Home Made Cleaners

Home Made Cleaners
I am learning so much in the process of thinking of creative frugality ideas in the home. I have been pursuing making my home a haven and doing lots of Blessing (cleaning) around the house, I thought it might be fun to address housecleaning ideas on a budget. The cost of commercial, chemical-based cleaning products can be very high. Plus they promote a separate cleaning product for every project you have. One product to solve your floor stains, another to wash your windows with, and of course another than really does the disinfecting job well. In addition to this, these toxic cleaners can affect the long term health of you family and the environment is being polluted in the process of manufacturing these items.

The average American uses about 40 pounds of toxic household cleaning products each year. These cleaning products contain dangerous ingredients, including neurotoxins, carcinogens, allergens, central nervous system depressants, heavy metals, and other agents that cause or contribute to cancer, respiratory problems, reproductive abnormalities, allergic reactions, and behavioral problems, among other issues.

How can we solve these problems?

Make your own cleaning solutions!

Save on your housecleaning projects by making your own solutions and also protect your health and be a good steward of our enviroment too!

WHAT YOU NEED:

A few spray bottles - these are available anywhere! I bought mine at Dollar General for $1 each.Old t-shirts and rag - no need for buying special cleaning rags. Grab an old t-shirt and cut it into separate rags. These work the best for deep cleaning, washing windows, and anything else.

Vinegar

Baking Soda - this is great for scouring sinks

Lemon Juice

Borax - Also great for scouring sinks

Old toothbrush - so useful for getting in the groves around your sink or toilet

RECIPES:

All-Purpose Cleaner: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 3 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc. Can be used to clean stovetop, countertops, appliances, and the floor.

Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.

Disinfectant: Mix 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar and 3 cups hot water. For stronger cleaning power add 1/4 teaspoon liquid castile soap.

Window Cleaner: Mix 3 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don’t clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows.

Hardwood furniture: Mix 3/4 cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup lemon juice and you have a polish for your hardwood furniture.

A few final tips for the harder jobs

Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl.

Vinegar can be used as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families with sensitive skin. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener.
Vinegar is also good to neutralize pet odors. Blot as much of the mess up as you can. Then saturate with White Vinegar and let dry. repeat if necessary.
Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action.
Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits.Put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used for the same results.

My desire through this is to provide you with ideas and resources to encourage you in more natural living but without paying the extravagant prices out there now a days for organic and natural products. As Christians, we are also responsible to be good stewards of the environment as well…this is not just something left for the world around us to be concerned about.
As far as housecleaning goes, there are many natural products available on the market today that are worthy of your support, but does it have to cost that much? No! Making your own products can serve the needs of your family and household far more naturally and cost effective. I like to think of what my Great Granmother would have used her house was spotless and clean Start simplifying your cupboards and your cleaning bucket today!
All-Purpose: 1/2 c. vinegar, 1/4 c. baking soda, 1/2 gal water
Window cleaner: vinegar or the all-purpose cleaner
Disinfectant:2 tsp borax, 4 Tbls vinegar, 3 cups hot water
Scouring powder: baking soda
Natural Abrasive: salt & toothpaste, apply to scrubby or directly on surface
Dusting powder: vinegar, olive oil
Furniture polish: vinegar, food-grade lemon oil, or 1 c. olive oil and 1/2 c lemon juice
Fabric softener: vinegar
Silver polish: baking soda, salt, toothpaste
Mold/mildew: vinegar or lemon juice at full strength, with small amount of salt
Bleach replacement: spray one coat of vinegar, followed by one coat of hydrogen peroxide (these can not be mixed, so they have to be layered separately). Scrub and wash as desired. Works just as well as bleach without the chemicals.
Did you know you can even make a simple recipe for laundry soap and dishwasher soap?
Laundry Soap: Mix 1 cup ZOTE soap, grated, with 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 Tablespoon for light loads; 2 Tablespoons for heavy loads.
Dishwasher Soap: Mix equal parts of borax and baking soda or washing soda, but increase the washing soda if your water is hard 2 parts washing soda to 1 part borax.
Dish washing Soap:Use baking soda and liquid soap, add 3-6 Tbls of vinegar to the warm, soapy water for though jobs. You can also use Dawn Dishwashing soap which is frugal and contains no phosphates.
Wow! Isn’t that easy. If you have washing soda, borax, and vinegar you are pretty much set to go! You can buy 1 gallon of vinegar for around $4 (which is the price of one small container of all-purpose cleanser), which will extend very far for you.
Try using t-shirts or cloth diapers for all your cleaning needs! Eliminate the need for paper towels.
I hope this helps your budget next time you need a household cleaner!