How to Make Your Own Household Cleaners

When living cheaply, there is a lot to be said about natural and environmentally friendly products. For one, if you make your own, they are far cheaper than commercial cleaners. They are also safer for your family and for the earth. Going green feels even better when you know that it is saving you money.

One of the main basic ingredients for household cleaners is white vinegar. Many people complain about the smell, but my experience with it has been very positive. To begin, vinegar only smells for a little while. Once it evaporates, it does not leave any smell behind. You won't need to worry about your guests smelling a vinegary house hours after you've cleaned. I also find the smell of vinegar to be less irritating to the sinuses than commercial cleaners. It took a very short time for me to get used to it and now I love it. I associate the smell of vinegar with "clean."

A few great items to invest in are a set of cleaning rags (you can make them for free from old t-shirts if you like) which you can buy for only a few dollars at any supermarket, and one of those plastic scrubby sponges with the handle on top. They last forever.

Glass Cleaner

You can use plain white vinegar to clean glass. Some people dilute it with a little water, but I prefer to use it full-strength. Vinegar leaves no streaks behind. When using it, spray a little on the glass and wipe thoroughly with a rag. If you have used too much, the vinegar will appear very streaky on the glass. Simply turn the rag over to the dry side and wipe the glass a couple of times and the streaks will disappear.

Tub and Tile Scrub

You can make a great tub and tile scrub by mixing vinegar and baking soda. You don't have to measure it exactly, but two parts vinegar to one part baking soda generally does quite well. Don't mix it beforehand. Make sure you mix them together only as you use it. I like to sprinkle the baking soda, then spray the vinegar from a spray bottle that I use for all-purpose cleaning. Scrub with a scrubbing brush.

All-Purpose Cleaner

A spray bottle filled with plain white vinegar makes a great all-purpose cleaner for cleaning sinks, countertops, floors, windows, walls, and toilets. Vinegar is an excellent disinfectant and that makes it useful for all kinds of applications.

Floor Cleaner

Wood and linoleum floors can be cleaned very easy using plain white vinegar. My favorite way to clean is a real time saver and is much less messy than setting up a mop with a bucket of soapy water. First, spray the floor with vinegar. I like to work in 5x5 foot sections, but you can spray the whole floor at once. Next, lay a towel on the floor and use your hands or feet to wipe it around and clean up the entire floor area. You can also lay a cleaning rag on the floor, then place a mop over it and use the mop to push the cleaning rag around the floor. Then you can simply drop the towel or rag into the washing machine or laundry hamper without having to wait for the floor to dry or clean up a disgusting mop and bucket of dirty water.

Wood Floor Polish

I like to keep two things on hand for caring for wood floors: brown crayons, and homemade floor polish. If your floor gets a gouge or scrape, color it in with a matching brown crayon first to hide the scratch. Then clean your floors with the following mixture.

Heat some white vinegar and add several teabags. Let the mixture sit until it is dark brown. Next, add olive oil so that the mixture is two parts vinegar to one part olive oil. Shake well and apply to your floors sparingly. The vinegar and the tannin from the tea condition the wood and remove dirt. The brown color of the tea soaks into the wood and stains scratches so they will be less visible. The oil protects and hydrates the wood to keep it looking newer longer.

Laundry Detergent

Plain white vinegar can also be used to wash your laundry. Use two cups white vinegar to a full load, but be sure not to overload your washing machine. You can also add ¼ cup baking soda if you wish for added cleaning power. Don't worry, once washed and dried, your clothes will not smell like vinegar. The vinegar also works as a fabric softener, so you will not need to use fabric softener or dryer sheets.

Fabric Softener

If you do not use vinegar in the wash and would like a separate fabric softener, you can soften your fabric by tossing a few tennis balls into the dryer with your clothes. I personally do not use anything at all when drying my clothes and we have never had any problems with static cling. Just be sure that you do not dry polyester clothes in the dryer. They should hang dry. This isn't so bad since polyester air dries very quickly.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

To clean your toilet bowl, add one cup of Borax or baking soda or even a couple of denture tablets, let sit overnight, and scrub in the morning. You can also try cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Leave the mixture in the toilet bowl overnight and scrub in the morning.

After Shower Spray

Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and spray down the shower after use.

Dish Soap

I prefer to use Dr. Bronner's soap to wash many things with, but if you don't have any you can use - you guessed it - white vinegar. Pour the vinegar into a sink full of hot water or you can do what I do and spray each dish individually with clean white vinegar from a spray bottle, then scrub, rinse, and set aside in a drying rack.

Bleach

Chlorine bleach is highly toxic and creates dioxin when used, one of the most toxic substances known to man. Instead of using bleach, try using a bleach alternative such as Oxyclean. If you are having trouble with Oxyclean working, try using it hot. I like heating water on the stove, then adding the Oxyclean with the item of stained clothing I am trying to clean. It bleaches the stain right out. Sunlight can also work wonders when bleaching items, especially clothing.

Carpet Cleaner

You can use a mixture of 50/50 white vinegar and water in a steam cleaner to clean your carpets. For regular carpet freshening, sprinkle baking soda on your carpets, let sit overnight, and vacuum the next day.

Dishwasher Detergent

You actually do not need to use dishwasher detergent in a dishwasher. The hot water and steam should do the job of getting your dishes spotlessly clean and sanitized. If you do need some extra cleaning power, however, you can add one cup of white vinegar and/or ¼ cup baking soda to the wash cycle.