You know when you’re on the verge of a big life event and you keep waiting for that magical moment when you officially feel like “an adult”?

I have always felt like a child trapped in a much older person’s body. That is, until my husband and I got a dog. As I’m walking out of the store with every cleaning product known to man, it hit me: only an adult would spend $90 to remove pet stains from a car seat. And boom! It happened.

While my pre-dog self would never have contemplated buying upholstery cleaner, this new grown-up me actually makes her own and loves it. Not only does it clean sofa cushions, car seats, even rugs – it only costs a few bucks to make, it dries quickly and it deodorizes like the expensive stuff. Plus, it’s 100% nontoxic so you can spray it around pets and kiddos alike.

How to Make Upholstery Spray

With only four ingredients, chances are you already have everything you need to make this upholstery cleaner. Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt and gunk in fabric, and it acts as a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. Rubbing alcohol helps kill germs and essential oils add a nice, fresh scent. You can water it down for a gentle clean or use it full-up to spot treat tough stains. Spray liberally on dirty upholstery and scrub using an old rag. Or lightly spritz on curtains, rugs and furniture to quickly get rid of smells.

Thanks to the rubbing alcohol this spray dries super quickly. Just be forewarned, it can smell pretty strong in enclosed spaces, so turn on a fan or crack a window if you find it overpowering. But once it dries it’s odor-free and you’re just left with fresh the scent of the oils and citrus peel. Although I have used it on everything from chairs to curtains without any issues, I highly recommend doing a quick spot-test before spraying on large areas.

As an added bonus, this makes an awesome all-purpose cleaner in a pinch. Whip up a big batch and stash it around the house to disinfect counters, clean up pet accidents and shine windows.