Make It Yourself Cleaning Products

Save Money - Make It Yourself

Making your own cleaning products at home can be economical and fun

Here are some recipes to get you started

Powdered Laundry Detergent

• 1/2 to 1 cup grated Soap (Fels Naptha, Kirks, Zote, Ivory Soap, Deodorant Soap, or Beauty Bars)
• 1/2 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)-not baking soda
• 1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
• 1/2 cup powdered laundry softener (opt. good if you have hard water)

Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light or small loads, use 1 tablespoon. For normal loads, use 2 tablespoons. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons. Use 1 Tablespoon or less for front loading machines. 
To make a large batch - grate 3-6 bars of Soap and then add 3 cups of Washing Soda and 3 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax. Mix well and store in covered container. 
Note: This recipe will NOT make suds in your washer. The soap typically makes little or no suds in the water. This makes it perfect for use in HE washers as well as traditional washers. You will also notice the need to either reduce your laundry softener or in most cases you can even eliminate the use of softener completely.

Stain Treatment Spray

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

• 1/2 cup liquid laundry detergent
• 1/2 cup ammonia
• 2 cups water

Spray onto stains and let it soak for a minute or two before you toss into the washer.

Baking Soda

Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders. 
Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or remove food deposits from the kitchen sink. For tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove. 
Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 3/4 cup baking soda into the drain, add just enough hot water to wash the solution down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, flush with hot water. The deodorizing effect is an added bonus! (Not a remedy for blocked drains)

Liquid Soap

Grate one bar of soap. (This is a good way to use up small soap pieces)

Place the grated soap and 1 c. boiling water in a blender and blend well.

Add 1 tbsp. honey and 1 tsp. glycerin and blend again.

Cool the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes and blend again.

Add cold water to the mixture until you have 6 c.

Blend the mixture again.

Pour it into a storage container and let it cool. Do not place a lid on the container.

Fill a pump dispenser with the soap. Shake before using.

Cleaning Wipes

• cylindrical plastic food storage container, 10-cup capacity
• extra-large roll of paper towels
• cleaning agents of your choice (recipes follow)
• electric drill with 1/2-inch drill bit
• electric knife
• liquid measuring cups

Instructions: 
With lid on the plastic food storage container lid. Use electric drill to drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole in the center of the container lid. 
For best results, select an extra-large roll of good quality paper towels for this project. Less-expensive towels fray or shred when pulled through the holder; thicker quilted towels have greater cleaning strength and withstand more scrubbing. 
Use an electric knife to cut the paper towel roll in half making two short rolls. Save the second roll for a refill later. 
Remove the wrapper, and place one short paper towel roll inside plastic food storage container. Using a liquid measuring cup, gently pour one of the following cleaning solution recipes over the top of the paper towel roll. 
You will need between 2 and 4 cups of cleaning solution, depending on the size and absorbency of the paper towel product selected. These recipes make about three cups of solution; increase or decrease amounts if needed.

General Surface Cleaning:

• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups water

Disinfectant Cleaning:

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup pine cleaning solution such as Pine-Sol brand
• 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cup water

Window and Glass Cleaning:

• 1/2 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

Place the lid on the container, and allow paper towels to absorb cleaning solution for 4 hours to overnight. 
Open the food storage container. Gently pull the wet cardboard tube from the center of the paper towel roll and discard. Carefully pull the end of the paper towels from the inside, where the cardboard roll had been. Thread the end of the towels through the hole in the lid, and replace the lid. 
Pull gently on the exposed end to separate the cleaning wipe. If your 'wipes' tear easily, use better quality paper towels. 
Tips: As you use the wipes, they will begin to dry out, so add more water and/or cleaning solution as necessary. Allow wipes to stand overnight before continuing to use them after adding more solution. You may vary the strength of the cleaning solutions as necessary for your household, using more cleaning agents for a stronger wipe, less solution and more water for a milder product.

Baby Wipes

Follow the above directions using the following solution: 
2 cups water, 2 Tablespoons baby shampoo or baby wash 1 Tablespoon baby oil

Dishwashing Detergent

Use 3 packets of lemonade powder (unsweetened) into your dishwashing dispenser and run and empty cycle. This cleans your dishwasher and heating element of deposits and grime. In a plastic container with a firmly fitting lid, mix:

• 1 cup borax (20-Mule-Team Borax, available in any supermarket)
• 1 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup citric acid (available in a pharmacy, You may try using two packets of Lemonade-Flavored Kool-Aid, ONLY lemon, or you'll dye your dishwasher! and ONLY unsweetened Kool-Aid!)
• 30 drops citrus essential oil--lemon, grapefruit, orange, tangerine, or a mixture

Put all of it in the container, shake it up.
To use, put a tablespoon or so into each cup of your dishwasher. Also use it to clean things like your sink.
Tip: Use vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of Jet Dry.

Window and Glass Cleaning:

Mix into water a drop or two of liquid dishwashing soap. 
A little rubbing alcohol could also be added.