Making your own home cleaning products is greener, cheaper, healthier...and EASY!
Cleaning product manufacturers in North America can call their ingredients a “trade secret,” so they don’t have to list them all on the box. And if they won’t tell you what is in the box (up to 400 ingredients for laundry detergent), how can you make an informed decision on what is safe and what isn’t, at your local grocery store.
What we do know is there are many known chemicals in common household cleaning products, with known negative environmental and health effects. Some of these chemicals are even known carcinogens.
By making your own products using these safe food-grade ingredients (along with some other common household items), you can be sure you’re making the best choice for your family and the environment.
All it takes is a mixing spoon, bowl, and little elbow grease!
All-Purpose Cleaner
2 cups white distilled vinegar
2 cups water
Warm until lukewarm to boost cleaning power for tougher jobs. Great for countertops, appliances, mirrors, and windows.
Scrub Cleanser
2 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap
4 teaspoons vegetable glycerin (optional - acts as a preservative)
5 drops antibacterial essential oil such as lavender, tea tree, rosemary (optional)
Stores up to two years in a sealed glass jar. For exceptionally tough jobs, spray with vinegar first, let sit and follow with scrub. Great for kitchen counters, stoves, bathroom sinks and tubs.
Stain Removing Tips
• Club soda can remove lighter colored stains.
• Clean oven stains with a paste of baking soda, salt, and water.
• Remove toilet bowl stains with vinegar.
• Use salt to remove wine and fruit stains
• One-part vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle makes spot cleaning easy.
Pets
A mixture of baking soda and cornstarch makes a good deodorizer. A mixture of cayenne and citric makes a great flea repellent.