Homemade cleaner recipes

[Kim2005]

Feel free to add yours.

[Kim2005]

Combine
1/2 cup ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
1 gallon warm water

Mix well.

I use it ALL the time in my kitchen and bathroom! It's kinda like Formula 409. I keep it in a spray bottle and shake it up before I use it. It doesn't need to be warm all the time, just to mix it all together.

[Kim2005]

In a small bowl mix together
1 1/3 cups baking soda
1/2 cup liquid soap (not detergent)

Dilute with
1/2 cup water

Add
2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Stir with a fork until smooth and all the lumps are gone. Pour into a 16-ounce squeeze container with a flip top cap, (like a ketchup bottle). Shake well before each use. Keep tightly capped between uses. HINT: Rinse the cap after each use so that it won't get clogged.

I haven't personally used this yet because I still have store bought stuff, but can't wait to try it. It is like Soft Scrub. Make sure to measure the ingredients exactly.

[Kim2005]

Club soda straight up. For a light duty glass cleaner, just pour club soda (it's less than 2 cents an ounce!) into a spray bottle and you have a very effective, non-toxic glass cleaner.

Vinegar and water. Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 water in a spray bottle. If glass is particularly dirty, wash with warm soapy water first.

Ammonia and rubbing alcohol. Heavy duty formula. Mix household ammonia and rubbing alcohol together in equal portions in a spray bottle. Label and keep out of reach of children. This is stron stuff and powerful too!

Forgot to add! Instead of expensive Windex, we will buy windshield wiper solvent and use that! It's a whole lot cheaper than the "real" stuff and works just as well!

[Kim2005]

2 parts water
1 part ammonia
1 part Dawn dishwashing liquid

I have used this exclusively the last 2 years and have saved a TON of money! I used to buy a bottle of Spray'n Wash almost every two weeks at about $2.00 a bottle. Now I make this for only pennies and it works great!

[Kim2005]

Frugal Shopper (http://www.thefrugalshopper.com/articles/detergent.shtml)

Liquid Laundry Detergents


Recipe #1

3 Pints Water
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
2 Gallon Bucket
1 Quart Hot Water
Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.



Recipe #2

1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
2 Tablespoons Glycerin
2 Gallons Water (NOTE: This recipe originally called for 2 Cups Water)

Mix all three ingredients together. Add glycerin and water.
Use 1/2 - 3/4 cup per load. Best when used with cold or warm water.



Recipe #3

Water
1 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
5 Gallon Bucket
1 Cup Washing Soda
4 1/2 Gallons Water

Place grated soap in a small saucepan and cover with water. Heat on low until dissolved. Fill bucket with hot water, and add soap. Stir to combine. Add 1 cup washing soda and mix well. As it cools it will thicken. May be used immediately. Use 1-2 cups per load.



Powdered Laundry Detergent


1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

For light load, use 1 tablespoon. For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.



TIPS

• Liquid detergent can also be used as a pretreater for stains.

• Ivory Soap, Deodorant Soap, and Beauty Bars can be substituted for the Fels Naptha Soap.

• Essential Oils can be added to soap for fragrance.

• More Homemade Laundry Detergent Tips or More General Laundry Tips



WHERE TO FIND INGREDIENTS

Fels-Naptha® Laundry Soap Bar: Made by the Dial Soap Company, so any store that carries Dial should be able to get it for you. If they carry it, it will be found in the bar soap or laundry soap aisle at your regular supermarket. It is usually on the bottom shelf. If you can't find it in your area, try Ivory Soap instead.

Super Washing Soda: Washing Soda can be found on the laundry detergent aisle of your supermarket. It comes in a 55-ounce yellow box. Baking soda SHOULD NOT be used in place of washing soda. They are completely different products, although they are both made by Arm & Hammer.

Borax: One brand name is 20 Mule Team® Borax. It is also found on the laundry detergent aisle

[Kim2005]

Serious Moms Link (http://www.seriousmoms.com/index.htm)

Tile and toilet cleaner

1 cup baking soda

1 gallon hot water

1 cup clear ammonia

1 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon grated soap



Dissolve the baking soda into the hot water in a large bucket. Add the other ingredients, and then stir to mix well. You can also use this on floors. Make sure to rinse well with water.


All-Purpose Cleaner

½ cup vinegar

1 cup clear ammonia

¼ cup baking soda

1 gallon hot water



Mix everything together in a large bucket, and use this solution to mop or wipe surfaces clean.

