Green Do it Yourself Homemade Laundry, Dishwasher Soap & Spray Cleaner Recipes

In light of the popularity of saving the planet, going green, do-it-yourself (DIY) self sufficiency, I thought I would share my favorite information, ideas & recipes I have found useful. I have been making and using homemade bath, beauty and cleaning products for years now. Many people are really into going green right now. It would be nice to have the consciousness be mainstream. As consumers, we have all the pull in the world, if we just could figure out which way to push/pull! These recipes & ideas are a step in the right direction. It would be nice to see the chemical corporations be more aware of the damage just making their products do instead of worshiping the almighty dollar over safety. We can send a huge & vastly direct message by not consuming questionable or known dangerous products. (DIY) products fit this niche` of desiring home products that don't put us at risk with out gassing chemicals, perfumes & pollutants.

(DIY) Automatic dishwasher powder

1 cup arm & hammer washing soda

1 cup 20 mule team borax

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

Measure & mix all ingredients together

Store in a sealed container

Use 1 T. per washing cup

I have used this with success for several years now. I have read to use vinegar in the rinse for sparkling dishes. But be aware! If you have a polished stainless steel dishwasher-the vinegar will etch the surface! If your dishes come out cloudy, you are using too much powder. You only need exact tablespoon measures! I have even used just one tablespoon for a whole load with great results. If you have used conventional powders for a long time, you might want to run an empty load with the new powder to clean the surfaces of any residue. Conventional powders can have toxic chemicals including chlorine & perfumes in them. Sure, they get the dishes clean & smell good, but to what expense of our health, safety & environment? If you are chronically ill or have a serious disease such as cancer, it is advised to not use conventional powders for they pose a hazard to 'at risk' & environmentally sensitive or allergic people. The vapors that arise in the air from the hot steam carries these chemical into our bodies & environments. If you are undergoing chemotherapy, it is advised not to use conventional dishwasher powders. My recipe above is as safe as it can get without sacrificing the needed cleaning power. Let me know what you think! I have been very happy with it.

All purpose spray. I use this on the linoleum & painted wood floors, walls, sinks, stove, toilet, bathtub, toys, outdoor furniture, any surface that can be washed/wiped clean! It smells great, cleans & disinfects odors, germs, molds & bacteria.

(DIY) All purpose surface cleaner

Put into a 32 oz. spray bottle:

1 tsp. 20 mule team borax

1/2 cup hot water

Stir until dissolved. Add:

2 T. white vinegar

2 oz. liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronner's peppermint)

Top off with cool water. Use/spray liberally on all washable surfaces.

Optional: add 20 drops of rosemary, eucalyptus or lavender essential oil.

I have used this with one of those new wet jet mops you can buy with the refill container of cleaner. Only the Clorox mop has a refillable container so I recommend buying that one. The other brand has the lid welded on the bottle making it a throwaway product that is not refillable, therefore an environmental liability. I dilute the all purpose spray solution by 1/2 with water to clean the floors. I use a piece of fleece or old washcloth that I cut to fit the mop head so I can wash/reuse the cloth, and not have to buy the paper throwaway mop liners. The fleece also works great with the dusting mops!

(DIY) Liquid Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels Naptha Laundry Soap, grated

6 cups water

1/2 cup washing soda

1/2 cup borax

Grate FN soap. If using a food processor, use the steel blade to cut the grate fine to help it dissolve faster. Heat 6 cups water and soap in a large pan with a lid until dissolved, stirring occasionally. Stir in washing soda and Borax. Mix and heat until dissolved. Bring to a boil. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat. (It will have a thick consistency like honey.*) In a 3 or 5 gallon bucket, add 1 quart of hot water, then add the soap mixture. Mix. Add enough cold water to make a 2 gallon mixture. Mix until well blended. I have a stick blender I use just for soaping. Let sit 24 hours. The soap will gel*. Use 1/2 cup for top loading machines and 1/4 cup for front loading. Makes 2 gallons. Approx. $ .40 per gallon = $ .01 a load.
*If the detergent doesn't gel or reach honey consistency it will still work. Notes: Stir before each use as this soap may separate. It can be stored in a liquid detergent bottle. Just shake it up each time you use it. This detergent won't suds up in the washer, but it is still getting your clothes clean. If you see suds, it may be removing detergent residues from your clothes & machine. ( A good thing!) Works great with hot, warm or cold water washes. If you have extra hard water the soap may not clean as well. Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the load to help soften the water, which boosts your cleaning power. Use 1/2 to 1 cup distilled white vinegar as a fabric softener in the rinse. You can use one of those downey balls to dispense it in the rinse cycle. Use a ball of foil in the dryer to eliminate static electricity. One ball can be used for several loads until it has to be replaced. Most of our clothes are natural fibers except for the fleece we use, which I like to hang dry. Fleece come out of the wash almost dry as it is. Never use high heat dryer setting for poly fleece.

Elbow grease! One of my favorite environmentally friendly cleaning products is Bon Ami scouring powder. Unlike most scouring powders, Bon Ami doesn't have chlorine bleach in it. My sink was so bad, it's an old white porcelain, that not even the oxy-clean stuff could whiten it! I tried some Bon Ami as a last ditch effort to make it look a little nicer and VOILA! it worked better than chemical cleaners & is safe. I wish the company would make a liquid Bon Ami formula. That would make it even safer since it's greatest risk is airborne particulate matter entering the lungs. A liquid formula would squelch that concern entirely! You can make your own soft scrub Bon Ami liquid by mixing the powder with enough water or vinegar to make a paste. Use as you would scouring powder to clean sinks, tubs and other surfaces that need a little more scouring action.

If all else fails and you can't get stubborn stains, smears and dirt off of surfaces, try one of the magic eraser type sponge cleaners. These little sponges pack a powerful punch. I used one on the old white, 50's style dining room table and chairs that came with the house we bought. The chairs were filthy! I just could not get the last of the dirt trapped in the texture off the vinyl seats. A couple lashings with this extraordinary sponge and the chairs looked practically as good as the day they were made! Just be sure and read manufacturer instructions. These are not to be used on shiny surfaces as etching and dullness may occur.

It easy to use products that don't pose a health liability or negative environmental impact. If we all become more conscious of what we buy and use we can put an end to further polluting our planet in the name of cleanliness. There is no reason to give up our clean standards and our safety. We can have safe products that do work for very little cost to you or the planet we inhabit. By making & buying products that are earth and people safe, we can't help but have a positive impact on ourselves and the people around us. I hope you find my recipes, ideas and experience useful.