Home made cleaning supplies

[mom2]

I plan to mix up some home made laundry detergent in the next week. DH keeps getting irritated skin and I think laundry detergent is the culprit. Found several recipies on line and most call for fels napa soap, borax and washing soda - simple and cheap.

But it got me to thinking about other home made cleaning products and other than using vinegar to clean glass I don't know how to make any other cleaning supplies (when I wash windows it always smells like I am making pickles.

What do others use and please share your recipies. Please share.

[fwtxcitywoman]

I love my own homemade laundry soap. It smells great and cleans wonderfully.
It uses Washing Soda, Fels Napatha bar soap, water and borax powder:

Here is the website I found it on:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/laundrysoap.htm

[Catalpa]

I'd like to learn more about home-made cleaners too.

I use the vinegar with a little cornstarch mixed in to do the windows. I also use a lot of vinegar when cleaning the bathroom; it really cuts the hard water scale without using any caustic chemicals.

But that's the extent of my 'alternative' knowledge. I use Murphy's Oil Soap for a lot of my cleaning, it's pretty mild and smells good and is supposedly based on vegetable oil.

[leera]

There's lots of info out there,you just have to know where to look.....

Look for the Complete Tighwad Gazette.....

Also look for Homemade,it's by Resders Digest.

Or just do a google search for home made cleaners.

[lplott]

I read a lot of posts here and I seldom say much, but I will say that peroxide is my favorite for cleaning windows. Its oderless and its wonderful. I also found it works great on 'black' appliances.

[homesteaderbelle]

Baking soda is also a good cleaner. I like to also use it as a face scrub.

Belle

[CanNerd]

A good alternative cleaner spray is add the following to an empty spray bottle and then fill with water:

Squirt of Dawn
couple Tbsp. Rubbing Alcohol
1/4 cup sudsy ammonia

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Homemade OxiClean:

1/2 cup Hydrogen Peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup hot water

[mtwildflower]

You know, I like plain old bleach for disinfecting and cleaning. It's cheap and very effective and being somewhat of a germophobe, I like the fact that I know it's working. Add some elbow grease and it gets just about anything clean.

And my hot soapy water....as hot as I can stand it.

[Dagny]

I plan to mix up some home made laundry detergent in the next week. DH keeps getting irritated skin and I think laundry detergent is the culprit. Found several recipies on line and most call for fels napa soap, borax and washing soda - simple and cheap.

But it got me to thinking about other home made cleaning products and other than using vinegar to clean glass I don't know how to make any other cleaning supplies (when I wash windows it always smells like I am making pickles.

What do others use and please share your recipies. Please share.
Here's a whole library full of recipes and other frugal tips: http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic.htm . The Dollar Stretcher is a great website, IMO.

I'm not sure you need to use something as harsh as Fels Naptha for laundry soap. I use 1/3 Ivory Snow, 1/3 Borax, and 1/3 washing soda and it works very well. Half a tablespoon does the job for lightly soiled clothing, a tablespoon for items with stains. My next frugal experiment will be to use grated soap instead of Ivory Snow from the slivers that are left when bar soap gets to the point of being unusable.

For windows, I prefer rubbing alcohol. Bleach for countertops.

[NCLee]

A good alternative cleaner spray is add the following to an empty spray bottle and then fill with water:

Squirt of Dawn
couple Tbsp. Rubbing Alcohol
1/4 cup sudsy ammonia


Use this recipe, not only for a spray bottle, but in the kitchen sink, as well. Fill the sink with HOT water, add the 3 ingredients. Wear gloves as this can be rough on your hands. It's the best cleaner that I've found for....

Washing oil lamp chimneys. They'll sparkle when you finish.

Cleaning the stove's exhaust fan filters - just let'm soak for a while. Then scrub with a vegetable brush.

First wash for old canning jars, pickle jars, and such. Wash, rinse, let dry. Then sanitize with bleach. (NEVER mix bleach with this cleaning solution!) http://firstaid.about.com/od/hazardousmaterials/ht/bleachgas.htm

It cuts the cooking grease film that tends to collect on seldom used or decorator type pieces in the kitchen and elsewhere. FWIW, I collect green / blue / amber glassware, crystal candlesticks, depression glass, and a few more items. Along with that I have my Mom's cake stands, salad bowls, platters, etc. About once a year, they get a cleaning with this solution. And/or when I want to use some of them for their original purpose. As with the lamp chimneys the pieces sparkle when they're done.