Misc. cleaners

Glassware Polish

Baking Powder

Water



Make a thin paste with baking powder and water. Rub the paste onto your glassware, rinse well, and dry with a soft cloth.



Homemade Drain-o

¼ cup baking soda

¼ cup vinegar

1 bucket of boiling water



Pour baking soda down the drain, and then pour the vinegar down. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, and then pour down a bucket of boiling water.



Leather Polish

1 ¼ cups linseed oil

1 ½ cups vinegar



Boil linseed oil, allow to cool, and then add vinegar. Apply this solution with a cloth to leather, and then buff.



Lemon Furniture Polish

1 lemon

2 cups mineral oil



Squeeze the juice of the lemon, and then mix the juice with the mineral oil. Use a soft cloth to apply this solution to furniture and buff until shiny.



Mildew Preventative

Vinegar kills acid, so wipe surfaces that may mildew down with pure white vinegar.

[Kim2005]

How To Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions
This article will show you how to make your own cleaning solutions, for cleaning everything in your house. With the below homemade cleaning products, you can disinfect, shine, and clean your home, while saving money.

What you'll need

* white vinegar
* water
* rubbing alcohol
* baking soda
* olive oil
* lemon juice
* liquid bleach
* three clean, empty, spray bottles
* a sealable container (this container only needs to be able to fit a couple of cups of liquid in it, hence, can be small.)

For cleaning surfaces and tiles (non-wood surfaces)

Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 cup of water, and put into a spray bottle. Label that bottle "all purpose cleaner".

For polishing wood surfaces and furnature

Mix 1 cup of olive oil with 1/2 cup of lemon juice. Keep in a sealed container, labeled "furnature polish".

For cleaning the toilets

Fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar, and label it "toilet bowl cleaner".

For cleaning sinks and tubs

Use baking soda as a scouring powder. For hard to clean sinks and tubs, add a little bit of water to some baking soda, to form a paste. Paint the paste onto the area you need to clean, and let sit for a half hour, then scrub it off, and re-scour with dry baking soda.

For cleaning mirrors, TV/computer screens, and glass

Mix together 1 cup of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. Pour into a spray bottle, and label it "glass cleaner".

For scrubbing hard floors

Fill mop bucket with steaming hot water, and add some liquid bleach. Read the dilution instructions on your bottle of bleach, to find out how much bleach to put into the bucket. (When you mop, open a few windows, to limit bleach fumes.)

For spot-cleaning carpets

Pour some undiluted rubbing alcohol on the spot, and rub with a wash cloth.

Using just the above, you now have all the cleaning solutions you need, to clean your whole house.


General Uses For:

Ammonia - good grease cutter, wax stripper, and window cleaner. NEVER MIX WITH BLEACH!

Lemon juice - great for whitening items, but vinegar is cheaper . It also cuts through grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain

White Vinegar - very cheap and versatile, great for whitening, also fantastic for cleaning hard surfaces, windows and shining up metal surfaces. Removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup. This is another natural cleaner that whole books have been written on!

Bleach - great for whitening anything, removing molds and mildews, and general cleaning. Best used diluted with water. DO NOT MIX BLEACH WITH VINEGAR, TOILET BOWL CLEANER, OR AMMONIA. The combination of bleach with any of these substances produces a toxic gas which can be hazardous. We want to save money without jeopardizing our lives!

Borax - (sodium borate) It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It also prevents mold and odors. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.

Baking Soda - Extremely versatile, baking soda is an all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. There are entire books out about the zillions of uses of baking soda, and the best thing about it is that it's cheap!

Washing Soda - (sodium carbonate) Cuts grease and disinfects. It will also increase the cleaning power of soap.

Ketchup - great for cleaning copper

Cornstarch - cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, you can use this to replace expensive "baby powders" also.

Pure Soap - cleans just about anything and is mild

Salt - believe it or not, regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder. Who would have known?

[Kim2005]

Some helpful hints:

1.Make your cleaners ahead of time.

2. Organize them according to location they are used in, keeping out of reach of children. I like to keep all kitchen items under the (baby-proofed) sink, in a caddy (recycle a detergent box or milk jug for this) so they are handy. I make extras of items for the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms.

3.Buy your ingredients in bulk. This way, you save money twice! You save by buying in bulk (on sale of course!) and you save because you have what you need on hand, avoiding a trip to the store!

