Homemade Cleaning Recipes

I don't know how 'homemade' they are since I'm using purchased products as well but it will save $.

For a general (floor, counters, toilet) cleaner I use:
1/4 c baking soda
1 c white vinegar
4 c water
1 squirt liquid soap (hand or dish) very little
I think if you add a couple drops of tea tree oil the smell is much better but I already like the smell so I haven't gotten any to try.

This is approximate as I just shake and glug but it works great and smells wonderful. Actually cleans better than 409 or any of the other stuff you can spend a ton for. (I would love to take credit for this but I got it from the Old British Ladies on that TV show about cleaning houses that are REALLY dirty. I guess it makes me feel better about my little messes).

For Fabric Softener :
Since I don't have a place in the washing machine and it goes a lot farther than the liquid usually does I buy the refill size and mix it in a plastic container with about 1 to 5 parts water (adjust to preference). I cut up approx. 3-4" t-shirt ,towel or sponge pieces and keep them soaking in the mixture. Then I just throw one in each dryer load, it works just like dryer sheets and is much better on the dryer mechanisms from what I hear.
 
Toilet Cleaner

Pour 1c vinegar into the toilet bowl and close lid. Let sit for 15 minutes. Open the lid, sprinkle baking soda around inside bowl wall. This will start to fizz (really fun for kids!). Scrub as usual.
 
Thank you so much for this wonderful thread!!! I am trying to cut back on expenses and am starting to use lots of these recipes. Yeah! Just what I needed.
 
I love this cleaning paste for cleaning the bathtub! I have two adopted kids from Haiti and they leave a lovely dark ring around the tub everytime they have a bath. Also works great on the stove or sink.

1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup castile soap
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 Tablespoon water or as needed
20 drops essential oil of choice (any citrusy essential oils)

Mix together and store in a sealed container. If it dries out just add some more water.

Diane

Mom to 6, Grandma to 2, Family Herbalist
 
gardenturtle said:
Yay! I've been using the disinfectant cleaner for about a month now - love it! And I've washed my first three loads with the homemade laundry det! TWO questions - our grocery store does not sell A&H WASHING soda. The only thing available - located in the laundry dept., by the borax, advertising using it in your laundry...is A&H BAKING soda. I think I've asked this before, but...is this the same product?? Would someone mind checking the ingredient list on your washing soda box??? THANKS! :0)

Anyone have a great dishwasher safe dish deterg. recipe??
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Answer: WASHING soda is sodium carbonate, and BAKING soda is sodium bicarbonate. So if you substitute baking soda for the washing soda in the laundry soap recipe, you'd need to use twice as much. That makes it cost more to make.

Ask your store to stock the washing soda. It has a zillion other cleaning uses!

Or, find a source for buying the baking soda in jumbo bags. One homemaker I read buys it in 50 lb sacks at the feed mill! And she goes through it every month!

Washing soda is much stronger - the web sites suggest wearing "rubber" gloves when using it. (I'm latex allergic, so no gloves). You can find it in most supermarkets. Our Wal-Mart carries it. Try some hardware stores. Find a store that will order it for you.

Finally: Automatic dishwasher soap:
there are dozens of suggestions at this link: (which I can't post because I haven't been a member long enough). It was at thrifty fun dot com, though.

Most of the suggestions use some form of washing soda plus borax plus an acid - either Fruit Fresh or vinegar.
Many posts claim that their dishes became cloudy and grungy over time, and they quit using this mixture - which may be related to their water quality more than the cleaning product, since some users have no issues with it.

Some folks have read that borax, while a great cleanser, should be used sparingly, so they fear that using it daily in their dishwasher might adversely affect the planet, their septic system, their family.

One reader posted that she poured only BAKING soda in her dishwasher,a dn the dishes came out just fine.

Several people posted that they use bleach in the rinse aid dispenser, with good results.

I use white vinegar in my rinse aid dispenser. I use white vinegar instead of bleach for EVERYTHING that you would use bleach for. I spritz white vinegar on the vinyl floor and mop up. I spritz white vinegar on mirrors and windows and dry off with paper or cloth towels. I clean my shower, tub, and toilet with white vinegar. Vinegar is less harmful to the environment than bleach, and is also a disinfectant.

I even pour white vinegar on the weeds between the cracks of our sidewalk, and it works. Not as well as "round up", but certainly well enough. Which sounds odd- if I'm claiming that white vinegar isnt' harmful to the environment, and then using it to kill grass? <G> But I guess that where I pour it, the soil becomes to acidic for that strain of grass. The reason it isn't as effective as roundup, is that you have to add it several times in the summer. It does dissipate.

Hope that helps answer your questions!
Lorelei

Nurturing creative young minds and wiggly bodies
 
Has anyone else used the laundry detergent for an extended time and in hard water?

I am having trouble with my clothes becoming very dingy and some stains beginning to show, this is after almost a year of use. I've used both the liquid and the dry laundry detergent mentioned here, but I have very hard water.

I think I'll try adding the oxyclean. That may help. I like the product a LOT. I love antique linens and use it to clean all of my antique linens.
Thanks for the idea!

