Homemade Glass Cleaner & All-Purpose Cleaner

These are the last two homemade cleaning recipes.  I will post some other homemade recipes of other things later!  Anybody know what I am going to post next???  Does anyone have any suggestions they would like to see???

Glass Cleaner:
3 Tablespoons of Rubbing Alcohol or Ammonia
1 Tablespoon of Vinegar
Purified Water

Pour 1st two ingredients into a 16oz spray bottle and fill the rest of the way with water.  Shake and spray.

All-Purpose Cleaner:
1/4 cup Vinegar
1/4 cup Baking Soda or 2 teaspoons Borax
Dish Detergent (few drops)
Purified Water

Pour all ingredients into 16oz spray bottle and fill rest of the way with water.  Shake until dissolved.

Here are some extra facts:

1. Most cleaning supplies contain Toxic and harmful chemicals that if ingested or touch the skin can cause permanent damage.  Some cleaners contain carcinogens.  These recipes DO NOT!!!

2. NEVER MIX BLEACH WITH ANY ACIDS SUCH AS AMMONIA OR VINEGAR!  IT CAUSES TOXIC AND DANGEROUS FUMES!!!

3. High Efficiency or HE washing machines require low sudsing soap because they use a lot less water.  The homemade laundry detergent recipe is perfect for this as it is extremely low sudsing-You don't have to pay extra!!

4. Vinegar added to laundry WILL NOT make your clothes smell bad.  Vinegar is a perfect softener because it dissolves soap residue (which makes clothes stiff).  It can also be put in the Downy Ball.

5. All ingredients are non-toxic and environment friendly!

6. You can add food coloring to all of these recipes to help kids tell what each solution is.

Happy Cleaning!

Till next time!

Homemade Furniture Polish & Disinfectant

Here are a few more recipes!

Furniture Polish:
1 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Mix into jar and use flannel rags.

Disinfectant:
2 teaspoons Borax
4 Tablespoons Vinegar
3 Cups hot Water

Put Borax and Vinegar in a spray bottle first and then add the hot water.  Mix well.

Happy Cleaning!

Till next time!

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

This recipe is extremely easy and is very, VERY cost effective!  How much does it cost per load you ask?  It averages out to about 1 cent per load!!!!  Now that is SUPER exciting!  So without any further ado here is the recipe.

Dishwasher Soap:
1 1/2 cup Borax
1 1/2 cup Baking Soda
1 cup Table Salt

Mix together in a plastic container and use 1/4 cup per load.  Use White distilled Vinegar for the rinse aid.

I have used this and its fantastic!  I was so surprised how well the vinegar made things shine and it doesn't even smell like vinegar!

Happy Cleaning!

Till next time!

Floor Cleaner & toilet/tub scrub

Here are the recipes to make floor cleaner & toilet/tub scrub

Floor Cleaner:

1 cup white Distilled Vinegar
1 gallon purified water

Mix in a bucket and clean.  For wood floors just use 1/2 cup of Vinegar.  Do not get wood overly wet or pour directly on.  You can add a couple drops of lemon or orange essential oils for a fresh smell!

Toilet & Tub Scrub:
1/2 cup Baking Soda
1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Pour in and let soak for a few minutes....it will foam/bubble up.  Scrub away and admire your nice clean toilet & tub! 

Happy Cleaning!

Till next time!

Homemade Dryer Sheets and Liquid Softner

I am just so excited that I can share these cost saving homemade cleaning recipes with everyone!  For those of you that don't have a lot of extra money and want to be thrifty these recipes are for you.  They are really easy to make and don't take a lot of time to do so either.

Dryer Sheets:
Old Flannel shirts (if you don't have one go down to Goodwill or a thrift store and purchase one that is inexpensive)
Liquid Laundry Softener

Cut flannels into squares.  Make a mixture of 1/2 liquid softener and 1/2 clean water in a large glass mason jar.  Soak flannel in the jar overnight then hang them out to dry.  Use 1 square per load, lasts about 5 loads.  Just wash and replace flannel squares back into the jar to remake.

OR

Spray a mixture of vinegar and a few drops of Essential Oils (you can find these at a Farmer's Market that are pretty inexpensive but great quality!) to a clean rag (or flannel) and toss in dryer.  Lasts 4 loads.

Liquid Softener:
1/4 cup distilled White Vinegar

Happy Cleaning!

Till next time!

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

If you are not a fan of powdered laundry detergent then this one is probably for you! 

Liquid Laundry Detergent
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Arm and Hammer WASHING Soda
1/2 bar of Fels Naptha

Directions:
Fill a pot with 1 gallon purified water (or rain water) and bring to simmer.  While the water is heating grate the soap on a cheese grater or with your food processor (takes about 15 seconds!)  Just before water boils pour 1/2 gallon in another pot and set aside.  Put the grated soap into one of the pots.  When the soap is fully dissolved add Borax and Washing Soda.  Stir until fully dissolved.  Fill a 2 gallon bucket with remaining 1/2 gallon of warmed water that was set aside.  Pour in soapy solution.  Fill the rest of the bucket with 1 gallon of cold water.  Stir and let sit for 2 days until congeals.  Use 1/2 cup per load or 1 cup for hard water.  Can be used in High Efficiency machines.  If clothes are extra soiled add some Oxyclean to the load.  Makes 2 gallons.  Average cost per load 7 cents!  Gotta love it!

Happy cleaning!

Till next time!

Homemade Powdered Laundry Detergent

Last week at MOPS (Mothers of Pre-Schoolers) we learned how to make a bunch of homemade cleaning supplies...I was so excited to do this because I have been researching and interested in doing it for a few months now.  As Nataleigh is getting more mobile (she is now cruising...just learned how to do it a couple days ago!) I thought it would be a good idea to use up our cleaning supplies that have harmful chemicals in it and switch to more natural cleaning agents.  First thing I made so far is homemade powdered laundry detergent.  Let me tell you this...it smells sooo good!  Not only that, but it is so easy to make and very inexpensive!  It will cost about 7 cents a load!  Here is the recipe:

1 bar of shaved soap (Fels Naptha) you can find it at Meijer for around $1 and it is in the soap section in the cleaning aisle
1/2 cup Borax
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer WASHING Soda

If you have a food processor you can shave the bar soap in about 15 seconds!  Add all the ingredients together in a 16 oz container and use 1 Tablespoon per load.  Use extra for super soiled clothes or extra hard water!

Happy cleaning everyone!

Till next time!