4.Store your ingredients in reusable airtight containers. I like to purchase spray bottles in bulk for this purpose, since it is not safe to reuse bottles that had commercial cleaners or chemicals in them. Milk jugs are great to use too.

5.Make large batches of several cleaners and store them in recycled milk jugs.

6.Wear rubber gloves when you clean to avoid skin irritation

[Kim2005]

Contents:
Supplies needed
Making the product
Tips and suggestions
Warnings

For quick clean-ups I make these cleaner containers. They're fun, no mess, and OLDER kids (notice I stressed older because these cleaners are toxic if ingested) love to use them, too! They save money, time and waste.

NOTE: Buy Ziplock or Glad disposable and reusable containers and a roll of "Select-A-Size" paper towels for this project.

For window cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, bleaching, de-grease cleaners:

For all recipes:

Take about 30 paper towels and fold individually into squares. Place them into the container. Pour the bottle of cleaner using just enough to wet all the towels, but not saturating them. Seal the container.

When you're ready to clean, just remove a paper towel, wipe the area, then dispose of the towel.

For bleaching only:

Add one part bleach to 4 parts water.

For furniture polishing:

I pour Liquid Gold's furniture cleaner (the liquid soap kind) into the container with the paper towels.

For Just Soap:

Use 1 part soap and 4 parts water for washing items with just soap. follow the paper towel and container instructions above.

Cleaning Up Babies:

For cleaning up messy children or dirty bottoms on babies I use a mild baby shampoo like Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo. Use 1 part shampoo to 4 parts of water. For just cleaning bottoms I add a bit of baby oil to the solution to help prevent diaper rashes, but don't add the oil if you're going to use the same wipes for other messy children clean-ups!

TIP 1: If you would rather have a container that you can easily pull wipes out individually (like "Wet Ones") you can do this:

Take a roll of paper towels and cut the roll in half. Remove the inner cardboard core. Place one of the rolls in an empty cylinder-shaped baby wipe plastic container that has a "pull-out top". Pour in the cleaner. Then, pull out a towel from the center of the core and feed through the opening in the top of the container. This method will last you for a longer time and save you money in buying the plastic containers.

TIP 2: If you don't want to use toxic cleaners, there are cleaners out there that are non-toxic and safe for smaller children to use. Just be sure to read the label and directions carefully, because even though they may say "non toxic" they can still cause irritations.

FINAL WARNING: NEVER ALLOW ANY CHILD TO USE ANY CLEANER UNTIL YOU ARE SURE THEY HAVE NO ALLERGIES TO ANY OF THEIR INGREDIENTS! (or will put them in their mouths.) Before using wipes for messy children, test on a small area on their arm before using on any other part of their skin to make sure they aren't allergic to the ingredients in the solution.

[Kim2005]

Base essential oil blend:

Ingredients:

1/2 part lavender essential oil
1/2 part benzoin essential oil * (absolute resin)
small dropper bottle
Unscented dryer sheets (I use Bounce Free but any good quality brand will do).
Airtight container to store scented dryer sheets.
* Benzoin with the lavender will help "hold" the scent in the fabric for it is a fixative.

Method:

Make base essential oil by mixing the two oils in equal amounts into a small dropper bottle. Shake well. Label.

Take 10 - 15 dryer sheets out of the box and put 4 5 drops of essential oil base on each one. Put into an airtight container that you can easily get your hand into to take one out at a time as needed for the dryer.

To Use:

Use as you would a normal dryer sheet. The airtight container will help hold the scent in the dryer sheets instead of just dissipating out into the room and leaving the dryer sheet less scented. Leave the additional essential oil base that you have left with the unscented dryer sheets to easily make more are you need them.

[Kim2005]

You can cut the amount of chlorine bleach used in your wash by half when you add 1/4 cup to front loading washers and 1/2 a cup to top loading machines

baking soda helps to stretch your soap out- it enhances detergents cleaning actions- add it to your washing machine and use less soap!

This will also make your clothes smell clean and fresh

Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner

Use baking soda on a damp sponge to clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces

Baking Soda and Salt paste will cleans baking dishes - enamel, ceramic and glass, coffee stains from cups or counter tops and be a great soap scum remover

Baking soda paste is a great crayon remover

[Kim2005]

1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 drops tea tree extract (or oil)
1/4 cup white vinegar

Store in squeeze bottle. Use 2 tablespoons per wash in a standard size dishwasher.

Do not substitute conventional liquid soap for the Castile unless it is a 'low sudsing' soap. Regular soaps will produce too many suds and overflow the dishwasher.