Any other ways people have helped the products to work better in hard water?
 
I have used the home-made laundry detergent for three years now. I didn't have a problem with dingy clothes until we moved to sw Michigan. The water here is very hard. I started adding more borax to the laundry soap mix, and every third load or so, I add oxyclean to my wash load. The combination has helped. Our water isn't too bad for iron - don't have really orange stains on the porcelain fixtures, but a lot of calcium and lime deposits - I think that's what it is. Crusty yellow/white gunk. And some iron. Our DRINKING water is yellow like piss when it comes out of the tap. Very gross. I bought a Brita filter and use it. When I move out of the apartments, I'll look at something for the whole house. The apartment DOES have a water softener, too! The yellow icky water is after it's been "softened"! Yuck! Aparently, there used to be a paper mill where my apartment now stands, so the ground water was contaminated.

Anyway, hope that answers your questions? I'm not sure about oxy clean as far as the environment, buy you're right, that as a product, it really does work well.
Lorelei
 
Thanks Lorelei! Your water sounds just like mine! Mine is not QUITE that yellow, but I also use a BRITA filter.
 
Vinegar and Water

I use just plain vinegar 1/4 and rest water to a spray bottle. It disenfects cleans almost entire house. Mirrors,laminate flooring and evaporates fast which is great for laminate floors. It is also a great non-toxic cleaner for kid's to use to help around the house and while pregnant.It is eviromentally friendly and very inexpensive.
 
All Purpose Cleaning Spray

I was browsing homemade cleaning articles the other day and decided to make my own. It works SO well. I researched the effects of the chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar, and it creates (along with water) sodium acetate. I think that has something to do with it. Anyway...I like it! :D

2 tablespoons baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup distilled water
15 drops lemon essential oil
5 drops orange essential oil
Clean spray bottle

You can find essential oil at most natural food stores.
 
Microwave Cleaner
1 cup of water
just place your cup of water in the microwave and heat up for 5 to 6 minutes. Then just wipe clean with mositen wash cloth. This getts the inside of microwave very clean.
 
This may be a stupid question but can someone tell me what is the best thing to store homemade laundry detergent in? I already make my own all purpose cleaner - equal parts water and vinegar and a squirt of liquid soap - and use it on everything. I would love to make my own detergent but dont' know what to store it in.

Thanks!
 
I guess it would depend on how large a quantity you are making. When I made it I stored it in a clean 5 gallon bucket with lid that I bought at Home Depot.
 
MonkeyMamma said:
This may be a stupid question but can someone tell me what is the best thing to store homemade laundry detergent in? I already make my own all purpose cleaner - equal parts water and vinegar and a squirt of liquid soap - and use it on everything. I would love to make my own detergent but dont' know what to store it in.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I save store bought detergent bottles as well as extra thick plastic juice jugs. I have used milk jugs, but they seem to get a little flimsy after a while.
 
Thank you!

I suppose I will buy a 5 gallon bucket since I won't be making the liquid type soap. I am so excited to try this!
 
Birbitt said:
I use the homemade detergent for my family and haven't had any problems....DH and the boys both have VERY sensitive skin..though I use the fels naptha soap because dh is allergic to Ivory.
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I'm happy to hear the homemade detergent works well for your boys who have sensitive skin.

I have very sensitive skin, so I've been wondering if my batch of detergent will work for me. I'm still finishing up our bottle of Kirkland Free & Clear, so we haven't tried the homemade stuff yet. (We used Fels Naptha, Borax, and Washing Soda). I hope I take to it well!!
 
MonkeyMamma said:
This may be a stupid question but can someone tell me what is the best thing to store homemade laundry detergent in? I already make my own all purpose cleaner - equal parts water and vinegar and a squirt of liquid soap - and use it on everything. I would love to make my own detergent but dont' know what to store it in.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I made a 1/4 batch of the Duggars laundry detergent recipe and store it in a 2 gallon bucket from Home Depot. I then fill a much smaller pourable-bottle with 1 part concentrated detergent, and 1 part water.

I don't have the storage space for the entire batch, but 1/4 batch works out fine. A 1/4 batch will serve us for over a year.
 
Many years ago, I learned a trick for clogged drains. Sprinkle baking soda down the drain, then pour vinegar down on top. The chemical reaction actually breaks up gunk that can trap hair and/ or food. It also freshens the drain and/or garbage disposal. Even if your drains aren't clogged, you can do it as occasional maintenance. Someone else told me that lemon juice is good for freshening drains.

*Note: This may not work as well if you have a ton of hair or food in drains. But it's much cheaper than draino!!!
 
You could also toss in a few drops of red food coloring and have a science lesson on volcanoes! :lol:....I've use that method before and it worked very well. Just remember to pour in the vinegar slowly.
 
Lady Dove, my plumber friend got after me for trying that! And he's a friend/neighbor who will help us out for free, so it's not like he was trying to discourage me from doing it myself so I wouldn't hire him. I guess the chemical reaction will cause pressure. This will push the clot further down the line, rather than dissolve it. He says it will work temporarily, but just pushes the clot to where it's harder to get to later.
 
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