I am the quickest to admit {and very vocally for that matter} that I really do not like cleaning. Do not get me wrong, I like things clean, I just do not like getting them there.
However, it is time for me to buck up and give in to the little cleaning voices that have been constantly buzzing in my ear. The kitchen remodel has left our ENTIRE house overly dirty. Our dust is dusty.
With that being said, there are two main things that bug me about cleaning products:
1. They are expensive {unless you coupon, and in which case you can get cleaning supplies on the cheap every now and then}.
2. They contain really harsh chemicals. This point is the one that bugs me the most. Given the amount of cleaning products I am going to be using {and breathing in}, I would prefer them not to be riddled with massive amounts of chemicals.
So, I set out to find alternate, more “green”, solutions. What I found was that not only are there great, more natural, alternatives to those chemical-based cleaners we are all accustomed to, I can make most of the cleaning products I need with things I already have on hand!
I did find some general advice in regards to making your own cleaning products {things you should know before you mix your first batch of baking soda}.
1. Do not use recycled food containers to store the cleaners. Someone in your family may mistake them for something to eat or drink.
2. Prepare only what you will use for six months – some formulas will start to lose their efficiency after this point. The exception being cleaners that use fresh lemon juice – these should be used or tossed within a day.
3. The Environmental Protection Agency sometimes suggests bleach for mold removal, but mixing bleach with acids, ammonia or anything containing them creates a toxic gas. For the safety of myself {and the people reading this}, I have not included bleach in any of the recipes below!
For the Kitchen and Bathroom:
Spray Disinfectant: Instead of bleach, make your own disinfectant by mixing 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons of liquid castile soap, and 20 to 30 drops of tea tree oil.
Stains and Mildew: Spray or douse with lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit a few minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush.
Grease Cutter: Wearing gloves, use a funnel to pour 1 tsp. washing soda, 2tsp. borax, 2 tbsp. distilled white vinegar, 2 1/2 cups hot water, 5 drops lavender essential oil, and 7 drops lemon essential oil into a spray bottle. Shake then add 1/4 cup liquid castile soap and shake again. Spray onto surface {walls, countertops, etc} and wipe with a damp sponge.
Tub and Tile Scrub: Using a funnel, pour 2 tsp. borax, 1/2 tsp. liquid castile soap, and 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle. Shake well to mix. Wearing rubber gloves, spray surfaces scrubbing with a sponge as you work. Rinse with water.
Oven Cleaner: Coat the inside of your dirty appliance with a paste made from water and baking soda. Let stand overnight. Then, wearing gloves, scour off that grime. Make spotless with a moist cloth.
Clogged Drains: Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the problem drain, followed by 2 cups of boiling water. If that isn't doing it for you, chase the baking soda with a 1/2 cup of vinegar and cover tightly, allowing the vigorous fizzing of the chemical reaction to break up the gunk. Then flush that with one gallon of boiling water.
Dishwashing Soap: {Note, not for the dishwasher appliance, but for regular old-fashioned hand washing} Using a funnel, pour 2/3 cup liquid castile soap, 3 tsp. glycerin, 5 drops tree tea oil, 20 drops lemon oil, an 1 1/3 cup water into a bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Although this formula will not suds up as much as we are used to {with Dawn, for instance}, it is definitely effective! You can also use this to clean your countertops as well.
Automatic Dishwasher Detergent: While wearing gloves, mix 2 cups washing soda, 2 cups borax, and 25 drops grapefruit essential oil into a bowl. Stir with your hands and eliminate clumps. Transfer powder to a plastic container. Use 2 tbsp. detergent per wash and add 1 tsp. vinegar to the rinse cycle to prevent spots on silverware and glasses.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda directly into the toilet bowl then add 10 drops tea tree essential oil then add 1/2 cup distilled vinegar {IN THIS ORDER}. Let the water effervesce for several minutes then scrub bowl with brush. Flush.
Floor Cleaner: Add 1 cup distilled white vinegar and 1 capful liquid castile soap to bucket then add hot water {stopping about 7 inches from the top}. Swish with mop to mix. Wring out mop and wash floors {do not get them too wet}. Let them air-dry {no rinsing required}.
For the House:
Windows: Using a funnel, pour 3 cups water, 2 tbsp. rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 5 drops lavender essential oil, and 1/2 tbsp. liquid castile soap into a used spray bottle and shake to mix. Squirt on, then scrub with newspaper, not paper towels, which cause streaking.
If you're out of vinegar or don't like its smell, you can substitute undiluted lemon juice or club soda.
Spot Carpet Cleaning: Mix 1/4 cup liquid soap or detergent in a blender with 1/3 cup water. Mix until foamy. Spray on carpet, then rinse with vinegar.
Carpet Deodorizer: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on the carpet or rug, using about 1 cup per medium-sized room. Vacuum after 30 minutes.
Cleaning Hardwood Floors: Whip up a solution of 1/4 cup white vinegar and 30 ounces of warm water. Put in a recycled spray bottle, then spray on a cotton rag or towel until lightly damp. Then mop your floors, scrubbing away any grime.
Laundry Detergent {HE friendly}: Wearing gloves, mix 1/2 cup washing soda, 1/2 cup borax, 1 bar lavender castile soap {grated}, and 1/4 cup baking soda to air-tight container. Cover and shake well. Use 3 tbsp. detergent per load.
Furniture polish: Using a funnel, pour 2 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, and 1/4 tsp lemon oil {or fresh lemon juice} into bottle. Shake well to emulsify. Squirt polish onto microfiber cloth and rub onto finished wood furniture. Always go with the grain and evenly distribute polish. Remove any excess with clean cloth.
Painted Wall Cleaner {meant for use on painted walls to remove a variety of marks, including crayon}: Using a funnel, add 2 tbsp. borax, 3 cups warm water, 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar, and 6 drops grapefruit essential oil into a spray bottle. Shake then add 1 tsp. liquid castile soap and shake well to emulsify. Wearing gloves, lightly spray on walls and wipe with a damp sponge. Rinse with a clean sponge as needed {work from the bottom up so streaks do not form}.
Other Handy Uses for Pantry Items:
Cream of Tartar: Along with baking soda, this baking staple is a faintly acidic tub and tile scourer. Combined with lemon juice, it makes a mildly abrasive grout cleaner.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Use it to pinch-hit for bleach on laundry stains.
Vodka: Spritz the alcohol on ceramic bathroom tiles to remove pesky soap scum that cleaners didn’t remove. Wait 10 minutes, then rinse clean.
Worcestershire Sauce: Mix this condiment into your homemade furniture polish from above and apply to mask nicks and dents in dark finishes.
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