[Kim2005]

Old Farmer's Almanac (http://www.almanac.com/home/cleaners.html)

These may be repeats...

OVEN CLEANER
2 tablespoons dishwashing liquid
2 teaspoons borax
1/4 cup ammonia
1-1/2 cups warm water

Mix the ingredients together, apply to oven spills, and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Scrub with an abrasive nylon-backed sponge and rinse well.

Scrubbing hand GENERAL-PURPOSE CLEANER
1 teaspoon borax
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
2 cups hot water

Combine all the ingredients. If you don't have washing soda (generally found in the laundry section of supermarkets), use 1 teaspoon baking soda instead. For a more pleasant smell, use lemon juice instead of vinegar. Be sure to label the bottle accordingly.

Polishing Cloths

You can make your own polish-impregnated cloths to dust furniture. Pour some furniture polish into a large glass jar and shake it until the sides are coated. Pour the remainder of the polish back into the polish container. Place terry or other absorbent cloths in the jar and cover tightly. Leave overnight or until the cloths have absorbed all the polish. Store the cloths in the jar.

Here's another method for making polishing cloths. Add 1/4 cup polish (such as lemon oil) to 2 cups hot water. Mix well. Soak dust cloths in the mixture, then let them dry before using. Save the mixture in a glass jar. When the cloths become soiled, wash them, re-treat them, and use again.
EASY SCRUB
3/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup borax
dishwashing liquid

Combine the baking soda and borax. Mix in enough dishwashing liquid to make a smooth paste. If you prefer a pleasant smell, add 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice to the paste.

JEWELRY CLEANER
1/4 cup ammonia
1/4 cup dishwashing liquid
3/4 cup water

Mix all the ingredients well, then soak your jewelry in the solution for a few minutes. Clean around the stones and designs with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Buff dry. (Caution: Don't use this with gold-plated jewelry; with soft stones such as pearls, opals, or jade; or with costume jewelry, because it could ruin the plastics or loosen the glue.)

HEAVY-DUTY DISINFECTANT CLEANER
1/4 cup powdered laundry detergent
1 tablespoon borax
3/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup pine oil, or pine-based cleaner

Slowly stir the detergent and borax into the water to dissolve. Add the pine oil (available at hardware stores and supermarkets) and mix well. For bathroom cleaning, use the mixture full strength. In the kitchen, dilute it with water.

WOOD FLOOR POLISH
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil Mix the ingredients well, rub on the floor, and buff with a clean, dry cloth.

RUG CLEANER
1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
1 cup lukewarm water

Combine the ingredients. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution over a large area, or use the solution to spot-clean nongreasy stains. (Don't use laundry detergent or dishwasher detergent in place of dishwashing liquid, as they may contain additives that can affect the rug's color.)

TOILET CLEANER
1 cup borax
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice

Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Apply it to the inside of the toilet bowl, let sit for 1 to 2 hours, and scrub.

MILDEW REMOVER
1 tablespoon powdered laundry detergent
1 quart chlorine bleach
2 quarts water

Combine all the ingredients in a pail. Wearing rubber gloves, wash off the mildew.

FLOOR WAX REMOVER
1 cup laundry detergent
3/4 cup ammonia
1 gallon warm water

Mix all the ingredients together and apply to a small area of the floor. Let the solution sit long enough for it to loosen the old wax, at least 5 to 10 minutes. Mop up the old wax (or scrape it up, if there's a lot of it, using a squeegee and a dustpan). Rinse thoroughly with 1 cup vinegar in 1 gallon water and let dry before applying a new finish.

FURNITURE POLISH
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 tablespoon boiled linseed oil
1 tablespoon turpentine

Combine the ingredients in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until blended. Dampen a cloth with cold water and wring it out until it's as dry as you can get it. Saturate the cloth with the mixture and apply sparingly to a small area at a time. Let dry for about 30 minutes, then polish with a soft cloth. Note that this mixture gets gummy as it sits, so make just enough for one day's work.

GLASS CLEANER
2 tablespoons ammonia
1/2 cup alcohol
1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
a few drops blue food coloring
water

Combine the ammonia, alcohol, dishwashing liquid, and food coloring, then add enough water to make 1 quart. If you prefer a nonammoniated cleaner, substitute 3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice for the ammonia.

