HOMEMADE CLEANERS

Posted by: Asep Sumpena on: March 26, 2007

• In: Toiletries
• 3 Comments

HOMEMADE CLEANERS 

Most cleaning products are 95% water and the remaining 5% includes useless substances to make it look or smell nice. Here are some cheaper alternatives you can make yourself.  

Cleaning Basics
• Vinegar – removes mildew and stains. It cleans glass, grout, and fireplaces.
• Baking Soda – cleans, deodorizes, removes stains, polishes, and softens fabrics. It can be used on plastic, vinyl, upholstery, carpets, stainless steel, down drains and in refrigerators.
• Pure Soap – cleans most everything
• Ammonia – cleans linoleum, carpets, and most appliances. It can irritate the skin and eyes. Area must be well ventilated. Never mix with bleach because it creates a poisonous gas!  

All Purpose Cleaner
50 mL baking soda
250 mL ammonia
125 mL white vinegar
4 L warm water

Drain Opener
250 mL baking soda
250 mL salt
125 mL white vinegar
1 kettle boiling water
Pour first 3 ingredients down drain and leave for about 15 minutes. Then pour down the boiling water.

Laundry Detergent
250 mL pure soap flakes or powder
25 to 50 mL washing soda
Increase the washing soda if you have really hard water in your area 

Homemade Cleaning Supplies

Why use homemade cleaners? When you use your own homemade cleaners, you are being kind to the environment, and not exposing yourself or family to any unknown, hazardous chemicals. Homemade cleaners are also cheaper to use! Here are some good recipes for creating your own: Basic Laundry Detergent 1 Cup soap flakes 1/2 cup washing soda 1/2 cup borax Soft Water Laundry Detergent 1 cup soap flakes 1/4 cup washing soda 1/2 cup borax Hard Water Laundry Detergent 1 cup soap flakes 1 cup washing soda 1 cup borax Liquid Laundry Detergent 1 cup of any of the above mixes 2 Tbs glycerin 2 cups warm water For all the detergent recipes, mix all ingredients and store. To use, measure 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the mix and add to the laundry. Launder as usual. Each of these recipes yields approx. 12 oz. Note: You can buy glycerin at many health food stores.   Remove-All Laundry Stain Remover Five gallons of very hot water 1 cup powdered Cascade or generic equivalent 1 cup Clorox II or generic equivalent Mix together and use while hot to pretreat stains. Works great on food stains, and removes virtually anything! Always test on an inconspicuous spot, first. Whenever you want to use it again, heat the solution up first. Store in a tightly covered container.   Homemade Pre-treating Stain Remover 1/2 cup ammonia 1/2 cup white vinegar 1/4 cup baking soda 2 Tbs liquid soap 2 qts water Mix all ingredients in a spray bottle. Spray the liquid onto the stain and let it sit for a few minutes. Launder as usual.   Homemade Scouring Powder 1 cup baking soda 1 cup borax 1 cup regular salt Combine the three ingredients and keep them in a tightly closed container. Use as you would any commercial scouring powder.   Fiberglass Cleaner 1 cup borax, vinegar to moisten. Place borax in a bowl or container, add vinegar to moisten. Using a rag or sponge, rub borax mixture into the fiberglass, until clean. Rinse well.   Tile Cleaner 1 cup washing soda Using a sponge or rag, rubs washing soda onto the tiles, and rinse well.   Window Cleaner ½ tsp liquid soap, 3 tbs vinegar, 2 cups water, spray bottle. Combine the ingredients and put them in the spray bottle. Use likes any window cleaner. Tip: Use newspaper to dry your windows. It’s cheaper than paper towels and it leaves windows shiny and streak free.   Disinfectant Scouring Powder 1 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup borax. Blend ingredients in a blender. Use as any scouring powder (baking soda doesn’t scratch)   Multipurpose Cleaner 1 tsp. borax, ½ tsp. washing soda, 2 tbs. vinegar or lemon juice, ½ tsp. liquid soap, 2 cups very hot water, spray bottle, food coloring (optional). Combine all the ingredients in a Pyrex measuring cup (or directly in the spray bottle). Add the hot water and gently shake the spray bottle until all the ingredients are dissolved and mixed. Spray onto the area you want to clean, and wipe off with a sponge or cleaning rag.  Source: Various