Since all 3 ingredients live under my kitchen sink, it's easy to put this together anytime the need arises. Just let the items soak a few minutes. Tip: for cleaning delicate items, such as wine glasses, put a kitchen towel in the bottom of the sink to cushion same.

If you haven't tried this recipe, please do so. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised at how effective it is. The only cautions I can think of are the gloves, no chlorine bleach, and not to soak any painted glassware.

Lee

[MNMOM]

When making laundry detergent, I use 1 1/2 bars of Fels Naptha, 2 cups of borax, 2 cups of washing soda and 2 cups of Oxi-clean. The clothes smell so nice and fresh and are really clean with this solution. I have a lot of allergies and have no problem with this mix.

Peroxide is great for taking out blood stains in clothes. I'll have to try that on my windows, usually I use vinegar.

[NCLee]

Grumble, groan, gripe...... :(

I can't find Arm & Hammer Washing Soda anywhere, now. Used see it and buy it from a number of places locally. Now it's disappeared from the shelves.

Lee

[firegirl969]

Lee,

I recently found the arm and hammer washing soda at a Kroger's. It is about 50 miles from here, but I stopped there after reading on another forum that they carried it. It is on my way for a specialist appointment I occasionally have to go to, so I will stop each time and get a couple of boxes.

[Dawgus]

We've used pretty much the same recipe for quite a while. I didn't care for the scent of Fels Naptha very much, so we started splitting the mix 50/50 with Zoat. It seems to clean a bit better and (to me at least) smells better.

Does anyone have a good recipe for liquid dish soap? We tried one a few weeks ago and didn't care for it, it seems to leave the dishes a bit slimey feeling. Most call for liquid castille soap, and we just can't seem to find it around here.

[NCLee]

Lee,

I recently found the arm and hammer washing soda at a Kroger's. It is about 50 miles from here, but I stopped there after reading on another forum that they carried it. It is on my way for a specialist appointment I occasionally have to go to, so I will stop each time and get a couple of boxes.

THANK YOU!

There's one about 15 miles from me. I'll stop by there the next time I go in that direction. If they have it in stock, I may clean them out. :) That's how long I've been looking for it.

Again, thanks for the head up.
Lee

[firegirl969]

You're welcome! Hope you find it. I got 6 boxes when I found it and plan to buy 2 boxes everytime I go by a Krogers (which is about every 5-6 weeks).

[countryjo]

I use vinegar for a vegatable wash. I just pour some vinegar in a bowp and add water and let vegatables sock for a few mins and then rinse.
Had to edit......this is for things not grown organic.

[cinelu]

Lee,

Food City has been carrying it locally. If you live near one, you might check to see if they have it. It's usually on the top shelf in the laundry aisle.

Cinelu

[NCLee]

Cinelu, thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, I don't think we have one of those in my area. However, I'll check the yellow pages of our closest "big city" just to be sure.

However, I'm sure the info will be of help to others.

Thanks, again.
Lee

[MNMOM]

There aren't any stores in my area that carry Washing Soda, so I order it online.

[NCLee]

MNMOM, what's your online source, if it isn't stocked at the Kroger store?

Ran across this link while looking for something else. Good info here.
Clean your home with homemade products
http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/87/87-1/A_L_Terry.html

Lee

[risita]

I use 5% vinegar in the bathroom to clean and disenfect. I also use straight vinegar to clean my stove top. It really cuts the greas. I am not sure vinegar is any more cost effective than commercial cleaners, but it is more earth friendly than many.

[MNMOM]

MNMOM, what's your online source, if it isn't stocked at the Kroger store?

Ran across this link while looking for something else. Good info here.
Clean your home with homemade products
http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/87/87-1/A_L_Terry.html

Lee

www.soapsgonebuy.com

I think I typed that right, otherwise you can type that into your websearch and it should take you to it.

We don't have Kroger here in our area.

[crunchycon]

If you have a Publix near you, they have washing soda there. It's not at Wally World or our other local grocery chains. I also recommend the book Cheaper & Better by Lisa Byrnes. Recipes for almost anything you can think of.