Monday Motivation: Homemade Cleaning Solutions

This past week I had a whole day to stay home and take care of household things.  Time to "putter" is a luxury these days and I enjoyed every minute of it. 

A good portion of my day was spent in the kitchen and laundry areas and I was able to make up several batches of homemade cleaning solutions.  Since November is the month I've chosen for laundry room organizing, I thought this might be the  perfect time to share my recipes with you.

If you want to try these recipes, please test them out on a small area first to make sure your home and the cleaning recipes will play nicely together. 

Laundry Detergent:

1 cup grated bar soap (I use Fels Naptha)
1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda)
1/2 cup borax

I make a triple batch and store it in a canister in my cupboard.  I use 2 Tbl. per load.

Dishwasher Detergent:

1 cup baking soda (yup, the baking kind)
1 cup borax
1/3 cup Lemi shine crystals (I buy it at Walmart)

Mix together and store in an airtight canister.  I use 2 Tbl.  in my machine.
*I use straight vinegar in my rinse agent dispenser.

Tub and Shower Cleaner:

3 cups water
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbl. Dawn detergent
Mix in spray bottle.  Shake before using. 

I spray my sinks and shower and let them sit for 5-10 minutes.  Then, I scrub with a microfiber cloth and rinse well.

Wood Cleaner:

Equal parts olive oil and vinegar.  I store it in a glass jar and shake before using.  I dip a small cotton cloth in the cleaner, rub into the furniture, and then buff with a different cotton rag.  Hub's old undershirts make great polishing clothes.  The vinegar cleans the wood and the oil nourishes it.  Your house will smell like a salad for a little while, but it works great.

Window Cleaner:

1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups water
2 Tbl. rubbing alcohol

Mix together in a spray bottle.



Sparkle Cleaner:

I use a variation of the window cleaner to clean most other surfaces in my home (floors, walls, appliances, counter tops etc.) I call it sparkle cleaner because everything sparkles after I clean with this stuff. 

1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups water


Carpet Cleaner:

Mix 1 part ammonia and 1 part hot water.  Put into a spray bottle and use right away.  It looses strength as it sits.  I've used this on my upholstery too with good results.

If you click on the bold titles, it will take you to my original posts for each cleaner.