleaned using it.

Avoid using it on natural stone such as granite, marble, and quartz, as it can cause etching over time.

Citric acid also isn’t a friend of coated wood. If your floors or furniture have been treated with a wax sealant, then keep citric acid away from them. This is because citric acid can degrade the wax sealant, leaving a cloudy appearance on your lovely wood.

I also wouldn’t recommend using citric acid as an alternative fabric conditioner. It can sometimes have a bleaching effect on coloured or dark clothing, and prolonged use may cause fading. I’d recommend using this fabric conditioner recipe instead, which is gentler on your clothes.

And finally, don’t use citric acid on the screens of your electronic devices. Always use a specialist cleaner on these types of screens.

Where To Buy Citric Acid

Citric acid can be bought easily in homebrew shops, food shops that specialise in Asian food, and some hardware stores. You don’t need any particular brand of citric acid for cleaning, so buy whatever is most convenient for you.

Online, it can be picked up cheaply and easily. Ethical Superstore, for example, sells a 250 g box of citric acid for £2.29. If you are looking for larger pack sizes, I’ve put together a separate guide on where to buy citric acid for cleaning.

If you want to buy citric acid for both cleaning and food purposes, I’d recommend buying your citric acid from a homebrew shop or an Asian supermarket. Citric acid made specifically for cleaning has the same composition, but it isn’t made on a food-safe production line.

Is It Environmentally Friendly?

Citric acid is generally considered an environmentally friendly cleaning ingredient. It’s food-safe, easily biodegradable, vegan-friendly and a renewable product – easily made from fruit or fungus. It also won’t harm your septic tank if you have one.

When you compare citric acid to conventional cleaning products, which can contain toxic ingredients, it’s also a greener choice. It avoids synthetic fragrances, chlorine compounds, and other ingredients that can linger in waterways.

And whilst commercially available citric acid is industrially produced rather than extracted directly from fruit, its overall environmental footprint remains relatively low, especially if you use it as a replacement for multiple single-purpose cleaners.

Can You Mix Citric Acid And Vinegar?

If you read my post on cleaning with white vinegar, you’ll know that vinegar doesn’t mix well with many other cleaning products and natural cleaning ingredients. This includes bicarbonate of soda (also known as baking soda).

This is because bicarbonate of soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid, acetic acid to be specific. Bases react with acids to neutralise the acid, leaving you with weak salty water that is not good for cleaning with.

This may make you question whether you can mix citric acid and vinegar.

The good news is that you can mix the two together. You’re simply mixing two acids together, and generally, there is no reaction when you mix an acid and an acid.

However, in most cases, there is no need to mix the two ingredients together. Citric acid is more than effective in dealing with limescale on its own, whilst vinegar has its own cleaning merits.

The Safety Concerns To Consider

Whilst citric acid is a common natural cleaning ingredient, it is important to bear in mind that it is still a chemical, and should be handled with care.

First, avoid inhaling the powder, as it can irritate your throat and lungs. Measuring it out in a well-ventilated space helps.

It can also irritate eyes and skin, especially with prolonged contact, so gloves are a good idea if you’re using larger amounts. It’s also a good idea to wash your hands after use.

And, as with any cleaning product, homemade or otherwise, always keep both the citric acid and any homemade cleaning products away from curious pets and/or children.

More Green Cleaning Guides

Got any more questions? I’m always happy to help answer them – so do ask away!

You can also check out my guide to cleaning with fresh lemons for more green cleaning inspiration.