Multi Purpose Home Made Cleaning Products

These multi-purpose home made cleaning products will be useful for all your hard surfaces; including countertops, appliance exteriors, the interior of your fridge, walls, and door and window frames.

Liquids

1. Vinegar with salt and water (do not use on tiles - the acid from the vinegar will etch the grout over time)

2. Vinegar with water (do not use on tiles - the acid from the vinegar will etch the grout over time)

3. 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap, 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of borax. Shake before using.

Mildly Abrasive Home Made Cleaning Products

1. Baking soda on a damp sponge or cloth.

2. 4 parts baking soda to 1 part washing soda, applied with a damp cloth or sponge

3. Mix baking soda with your dishwashing liquid. It dries quickly - so make only what you need. There is also no 'right' consistency - so you can make this one however you like it. You will definitely need to rinse afterwards!

4. Approximately 1 cup of table salt, 2-4 tbsp white vinegar, 3-6 tbsp dish soap. It should make a thick, abrasive and gummy/stretchy paste.

This can be used to easily remove soap scum, on wet mucky/moldy window sills or any place that needs a good disinfect or scour.

Disinfecting Surfaces

Use on all clean hard surfaces - including cutting boards

1. 'White Vinegar and 3% Peroxide One-Two Punch' Some people swear by one or the other of these products, but for the best results, lab studies tell us that it's best to use both, one after the other.

This is because vinegar is an acid and hydrogen peroxide is an alkali. Each one will be most effective against different pathogens.

Spray your surface first with one, and then the other. Let them 'work' for 5 minutes, and wipe away.

Keep them in separate bottles!

2. 4 parts baking soda to 1 part borax (this is slightly abrasive)

Odor Control

Here are some options if you like to have a bit of pleasant perfume wafting through your home, you can use one or more...

1. purchase a bottle of natural peppermint extract and some cotton balls. Put a few drops in each cotton ball and place around your home for a fresh but not overpowering scent (you can do the same think with a natural lemon or orange extract).

2. grow herbs - basil and rosemary have lovely fragrances

3. make your own spray freshener - put 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in a clean spray bottle. Once the fizzing sops, add 2 cups of warm water. Wait to make sure that there is no more foaming, and then put in the spray attachment. Shake before using.

4. For a short-term 'fix' boil one of the following in a saucepan - a few apple slices and some cinnamon, a few slices of lemon, or a few slices of orange.

Back to the Introduction to Homemade Cleaning Products

Back to House Cleaning Home Page