Make Your Own Cleaners

This is a great guide that one of my favorite blogs posted a while back. MotherNatureNetwork is an exceptional website with loads of information from a to z, and when it shows up on my tumblr dashboard, it’s always a good post.
Window Cleaner

1. Spray bottle with club soda
2. 2 teaspoons white vinegar in a quart of warm water.

Put in a spray bottle Consumer Reports’ tried-and-true window cleaner:
• 1/2 cup soapy ammonia
• 1 pint rubbing alcohol
Mix well, put in spray bottles and label.

Disinfectant

1. White vinegar
2. 3 tablespoons Castile soap
3. 20-30 drops of tea tree extract
   1. Mix in a 16-oz. sprayer and top with water.

All-Purpose Cleaner

1. Club soda
2. 1 part white vinegar + 1 part water
   Mix in a spray bottle.

Non-Abrasive Cleaner

1. Shake baking soda on surface or damp sponge and scrub.
2. 1 part baking soda + 1 part lemon juice

Make a paste and use a sponge to clean.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Baking soda + White vinegar
Flush the toilet, sprinkle in the baking soda, spray with vinegar and scrub.

Bath Tile Mold Prevention
1 part water + 1 part bleach
Spray and wipe off with a warm, damp sponge

Grout Mold Cleaner
1 part hydrogen peroxide + 2 parts water
Combine in spray bottle.
Spray, let sit for an hour, wipe with a damp sponge.

Drain Cleaner (Not for Full Clogs)
1 cup white vinegar + 1 cup of baking soda
Pour baking soda then vinegar down drain.
Let sit for 10 minutes and flush with boiling water followed by warm tap water until drain clears.

Or:

Partially fill sink/tub with water. Plunge for 20 seconds and pull the plunger quickly from the drain

Furniture Polish
1/4 cup white vinegar (or 1/2 cup lemon juice)
3/4 cup olive oil

Mix and polish with soft cloth

Air Freshener
2 cups hot water + 2 tablespoons baking soda
(add an essential oil or cologne for fragrance if you want)

Mix in spray bottle.

Carpet Cleaner/Deodorizer
Sprinkle carpet with baking soda.
Let it sit for a half-hour and vacuum.

All-Purpose Floor Cleaner
1/2 cup vinegar + 1 gallon water
Mix and mop.
(Note: Vinegar should not be used on grout or marble)

Wood Floor Cleaner
Few drops of dish soap + 1 gallon of warm water
Mix and damp mop. 

Dishwasher Liquid
1/2 cup liquid castile soap
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 drops tea tree extract
1/4 cup white vinegar

Stir water and soap together.
Add rest of ingredients and stir until blended.
Put in squeeze bottle. Use 2 tablespoons per load.

(From “Natural Cleaning for Your Home: 95 Pure and Simple Recipes,” by Casey Keller) 

Dishwashing Rinse
White vinegarPour vinegar into the compartment

Garbage Disposal Freshener
Grind orange and lemon peels in the disposal.

Laundry Detergent

• 1 bar of shaved bar soap (Ivory, Fels-Naptha or Zote)
• 1/2 cup of washing soda

Stir together until combined well and store in an airtight container. Use 1 tablespoon per load (2 for heavy soils). This is low-suds and should work well for front-loading laundry machines.

Fabric Softener
Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to rinse cycle These ideas should save you money and put your mind at ease about using too many chemicals.

Like they said:
Please feel free to comment with your own recipes or share the results if you’ve tried any of these.

Tags: cleaner, homemade, natural