I have a few minutes and thought I'd share a few cleaning products that I've been making at home for awhile now.
I love the idea of using safe ingredients to clean house, especially when the kids are young and touching everything. But really, I'm cheap I love saving money even more!
All the products under the kitchen sink aren't homemade, simply because it is so sparingly used or I just haven't had time to investigate something homemade. And seriously, nothing works like good old Comet to scrub out the kitchen's white porcelain sink that shows every scuff and stain known to man. I would like to look into a homemade wood furniture polish (like Pledge). Know of anything?
From my experience, these clean just as well (if not better!) than commercial cleaners.
Laundry
I have been using a homemade powder made from a few ingredients found in Walmart's laundry aisle. For $20, I make 9-12 months' worth of detergent. Stains come out better than with commercial liquid. It doesn't irritate the skin. Clothes are softer. I made my first batch in December 2011, the second batch in January 2013, and am on track to probably make the next batch by the end of this year. I typically run 3-5 loads of laundry a week. Go here for the recipe and instructions!
Vinegar solution - all purpose cleaner
In a magazine awhile back I read about this and started using it when I was tired of buying smelly and expensive all purpose cleaners. All you need is a 24 ounce spray bottle, vinegar (buy it in the giant gallon size to save even more money long term), and a squirt of liquid dish soap. Fill the bottle with about 3/4 water, then top it off with vinegar. Give it a squirt of dish soap, and voila! I use it for countertops, cleaning our dry-erase board, the dining room table, and it's what I let the boys use when they want to help clean the windows or the bathroom sinks. And honestly, it's what I use on our laminate wood flooring. As long as I go with the grain of the faux wood, it doesn't leave streaks. Using anything else, even things specifically for laminate floors, leaves streaks!
Vinegar/alcohol solution - deeper all purpose cleaner
This recipe was found on Pinterest, labeled as a wood floor cleaner. I do use it on our hardwood floors, but I've also been using it anywhere else I need a deeper cleaning and some antibacterial help. The recipe is simple: one cup rubbing alcohol, one cup vinegar, one cup water, and a squirt of liquid dishsoap. It's pretty smelly, but the odor goes away once it dries. This, oddly enough, streaks my laminate flooring but does well on the hardwood.
Liquid foam hand soap
I thought I was smart buying refill solution for my Bath and Body Works foam soap dispenser I keep at the kitchen sink. I bought the bottle in 2010 when we redecorated the kitchen, and I was refilling it with a large bottle of store brand soap, then putting food coloring in it to match the bottle!! I know, I'm crazy. But about two months ago, I learned that I could make my own soap too. I bought cheap Dial foam soap bottles at Target and once that ran out, then I just squirted about an inch of liquid soap into the bottle (shampoo, dish soap, and I've heard Johnson's baby wash works well too). Creamy type of liquid soap doesn't blend well, so go with the transparent kind. Mix it up and put a drop of food coloring in if you want to match the color to the room.
Window cleaning
I was gifted with a set of Norwex cleaning towels by my mother-in-law at my bridal shower. It wasn't because she thought I was a slob or needed hints at how to clean house, but because she had the cloths herself and loved them. They seriously are amazing. I can't link you to the Norwex website because it's a catalog company and they want you to hook up with a consultant to browse. But I found 'em on Ebay! They are pricey but worth it. I've never seen windows and glass cleaner. One rag is for cleaning and cutting through grime (it's even antibacterial) and the other is for buffing/shining. All you need is water to wet each rag, and hang to dry. You can throw them in the wash machine (no bleach) and air dry them.
And just like that, my #1 mess maker, Hannah Mary, is awake from her nap and I probably should go rescue her from loneliness in her crib. Happy cleaning!
I love the idea of using safe ingredients to clean house, especially when the kids are young and touching everything. But really, I'm cheap I love saving money even more!
All the products under the kitchen sink aren't homemade, simply because it is so sparingly used or I just haven't had time to investigate something homemade. And seriously, nothing works like good old Comet to scrub out the kitchen's white porcelain sink that shows every scuff and stain known to man. I would like to look into a homemade wood furniture polish (like Pledge). Know of anything?
From my experience, these clean just as well (if not better!) than commercial cleaners.
Laundry
I have been using a homemade powder made from a few ingredients found in Walmart's laundry aisle. For $20, I make 9-12 months' worth of detergent. Stains come out better than with commercial liquid. It doesn't irritate the skin. Clothes are softer. I made my first batch in December 2011, the second batch in January 2013, and am on track to probably make the next batch by the end of this year. I typically run 3-5 loads of laundry a week. Go here for the recipe and instructions!
Vinegar solution - all purpose cleaner
In a magazine awhile back I read about this and started using it when I was tired of buying smelly and expensive all purpose cleaners. All you need is a 24 ounce spray bottle, vinegar (buy it in the giant gallon size to save even more money long term), and a squirt of liquid dish soap. Fill the bottle with about 3/4 water, then top it off with vinegar. Give it a squirt of dish soap, and voila! I use it for countertops, cleaning our dry-erase board, the dining room table, and it's what I let the boys use when they want to help clean the windows or the bathroom sinks. And honestly, it's what I use on our laminate wood flooring. As long as I go with the grain of the faux wood, it doesn't leave streaks. Using anything else, even things specifically for laminate floors, leaves streaks!
Vinegar/alcohol solution - deeper all purpose cleaner
This recipe was found on Pinterest, labeled as a wood floor cleaner. I do use it on our hardwood floors, but I've also been using it anywhere else I need a deeper cleaning and some antibacterial help. The recipe is simple: one cup rubbing alcohol, one cup vinegar, one cup water, and a squirt of liquid dishsoap. It's pretty smelly, but the odor goes away once it dries. This, oddly enough, streaks my laminate flooring but does well on the hardwood.
Liquid foam hand soap
I thought I was smart buying refill solution for my Bath and Body Works foam soap dispenser I keep at the kitchen sink. I bought the bottle in 2010 when we redecorated the kitchen, and I was refilling it with a large bottle of store brand soap, then putting food coloring in it to match the bottle!! I know, I'm crazy. But about two months ago, I learned that I could make my own soap too. I bought cheap Dial foam soap bottles at Target and once that ran out, then I just squirted about an inch of liquid soap into the bottle (shampoo, dish soap, and I've heard Johnson's baby wash works well too). Creamy type of liquid soap doesn't blend well, so go with the transparent kind. Mix it up and put a drop of food coloring in if you want to match the color to the room.
Window cleaning
I was gifted with a set of Norwex cleaning towels by my mother-in-law at my bridal shower. It wasn't because she thought I was a slob or needed hints at how to clean house, but because she had the cloths herself and loved them. They seriously are amazing. I can't link you to the Norwex website because it's a catalog company and they want you to hook up with a consultant to browse. But I found 'em on Ebay! They are pricey but worth it. I've never seen windows and glass cleaner. One rag is for cleaning and cutting through grime (it's even antibacterial) and the other is for buffing/shining. All you need is water to wet each rag, and hang to dry. You can throw them in the wash machine (no bleach) and air dry them.
And just like that, my #1 mess maker, Hannah Mary, is awake from her nap and I probably should go rescue her from loneliness in her crib. Happy cleaning!
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