Favorite Homemade cleaning items & or products?

[PetMom]

I refuse to purchase the typical household cleaning products
that are getting more and more expensive. People are
paying a high dollar for convenience now.

I buy generic ammonia and mix a very small amount
with a bit of dishwashing liquid and a lot of water for
a cleanser for really dirty areas.

I also purchase a generic bleach for heavy duty disinfecting
and for using a small amount for whites in the wash.

Also some Lavender or Lemon
essential oils and use these as the scent (some theories
are that these have cleansing properties in themselves).
I use Dr. Bronner's lavender soap for cleaning the toilets
(very concentrated and strong).

White vinegar (regular strength), water and a few drops
of essential oil is used for all purpose non disinfecting cleansing -
this combo with some canola or olive oil is good for furniture.

I add table salt to the above concoction and use to scour the sink or tub (has not scratched
yet - but test first on a small area). This was my best discovery and
I have not purchased a scouring powder in years!

I also have not bought paper towels in years and use old socks as
cleaning rags for floor, old towels for kitchen work. I use an
old mesh (from an onion bag) as a dish scrubber (can be
disinfected with a soak in some bleach).

I love a clean home but refuse to pay the prices
for cleaning products that are bascially overscented and
watered down.

[momof1in150]

sadly i have no BJs card, so the towels plus the membership would make them ineffective for me cost-wise. good to know for someone who does shop BJs

You can get a 1 day shopping pass for BJs and pay an additional 5% without a membershp. Might be worth it. I get my card through my church so it is only $20 a year and pays for itself.

[mom-from-missouri]

To polish brass, tarnished silver and copper, I make a paste out of salt and lemon juice.
Vinegar cleans bathrooms and windows

[mstrohm]

Here is a list of home made cleaners:

Thrifty Times - Stain Removal Recipes

[jhoylman]

I use this stuff from the dollar store called "Awesome Cleaner". It is $1 per bottle and works great on just about every surface. My favorite use for it is mopping the kitchen floor. Just spray it and mop it up.

Later,

Jared

[leggzz66]

rubbing alcohol is my fave cleaner.

[Utopia]

a mixture of vinegar, ammonia, and water get tree sap off car windows.

- Does this also work on the rest of the car or is it just for the windows. I've been trying to find something inexpensive to remove tree sap from my car.

[Coleroo]

I use this stuff from the dollar store called "Awesome Cleaner". It is $1 per bottle and works great on just about every surface. My favorite use for it is mopping the kitchen floor. Just spray it and mop it up.

Later,

Jared

Ahh! HAHA my mom uses (and is loyal to) the same stuff! :-D whenever theres a spot somewhere or someone mentioned that something needs cleaning, my mom goes "lemme put some Awesome on it". We hear it so much we tease her and say it before she does.

[leggzz66]

i know most wont reccommend it but i use dawn dish soap to wash my car. not alot! but my cars clean.

[Ima saver]

My favorite cleaning item is my husband, who does all the cleaning!

[Fern]

where do you buy essetential oils, cheap?

[leggzz66]

good question

i dunno either, i just one day happened on some in the dollar store. im sure not the quality id get elsewhere. id like to get more peppermint and tea tree oil myself

[teafan62]

This started out of necessity due to my many allergies, but has been a terrific frugal move! I make my own laundry detergent. My husband is a massage therapist, so we do a TON of laundry. He loves the stuff because it gets all the oils and body soil out of his sheets. I love it because it doesn't bother my sensitive skin, it is better for the environment because it is low-sudsing and contains fewer chemicals, and it's CHEAP!

Here's the recipe: (you'll need a 5 gal bucket with lid.)

1 bar Fels Naptha soap, grated
2 cups washing soda (use only 1 if you have soft water)
1 cup Borax
¼ cup Ultra Dawn dish detergent (optional)

In saucepan over medium heat, melt grated Fels in 4 cups of hot tap water, stirring constantly.

Pour into bucket. Add the other ingredients and 3 gallons of hot tap water.
Stir until mixture is no longer gritty.

Let set overnight. It will gel. Use approximately 1/2 cup per washload. (*note: use only 1/4 cup if you have an HE washer.)



I got 2 of the 5 gallon Kitty Litter containers from a friend. I got an extra 1/4 cup measuring cup from a garage sale for a nickel, and an extra grating blade for my fp for $3.00. I use that ONLY for soap.

I make 2 batches at a time now, in 2 5 gallon containers. This lasts us about 6 months, and it keeps just fine. I also grate 4 extra bars of Fels and put them in sealed bags, so every other time I go to make more, I don't have to grate.

And, since I got the extra food processor blade for soap only, it takes only seconds to grate, plus the soap melts so much faster.

I can make 2 batches in less than half an hour, start-to-finish, including clean-up.

I have calculated that it costs $11.22 for me to make enough of this detergent for a whole year. You can't buy the big size of Tide for that!