CARPET FRESHENER
1 cup crushed dried herbs (such as rosemary, southernwood, or lavender)
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda

Combine all the ingredients in a large jar or other container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to blend. Sprinkle some of the mixture on your carpet, let it sit for an hour or so, and then vacuum it up. It will give the room a pleasant smell and neutralize carpet odors.

Excerpted from Clean & Simple by Christine Halvorson and Kenneth M. Sheldon. Copyright 1999 by Yankee Publishing, Inc. From "The Old Farmer's Almanac Home Library" series published by Time-Life Books; call 800-277-8844, or check your local bookstore.

[Kim2005]

homemade shout

1/2 c. white vinegar
1/4 c baking soda
2 tbs ammonia
3 cups water
stir together and fill a labeled spray bottle. Spray on heavily soiled spots just before washing. (test a hidden spot for colorfastness first)

[Kim2005]

Ok, I'm officially shocked at myself LOL! I never thought I'd make my own laundry soap and now I'm making DISHWASHER SOAP!!! I ran out of cascade and I'm too lazy to go to the store. I'll let you know how it works:

borax
baking soda

1. Mix equal parts Borax and Baking Soda,in an empty canister.
2. add 2 Tablespoons per load.
3. (Increase proportion of soda for hard water) Use vinegar in the rinse cycle.

Oh and the other day when I was reading the borax box, I read that if you use it to clean your toilet you'll have the cleanest toilet you've ever seen. I tried it and it was TRUE! Even my DH commented on the toilet!

[Kim2005]

spray bottle
distilled water
1 teaspoon liquid fabric softener

1. Fill the bottle with distilled water.
2. Add liquid fabric softener.
3. Lightly mist the wrinkles on the garment from about 8 inches away until slightly damp.
4. Smooth wrinkles and hang garment until it's dry.

[Kim2005]

2 cups cold water
1 cup baking soda
1 cup vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)

1. Place baking soda in LARGE bowl and pour vinegar over it; while it's bubbling, pour cold water in and mix.
2. Store in sealed container and shake before using to combine all ingredients.
3. Add 1/4 cup of mixture during the last rinse cycle (I use a downy ball and put it in at the beginning).

[Kim2005]

1 tablespoon liquid dishwashing soap
1 quart rubbing alcohol
2 tablespoons no suds bo peep ammonia
water, to make 1 gallon

Mix first 3 ingredients and add water to make 1 gallon.

[Kim2005]

1 cup hot water
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

[Kim2005]

For kitchen counter tops, spills, etc. She even used it on my couch to take out a stain.

Bottle of Ammonia (not sure of size-not the itty bitty small one but the standard one, usually around 88 cents).
Bottle of rubbing alcohol.

She would pour the two into an empty milk or water jug. Fill the rest of the way to the top with water. This was her concentrate. Then she would fill her spray bottle about 1/4 to 1/3 full and fill that bottle to the top with water.

[Kim2005]

We like the foaming hand soaps in each bathroom and kitchen: they require less product, wash and rinse more easily and quickly. However, I didn't like spending money every few weeks to buy the refill or new pump!

I found you can make your own refill. You cannot use straight liquid soap, however. But it couldn't be easier:

Buy a nice dishwashing soap. I like a lavender-ylang-ylang fragrance by Palmolive.

Rinse out your empty foaming container. Germ-X brand simply screws off. Rinse container with warm water.

Add about 1/8 dish soap or less to about 7/8 warm water. Don't shake. Tip it to mix. It should pump just great and foamy.

If you get air bubbles or no foam, your mixture is too thick. Simply empty and start again and experiment with what works for you.

Simple and cheap. I also keep a regular (no foaming) hand soap pump. I fill it 2/3 the way with the dish soap and 1/3 with warm water. You can wash your hands and do dishes with this, and it uses less product.

[Kim2005]

http://www.makeyourown.net/

making your own everything.

[Kim2005]

Hand Santizing Gel Recipe

1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1/4 cup grain alcohol
10 drops fragrance oil
1 drop food coloring

Combine ingredients and shake well. Store in a spray pump bottle to use.

[Kim2005]

1/4 c. baking soda
4 c. warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Eucalyptus essential oil

Combine baking soda, vanilla extract and essential oil in a spray bottle. Slowly pour warm water into bottle, stirring gently. To use, set the spray bottle on mist, and spray.

[Kim2005]

1 quart warm water
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp ordinary liquid chlorine bleach

Combine ingredients then pour into the base of the tree where the water would normally go. Check the tree daily and fill it as needed.