Make It Yourself - Household Cleaners

I've been wanting to try making up my own cleaners for some time and just haven't taken the time to experiment yet! But I'm determined to give it a try when I finish the cleaners I'm presently using. I have two reasons: 1. I'm trying to encourage my children to help more with cleaning and don't want to worry about the chemicals to which they are being exposed. 2. The cost of homemade cleaners is pennies, especially when you compare prices on “natural” cleaners! Here is some recipes shared by readers or I found on the web! If you find one you enjoy, I would love to hear about it!

Window Cleaner #1

1/4 cup alcohol

1/4 cup ammonia

12 oz. water

Pour into a spray bottle. (an empty alcohol bottle works great ) -Joyce

Window Cleaner #2

Mix 1/2 tsp. mild dish detergent (I use Dawn)

3 Tbsp. Vinegar

2 cups water

Put all these ingredients into a spray bottle and shake it up some and you're ready to wash windows.

- Teresa

All-purpose cleaner
2 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon borax
16 ounces hot, filtered water
¼ cup liquid castile soap (if using ordinary dish soap (concentrated) use only a few drops.)
Mix vinegar and borax in a clean 16 oz. spray bottle. Fill with water and shake until the borax has dissolved. Add the liquid soap. Shake to mix again. Spay and wipe.




Bathroom Tub and Tile Cleaner
1 2/3 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid soap
½ cup filtered water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with water and add the vinegar. Mix with a fork until any lumps are gone and mixture has a pourable consistency (you may need to add more water). Pour into a clean 16 oz. squeeze container (I use an empty dish soap container). Shake well before using: keep the lid tightly closed to prevent the mixture from drying out. To use, squirt on tile, tub, sink, or toilet bowl and scrub. Rinse well. If any baking soda residue remains, rinse with a mixture of vinegar and water and next time use a little less baking soda in the recipe.



Stain Remover

1/4 cup liquid dish detergent

1/4 cup glycerin

1 1/2 cups water

Pour all into a squirt or spray bottle.
The book this recipe came from claims that this stain remover works well on ink, marker, newsprint, coffee, tea, juice, jams, bbq sauce and mustard. If it can handle those stains, it can likely handle most anything though it may not do grease or oil stains.