Make Your Own Cleaners
| November 16, 2012 | Filled under Uncategorized |
Making your own cleaners helps to avoid nasty ingredients that can cause everything from rashes, to asthma, and even cancer! It’s so easy to make your own cleaners and it can even save you money.
Ingredients Needed:
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Tea Tree Oil
- Baking Soda
- Washing Soda
- Essential Oils (Whatever scents you like)
- Vinegar
- Liquid Castile Soap
- Distilled water (or just boil water for 10 minutes)
- Soap Nuts
- Empty spray bottles and jugs
Free Printable Ingredient List- Click to print
Disinfecting Spray
Ingredients-
- 2 cups of distilled water
- 1 teaspoon tea tree oil
- 2 teaspoons liquid castile soap
Mix 2 cups of distilled water, 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil, and 2 teaspoons of liquid castile soap in a spray bottle. To use, spray, let sit for 5 minutes or so, and wipe with a damp cloth.
All Purpose Spray
Ingredients-
- 2 cups of distilled water
- 2 teaspoons liquid castile soap
Mix 2 cups of distilled water and 2 teaspoons of liquid castile soap in a spray bottle. To use, spray and wipe with a damp cloth.
Color Safe Bleach
Ingredients-
- 2 cups hydrogen peroxide
- Distilled water
- Gallon jug
Pour hydrogen peroxide in jug, fill with water and mix. Store covered.
To use just soak items in this solution for 10 to 30 minutes.
Mold Killer
Ingredients-
- 2 tablespoons of tea tree oil
- Distilled water
Put the tea tree oil in a spray bottle, fill with distilled water.
To use, clean surface, spray mold killer, let sit for at least 30 minutes, and then wipe off with a dry rag. Repeat for severe cases.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Ingredients-
- 1 cup White Vinegar
- 1/2 cup Baking Soda
Pour vinegar in to bowl, swish around with toilet brush, leave for about 10-30 minutes. Once it’s sat for awhile come back, scrub if needed, add baking soda, let sit for a minute, and flush. This will not only clean your toilet but also helps keep the drain clear.
Microwave Cleaner
Heat 1 cup vinegar in a microwavable bowl for 1-2 minutes (should steam and loosen food inside of the microwave). Wipe out with a dishcloth and warm soapy water.
Drain Cleaner
Pour 1/4 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 1/2 cup vinegar and cover drain tightly until finished fizzing. Flush with one of gallon hot water.
Liquid Dish Soap
(Don’t use in dishwasher!)
Fill a bottle with half distilled water and half castile soap.
Dish Detergent
Ingredients-
- Washing soda (I use baking soda instead)
- Citric acid
- Course salt (just make sure to get salt with NO iodine)
Visit My Healthy Green Family for instructions.
Soft Scrub
Sprinkle some baking soda on the surface and scrub with a damp cloth. Then just rinse.
Daily Shower Spray
Ingredients-
- 1/3 cup vodka
- 3 1/2 cups distilled water
- 20 drops or so of tea tree oil
Mix all of the ingredients in a clean spray bottle & spray the shower daily. For more information visit the original daily shower spray post.
Laundry Soap
Ingredients-
- 6-8 Soap Nuts
- 4 cups of Water
Boil water, add soap nuts, cover, remove from heat, and leave overnight. In the morning, strain out the soap nuts, which can be composted, and store in a container with a lid. Use 2 tablespoons or so per load.
If you aren’t going to use in a day or two, store in the fridge as there are no preservatives to keep it from going bad. You can also pour the soap nut liquid into ice cube trays and just throw a cube or two in with each load.
My Must Have Supplies
- Rags, I use old t-shirts
- Skoy Cloths
- Reusable Duster
- Spray Bottles
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Do you think your mold killer would work on a sisal rug? I’ve seen suggestions on less-green sites to spray it with a watered down bleach, but I’d much rather use something else.
If you can use bleach I don’t see why not. This would be far more gentle. Is it something you can put in the sun? UV light kills mold as well and can maybe help.
Well, I live in Portland, OR, so no!
But if I can catch a few rays, I’ll give it a try. Thanks for the great recipes.