Making your own cleaners is simple, safe and frugal. And natural cleaners WORK! These recipes are the ones I personally use in my home, and in my opinion, are as effective as the chemical laden commercial cleaners I once used.
Commercial advertising has made us believe we need a separate cleaner for every job. In reality, you need very few cleaners to do all the cleaning work of the entire house. This saves money and simplifies your life. No more hunting all over the house for the right cleaner. These little work horses will all fit into one small caddy.
Disclaimer: My kids and I regularly use all of these recipes in our home with positive results, However, as with any new product, you should test these first. We are a pretty normal family (we think so, at least) so I don't anticipate any problems. That being said, I cannot be responsible for someone else's results.
Caution: Even natural substances have a chemical component in that they are made of atoms. They should be used with knowledge and understanding. Don't try just mixing a bunch of things together to see what will happen (like Rocket Boy...he likes to mix things...all these nicknames are for a reason, you know...) For instance, mixing bleach and vinegar will create a toxic gas just like mixing ammonia and bleach. The following recipes are compatible with each other and safe for children to use. Borax, however, is not safe to ingest. If you are concerned about a young child drinking your cleaning solutions, I would suggest leaving the borax out and using a few drops of Grapefruit Seed Extract as a disinfectant instead. And go make them some lemonade, because they are thirsty. If you find that a child has ingested a solution with borax, you should contact poison control. The essential oils I use in these recipes are widely recognized as safe. Eucalyptus, Peppermint, Tea Tree and Lavender essential oils are all safe for the skin. Lavender essential oil is even safe enough for a baby's skin. However, all essential oils are highly concentrated and should be diluted. Some essential oils are very strong and can be dangerous when used improperly. Please use caution.
Finding the Ingredients: Most of the ingredients can be easily found in the grocery store or local health food store. Fels Naptha can be found in some grocery stores or ordered on-line. The essential oils are NOT fragrance oils. These are highly concentrated plant oils with disinfecting and deodorizing components. They are available at the health food store or here. They can be a little pricey, but you are only using a few drops, so they last a long time. The containers can be any new or food grade container you have around. Spray bottles are available at Wal-mart or at dollar stores. I would avoid reusing conventional chemical cleaner containers due to the possibility of chemical residue which could mix with your new cleaner, creating an undesired effect (like passing out from the fumes -- not recommended).
Colors and Labels: I like to add a few drops of food coloring to my cleaning solutions. Although I always label my cleaners clearly with the name, its use and the ingredients, I still like to be able to know at a glance what I have. Especially with children using the cleaners, I like to make sure they don't look like water, or all look the same. I use green for All-Purpose Cleaner, blue for Window Cleaner, and orange for Floor Cleaner. You can use a permanent marker to label your containers or you can get fancy and make labels on your computer.
And now that the legal stuff is over, on to the recipes!!
The Cleaning Recipes
Citrus-Infused Vinegar
Citrus oil smells wonderful and is a fantastic cleaning agent. You can easily harness the cleaning power of citrus oil by using this recipe:
To Make: Stuff the peelings of any citrus fruit into a mason jar. Cover with white vinegar and put the lid on. Label and place in a dark cupboard for 2-3 weeks, shaking occasionally (okay, I never remember to shake it, but maybe you will.) The vinegar will take on the scent and color of the citrus you used. Strain (another thing I never remember to do -- I just strain it when I'm ready to use it) and store until ready to use. Use this in place of white vinegar in the following recipes.
You can save even more money by making this ahead in the winter when citrus is cheap. Just take the peels from the citrus you are already eating and stuff them in the jar. Unless you have really nosy neighbors, no one will know that your peels aren't perfectly cut and neatly stacked in the jars. They are hanging out in a dark cupboard, remember?
All-Purpose Cleaner & Disinfectant
A small amount of borax makes this a disinfectant without being a toxin. The castile soap is a wonderful cleaner, and the Eucalyptus Essential Oil is a disinfectant capable of killing both bacteria and viruses. Feel free to leave out the borax if you are concerned that small children might think this is Kool-aid. You can add Grapefruit Seed Extract as a disinfectant instead. (I still don't recommend drinking this at your next tea party, but it will be safer, just in case...)
We use this for everything! I make it by the gallon so it is easy to refill our spray bottles. Feel free to reduce the amounts.
This recipe makes 1 Gallon.
1 1/2 cup Citrus-Infused Vinegar or White Vinegar
12 cups hot water
12 tsp. Borax
3/4 cup Liquid Castile Soap (my favorite scent is Peppermint)
1/2-1 tsp. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
4-6 drops Green Food Coloring (optional)
Stir. Pour into spray bottles or a gallon sized jug (I have used a cleaned out milk jug and a gallon sized juice container). This is great for countertops, appliances, toilet rims--you name it.
Floor Cleaner
This is simple, but it works.
1 cup citrus-infused vinegar or white vinegar
6 cups water
20 drops orange or lemon essential oil
3 drops grapefruit seed extract
1-2 drops orange food coloring (optional)
Mix and put in a spray bottle, bucket or your mop's refill container. This is also good for appliances if they tend to streak with the all-purpose cleaner.
Window Cleaner
I have tried all kinds of homemade window cleaners and they left streaks. This one doesn't sound like it would work, but if you dry it well, it does not leave streaks.
4 cups water
2 drops Joy brand concentrated dish detergent
1 drop blue food coloring (optional)
Combine in a 32 oz. spray bottle. Use with a lint free cloth as you would any other glass cleaner.
Sink, Tub & Toilet Bowl Cleaner
This cleaner works "even better than the store stuff" according to my daughter. It smells wonderful, too.
3/4 cup Borax
3/4 cup Baking Soda
1/2-1 tsp Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Put the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Stir in the oil one or two drops at a time. Put into a mason jar or other container. Sprinkle into sink or tub and use as you would Comet. For the toilet bowl, add 1-2 Tablespoons to the bowl of the toilet and allow to soak for about 5 minutes. Swish out with a toilet brush as you normally would.
Furniture Polish
This doesn't contain a load of chemicals to keep it from separating. It will need to be shaken before each spray.
3 cups water
2 Tbsp. Citrus-infused Vinegar
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
15-30 drops Orange Essential Oil
Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle. The oil and water will separate. Shake well and often as you dust.
Alternative option: Just rub olive oil on your wood and buff it out with a cloth. It shines like you wouldn't believe and it's good for the wood, too.
Ta Da! Now you have a cabinet full of cleaners that cost next to nothing and won't harm your health while you use them. What could be better? Well, actually, a house that cleaned itself would be a lot better, but I don't see that happening in my foreseeable future. Have fun cleaning (or making your kids clean. That's kinda close to a house that cleans itself, right?)
Have a great day!
Angela
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