winemaiden.com » Make Your Own Natural and Effective Household Cleansers

Make Your Own Natural and Effective Household Cleansers

Posted by Admin on January 29th, 2009 filed in Uncategorized

homemade-cleansersDid you know that store-bought household cleansers can pretty much all be replaced by four simple ingredients without losing effectiveness? Plus you will save money and using these natural cleansers is a much more healthy alternative both for you and the earth!

  1. Baking Soda- has a scouring and antifungal property
  2. Vinegar- an acid that counteracts bacteria and mold
  3. Castile Soap- cleans naturally and effectively
  4. Hot Water- no explanation necessary!

Additional, but nonessential cleaning ingredients:

  1. Borax- A natural mineral that kills mold and bacteria.  This is a great alternative to bleach.  It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap.
  2. Cornstarch – Starches clothes and absorbs oil and grease.
  3. Herbs and Essential Oils – For disinfecting and adding fragrance
  4. Lemon Juice – Cuts through grease and removes perspiration stains from clothing.
  5. Salt – An abrasive
  6. Toothpaste – Can be used as a mild abrasive

If you decide to try making your own household cleaners, there are some potential dangers to keep in mind.

Follow these guidelines:

1. Only use directions from a reputable source.  Skip recipes that use hazardous ingredients such as bleach, ammonia, alcohols, turpentine, etc.
2. Never mix chlorine bleach and ammonia or chlorine bleach and a strong acid.
3. Don’t make more product than you can use at one time unless you don’t mind having to store products.
4. If you do store products, always mark your containers clearly with labels that say what the product is for and what it contains.
5. These products also need to be stored out of reach of children.

Simple Recipes and Suggestions:

General Cleansers:

  1. Vinegar and Salt:  Mix to make a good surface cleaner.
  2. Baking Soda:  Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner.
  3. Baking soda on a damp sponge:  Cleans and deodorizes any kitchen or bathroom surfaces.
  4. Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax: Use in different ratios. Try a little soap and soda/borax with large amount of water for floors, walls and counters. Try more soap, soda/Borax for tubs and sinks and anything that can be rinsed well.
  5. Paste of baking soda and water:  Makes an effective scouring cleanser.

Disinfectants:

  1. Half-cup of borax and 1 gallon hot water:  Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary or lavender. Steep for 10 minutes, strain and cool. You could also add essential fragrant oils instead of fresh herbs. Store in a plastic spray bottle.
  2. 2 tablespoons Borax, 1/4 cup Lemon Juice, 2 cups hot water:  Combine the borax and lemon juice with the water in a spray bottle. Use to replace any commercial all-purpose cleaner.

Glass Cleaners:

  1. Undiluted vinegar in a spray bottle
  2. Equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle
  3. 1/2 lemon juice and 2 cups water in a spray bottle

Bathroom Cleaners:

Toilet Bowl Cleaners:

  1. Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then squirt with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush.
  2. Borax and Lemon Juice:  Mix enough borax and lemon juice into a paste. Flush toilet to wet the sides, then apply the  paste. Let sit for 2 hours and scrub thoroughly.
  3. 1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar:  Flush to wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax around the toilet bowl, then spray with vinegar. Leave for several hours or overnight before scrubbing.
  4. Liquid castile soap and baking soda or Borax:  Scrub with a toilet brush.

Drain Cleaner:

  • 1/2 cup baking soda
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 gallon boiling water
  • 1/2 a used lemon

Pour baking soda down drain/disposal, followed by vinegar. Allow the mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.

Tub And Tile Cleaners:

  1. Baking Soda:  Sprinkle baking soda just like scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly.
  2. Vinegar and Baking Soda:  Apply vinegar full-strength to a sponge and wipe. Then use baking soda as you would scouring powder. Rub with a damp sponge and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
  3. Vinegar:  Use 1/4 cup (or more) vinegar to 1 gallon water.
  4. Baking Soda:  For grout cleaning, use 3 cups baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Mix into a smooth paste and scrub into grout with a sponge or toothbrush. Rinse thoroughly.

Porcelain Cleaner:

Cream of Tartar:  For cleaning porcelain surfaces, rub with cream of tartar sprinkled on a damp cloth.

Plumbing Fixtures:

  1. To clean stainless steel, chrome, fiberglass, ceramic, porcelain or enamel fixtures, dissolve 2 tbsp baking soda in 1 qt of water. Wipe then rinse.
  2. Hard lime deposits around faucets can be easily removed by covering the deposits with vinegar-soaked paper towels. Leave the paper towels on for about one hour before cleaning. Leaves chrome clean and shiny.

Shower Heads:

  • Metal Shower Heads: To remove deposits combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and one quart water. Completely submerge the shower head and boil 15 minutes.
  • Plastic Shower Heads: Combine 1 pint white vinegar and 1 pint hot water. Completely submerge the shower head and soak for about one hour.

Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover:

  • Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and allow to set until spot disappears, rinse and repeat if necessary.

Mildew Remover:

  • Dissolve half-cup vinegar with half-cup borax in warm water.

Lime Deposits:

  • White vinegar

Stay tuned – next time:  Kitchen Cleaners, Carpets and Upholstery, and Miscellaneous Solutions!

Leave a Comment