Thursday, March 8, 2012

Making Homemade Household Cleaners

Make your own homemade household cleaners.
There are so many folks out there starting to make their own cleaning supplies these days and that makes me so happy. At least we know what we are spraying all over our counters and bathrooms. Less chemicals and so much cheaper than buying the store products.

1. Rubbing Alcohol
My absolute favorite homemade all purpose cleaner is  plain old rubbing alcohol. I use it diluted in a spray bottle for my everyday cleaner and glass/window cleaner. It works better than anything else I have tried. Just mix 1/3 part alcohol and 2/3 water in a spray bottle.  Use it on counters, my kitchen floor, windows, mirrors. Works wonderfully. I used to use vinegar a lot until I tried the alcohol and it just works so well I use it for everything.
You can see how I use it to clean the blinds in my kitchen here.



2. Vinegar 
I do use vinegar 1/4 c. in a half bucket of warm water for my wood floors. I just make sure I do not get the floors very wet. Ring out the rags very well.

You can clean drains with baking soda and vinegar. Pour 1/4 c. baking soda in the drain. Follow with a cup of vinegar. Let set about 15 minutes and then follow with a pain of hot boiling water. My pipes and drains seem to keep clear with regular cleaning with this solution.


3. Baking Soda
I also use baking soda to scour things I don't want to use regular cleanser on. Places where you prepare food, cleaning my crockpots, etc. I just keep this handy sprinkle container full of it in my kitchen.


I use it in my oven. My daughter is very sensitive to chemicals in the house so I cannot use oven cleaner. So at night I will put a wet paste of baking soda and water on areas of my oven that have baked on gunk. The next day I come in with my wet scouring sponge and scrub off.

You can use baking soda to clean hair brushes and combs. Just put 4 Tbl. mixed in a bowl of hot water. Soak brushes for about 15 minutes and then rinse clean with warm water.




4. Laundry Soap
 Because of my daughter's sensitivities I started making  my own laundry soap years ago. It works great and I figure I spend less than $15 a year on detergent. Here is the recipe for my homemade laundry soap .

I spend very little now on my cleaning supplies. That is a good thing.


26 comments:

  1. Hi,
    I was just looking for the home made detergent recipe and found that you have it on here along with other great cleaning ideas.
    Can you tell me how many loads do you get from this recipe?
    Thanks
    Dolly

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  2. Thanks for the link for the detergent. I have very sensitive skin and only use 'green' cleaners. Happy Thursday, my friend! A very good post! ♥♥♥

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  3. Great products and ideas. I have to give the alcohol idea a try. Thanks for all the links. Hugs, Marty

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  4. I love this and will definitely give some a try!

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  5. I've been doing all of the above for some time now. I also use a cleaner mixture of castille soap, borax, tea tree oil, water and a little lavender oil to smell good. The only homemade version I can't seem to nail is dishwasher detergent. Every recipe has failed so far.

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  6. I do home made cleaners except for laundry and plan to try yours as soon as what I have is gone. Thanks! ~ Maureen

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  7. i love vinegar. clean with it daily. i need to try the washing detergent. (:

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  8. I love to use vinegar on everything...it makes things so clean!

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  9. Thank you so much for sharing this....

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  10. I do this too but you taught me a few new things like Zote soap? I use Castile, I'll have to try Zote especially if it's cheaper! LOL! Also, the rubbing alcohol for windows and lots of other surfaces! Great idea! Thanks for sharing..I always learn something new from you!

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  11. Trying to go this route! Thanks for the ideas! Any cleaners for the toilet?

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  12. Great tips Elaine. I took some advice from your food/grocery post-did a menu for the week and made my food list from that. And, I'm tracking my food bills. I feel like the food budget has gone haywire since the kids are teens. I don't buy junk food, but am constantly running to the local market for more fresh fruits and veggies and of course-oven roasted turkey and fresh rolls for their lunches. Boy that adds up quickly! Now to try your homemade cleaners. Thanks!

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  13. Are you kidding me? I'm writing all of this down..I spent 26.00 last week on a box of Laundry detergent. Yikes!
    I have never heard of those soap bars...will have to do some research.
    thanks girl..
    shug

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  14. Sorry - I just now remembered it is Thursday and added your link to my post! I guess I have no idea what day of the week it is!

    I use vinegar a lot and baking soda. I'm going to have to try the rubbing alcohol!

    xo
    Claudia

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  15. Thanks for the tips. I want to try the alcohol. Does it smell very much?

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  16. Great tips Elaine. I'm a big vinegar fan but haven't started using isopropyl alchohol yet. Thanks for sharing. Patty

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  17. Hi Sunny~

    I love all of these ideas - especially the window blinds, my least favorite thing to clean! I just put in laminate floors, and it seems like everything makes them streak - I'm going to try the alcohol tonight!

    I have been making a laundry soap recipe very similar to this one for a long time and I love it - I really love the smell of my clothes after they are washed . . . they just smell clean, and nothing else!

    Thank you!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  18. I use rubbing alcohol diluted to clean my eyeglasses. I can get eyeglasses some kind of dirty too. Walmart charges about two dollars for eyeglass cleaner. Wonderful tips. I need to clean some ovens so bad. Like your kiddo I am sensitive to scent. I cannot stand Clorox.

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  19. Your homemade cleaners sound wonderful, as does the price. I don't buy anything for cleaning except for Comet sprinkle on cleanser. It's cheap, it gets the soap scum out of the bathtub and it cleans the toilet extremely well.
    But, I'm sure your cleansers are "greener". I shall look for alcohol the next time I go shopping.
    Thank you for the recipes and I checked out your laundry detergent, hard to believe that half a scoop will clean a whole load. But you would know, I love what you say you spend per year, though.
    Have a good day, Cindy

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  20. Elaine, what do you use to sanitize your toilets? Thanks.

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  21. These are great tips. I love homemade cleaners. Thanks :)

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  22. I love vinegar too! I hadn't thought about using rubbing alcohol to clean at home. I used to use it at work to sanitize my work station since we switched stations daily but I bet it would be great around the house too! Great list!

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  23. WOW, great post...so many ideas and I will have to give the alcohol a try.
    Thanks for sharing

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  24. I'm just now reading these tips Elaine, and I love your ideas. I'm going to try out a few of them very soon!! You are so savvy!
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  25. Thanks, Elaine, I've copied this info onto a permanent sheet and will definitely do it this time!

    Mary

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  26. I love your cleaning tips. Thanks. It was very helpful.

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