RazzWorks

One of the things many of us spend alot of money on is cleaning products. There are so many different kinds of cleaners for specific surfaces or items that we could end up with an overflowing cleaning cupboard if we bought something special to clean everything in our home.

Luckily, there is an easy way to cut that cost dramatically with simple ingredients you probably already have in your house. I started using homemade cleaners and kitchen ingredients for cleaning many years ago. I do buy the occasional bottle of something if it’s on sale or I find a good product at the dollar store. However, almost everything in your home can be cleaned without putting out all that money and adding dangerous chemicals to your environment. I had four children with various sensitivities so this was important to me.

Glass Cleaner

The first and one of the easiest to switch to is white vinegar. Plain white vinegar mixed with equal parts water works great for cleaning windows and polishing faucets and taps. It leaves them clean and shiny with no residue. The old tip to use newspaper to clean your windows really works too. Just crumple it up and use it like a rag or paper towel with the white vinegar solution in a spray bottle. Works great on mirrors too.

I’ve seen a number of recipes for glass cleaner where they also add rubbing alcohol and cornstarch but I’ve never had a problem with my solution so why go to the extra work (and money)

All-purpose Cleaner

This one is alot like the window cleaner but with dish detergent in it. Fill a spray bottle about 1/4 way with vinegar. You can use plain white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, either will work. Then fill to an inch from the top and finish filling with any dish detergent. Tip the bottle back and forth to mix it up and use to clean just about anything. I use it for countertops, kitchen tables, and things like door frames and window sills.

You can add 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oils if you like. Tea tree oil is antibacterial so makes a good add-in for any cleaners and it smells nice too. If you prefer a different scent add one you like or create your own unique fragrance with a combination of oils.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

The other recipe I’ve used for many years is for laundry detergent. It works so well that my husband prefers it for his really dirty work clothes. It even took the ground in dirt out of the knees of my grandson’s tan cargo pants. Even I was impressed with that one!

The recipe is simple

1 cup of borax
1 cup of washing soda
1 bar of *Sunlight soap(grated)

*Sunlight is the brand of soap I buy but many recipes I’ve seen use Fels Naptha Soap which doesn’t seem to be available near me. I’ve tried using other bar soaps however, some work and some don’t so experiment if you must but be aware that all bar soaps are not the same. I did notice that harder soap seems to work best.

My method may differ from others online but this is how I do it. I have one pot I only use for making soaps. I fill it with water and put it on to heat up. It doesn’t need to boil but it’s ok if it does, just turn it down so it simmers. When it is steamy hot put in the grated bar of soap to melt. Then you can shut off the heat, add the borax and washing soda, and stir until it’s dissolved.

While the water is heating up I fill a five-gallon bucket about 3/4 full with warm water. When the pot of soap is all dissolved pour it into the bucket and stir it up well. Top up with more water to fill. I let it sit overnight before using it but that’s probably not necessary. It will thicken up alot when it cools so you’ll need to stir it again. Sometimes I just use my hands if it has gone completely to gel. Once it’s all mixed up and de-clumped I fill up a bunch of old detergent bottles and store them.

I use a half cup to a cup per load depending how dirty the clothes are.

*You could just mix the powders and grated soap together in a canister and omit the water if you wash with warm or hot water. I always wash in cold water and found it didn’t dissolve well. Recipes I’ve seen online recommend 2-4 tablespoons per load.

Soft Scrub

If you need something with a soft grit to clean porcelain sinks and tubs you can make a paste with baking soda and dish detergent. I don’t have any measurements just enough soap to make a thick paste. You can add 10 drops of essential oils if you like. *If you’re running low on dish detergent just warm water and baking soda will do the trick too.

For cleaning grout, you can use the same paste with just a bit of plain white vinegar added and an old toothbrush. Toothbrushes are great cleaning tools so I save our old ones and keep one in each area where I store cleaning supplies and tools

*This cleaner does need to be rinsed off with clear water to remove any residue.

Miscellaneous Cleaning Tips

Plain white vinegar can be used to wipe down any surface that you want to disinfect like doorknobs and light switch plates. It is also good for disinfecting countertops and cutting boards and will clean away and inhibit mold growth.

Baking soda is a great deodorizer and can be used to freshen up stinky shoes and mattresses. Simply sprinkle into shoes or on the mattress and let sit for a few hours. Shake out the shoes and vacuum the mattress to get rid of the powder.

Hydrogen peroxide is a more eco-friendly substitute for standard household bleach and can be used to disinfect many things. It is safe to use even for toothbrushes and sports mouthguards just rinse them after soaking them for a few minutes in peroxide. You can even use hydrogen peroxide in your laundry just like chlorine bleach.

Conclusion

This list is all my favorite and most used homemade cleaners. Not only are they much cheaper than the store-bought versions but they are much easier on the environment. No harmful chemicals going down the drains and polluting our indoor air.

For those with small children or pets, there is also the added benefit that these cleaners are non-toxic. No danger of accidentally poisoning those curious little ones.

There are many more recipes available online if you care to do some searching. I’ve only included those I’ve used myself. I hope you found this post useful. If you use any other homemade cleaners let me know in the comments. I’m sure there are many I simply didn’t think of.