Whether you are interested in environmentally safe products for the home or need to shave a few pounds off your budget, these recipes for homemade cleaners will help you out.
Window Cleaner
Mix equal parts of white vinegar with filtered water and store them in a plastic spray bottle. Make sure to label the spray bottle appropriately. Use crumpled pieces of newspaper to clean. This solution works well on glass and mirrors. You need to apply a little more elbow grease with this cleaning solution than you would with a store-bought cleaner, but it is still easy to use and worth it.
This literally costs pennies to make compared to the £1-2 or more you would spend per bottle at the store.
Disinfectant
For a great home disinfectant, mix 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of liquid soap, and 20 drops of tea tree oil. Store in a labelled plastic spray bottle and use as you would a store-bought disinfectant.
Depending on where you are, the tea tree oil will run you around £2-£4, but it will make at least a dozen batches of this disinfectant. If you have children, add a few drops of tea tree oil to your regular shampoo and mix it up. Tea tree is a natural head lice preventative as well.
Carpet Odours
Fill a sprinkle shaker with baking soda. This could be a store-bought container or poke holes in a plastic food container that has been washed and dried thoroughly. Sprinkle the baking soda on your carpet, and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Vacuum the room. You can also add your choice of scented oils to the baking soda to leave behind a soft fragrance in the room.
Baking soda is very inexpensive, and this could save you up to £2 per container of your usual scented carpet freshener.
Not all green solutions for home cleaning problems require being mixed into a solution. Also, try these great tips.
Baking Soda – Add 1/2 cup to your load of laundry in addition to your regular detergent to give you brighter clothing. It’s also great as a monthly drain cleaner. Pour about 1/2 cup down your drain followed by boiling hot water, and you won’t be bothered by sink odours again.
Club Soda – This makes an excellent spot remover for more than just wine.
Corn Starch – This removes greasy or oily stains. Make a paste with warm water to use on carpets or clothing.
Distilled White Vinegar – White vinegar can be used as a drain cleaner as well. It can be used to wash hardwood floors. Also, add it to your white laundry to help get rid of the dingy colouring.
Hydrogen Peroxide – This works great as a disinfectant. Also, sock cotton balls in hydrogen peroxide and leave them in areas where mould and mildew are a problem to help break them up for easier cleaning.
Isopropyl or Rubbing Alcohol – Another great disinfectant. It also works well to clean windows (mixed with equal parts of water), mirrors, eyeglasses, computer screens, car windows, and more.
Kosher Salt – Very abrasive. Great for cleaning those tough stains. Add baking soda to make a great grease and grime cleaner. Make a paste with lemon juice to take stains out of white clothing. Leave the clothing in the sun to dry before washing.
Lemons or Lemon Juice – Used to polish brass or copper. It can be used as a drain cleaner. Add to the window cleaning solution from above to make a great all-purpose cleaner.
