Household Cleaners

Make Your Own Inexpensive Cleaners

Household Cleaners and Recipes

Why not make your own All Purpose Cleaners?

If coupons aren’t your thing, or you are looking to get into less processed products, making your own household cleaners might be a good option for you.

Laundry Soap

Liquid Laundry Soap
Most laundry soap recipes require the following items:

--Large 5-Gallon Bucket from Lowe’s or Home Depot, with Lid
--Fels Naptha or Zote Bar Laundry Soap
--20 Mule Team Borax
--Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
--Large Pot to Cook Ingredients

I have used both Fels Naptha and Zote Soap in the past, and though they both work, I prefer the scent of Fels Naptha.

You should be able to find all these ingredients in your local grocery store. My Publix carries most of them, and they or Albertson’s will special order anything that I need.

But, if you are having difficulty finding these supplies, check out the following two resources:

Lehman’s

Soaps Gone Buy

There are many, many different laundry soap recipes out there, but I make mine basically by doing the following:

Directions:

Using an old cheese grater, grate the bar of soap into flakes. Alternately, you can cut the bar into small cubes, but your laundry soap will come out chunky. It will still work fine though.

Put the soap flakes into the large cooking pot, add a little water, and simmer.

Add water, and a quarter box of Arm and Hammer Baking Wash (or Baking Soda if you cannot find the Baking Wash, though the Wash will wash better) and a quarter box of Borax.

Keep adding Baking Wash, Borax, and water until the boxes are gone and the solution is thick.

Pour into 5-Gallon bucket, add more water, stir.

After cooled completely, put the lid on.

You can save an old Tide bucket and ladle your laundry soap into it for use in your machine. Just stir your laundry soap before adding it to the pour container, and shake before use.

The mixture will be gooey, slimy, and it will work just as well, if not better than any laundry soap you have used in the past.

Don’t worry if your laundry soap turns out bumpy, chunky, or if it coagulates on the top of the bucket. Simply stir it up and use it.

Powdered Laundry Soap
Mix:
--1 Cup grated Fels Naptha or Zote Bar Soap
--1/2 Cup 20 Mule Team Borax
--1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Baking Wash

Use 1 Tablespoon Per Load. Extra dirty wash, use 2 Tablespoons.

Bleach
The 20 Mule Team Borax is a natural brightener, so you should not need to add any bleach to your washing. If you’d like, add an extra cup of Borax to a white load for extra brightening.

I store my 20 Mule Team Borax and my Arm and Hammer Baking Soda in Tupperware Access Mates Containers. You can find them here on eBay:

Find all the Tupperware Containers you need for your household cleaners adventure! Get the absolute best prices, at huge discounts. New and Used products available. Click Here Now! Thank you for supporting Stay a Stay at Home Mom through the Resource Store.

Fabric Softener
For a great fabric softener, try adding 1 cup of White Vinegar to your rinse cycle.

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Glass Cleaner

White Vinegar
Probably the best, least expensive glass cleaner recipe you can make is with White Vinegar.

Simply mix a 50/50 White Vinegar/Water solution in a spray bottle.

White Vinegar will take off streaks, soap scum, dirt, hard water, you name it. You can even use it on your hardwood floors.

White Vinegar can be used full strength for tough jobs needing household cleaners.

Ammonia
For those who cannot stand the smell of White Vinegar, another option is to use Ammonia. Mix a tablespoon of Ammonia, a tablespoon of laundry soap, and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.

Rubbing Alcohol
For a cleaner more similar to the streak free Windex, mix a cup of Rubbing Alcohol, a cup of water, and a tablespoon White Vinegar in a spray bottle.

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Household Cleaners

White Vinegar
Again, White Vinegar stands apart from all other household cleaners. It can be used full strength or diluted with water. Use it on floors, toilets, sinks, windows. It is an inexpensive and safe household cleaner.

Furniture Polish
Mix 2 parts Olive Oil with 1 part Lemon Juice for an all natural, inexpensive solution.

General Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with water and add a dash of Ivory Soap. Good on faucets and countertops.

Dishsoap
Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle with baking soda. Can be used as an all purpose cleaner or to wash dishes.

Baking Soda
There are many recipes and uses for Baking Soda in household cleaners.

As a scouring powder, put Baking Soda into a shake container, sprinkle like you would powdered bleach, and clean. Add a little water for a paste.

As an all purpose cleaner, heat a tablespoon Baking Soda, ¼ cup soap flakes, and a gallon of water. Rinse well after use.

Baking Soda will take tomato sauce stains off of Tupperware.



Just make a thick paste, place it on the stain, and leave it sit for a day or two.

Also works well as a carpet deodorizer. You can put a couple drops of essential oil in the box of Baking Soda if you would like a scent.

Microwave Cleaner
Baking Powder is great for cleaning the microwave. Put 4-5 tablespoons in a bowl with water, microwave 5 minutes, and the grime in your microwave will easily wipe off.

Stain/Spot Removal
Use dishsoap on clothes for stains and spot removal. Simply squirt onto the garment and scrub it in. Leave the soap on and wash clothes as normal.

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Shampoo and Conditioner

There are really not too many cost saving measures you can take when you talk about Shampoo and Conditioner. They are pretty cheap commercially and using coupons you should be able to stock up on free shampoo and conditioner.

Sometimes they can be used as household cleaners. Here are some tips to use for all that shampoo and conditioner you got for free using coupons.

Other Uses for Shampoo
--Use with Foam Hand Soap Dispenser for Inexpensive Hand Soap
--Use as Dish Soap (not in dishwasher)
--Use While Camping as Dish Soap
--Bubble Bath
--Car Wash
--Hand Soap

Other Uses for Conditioner
--Shaving Cream for Legs
--Use as a Moisturizer or Lotion
--Lip or Eye Moisturizer
--Removes Makeup
--Leave in Conditioner: mix 2 parts water, 3 parts conditioner
--Softens Callused Feet: lather on feet before bed, and put on socks. Rinse in the morning.
--Use as Hand Washing Laundry Soap instead of Woolite
--Use as a Liquid Fabric Softener
--Put on Hands Before Auto Work or Painting to Make Clean Up Easier
--Apply to Fixtures and Doorknobs Before Painting; Removes Paint Easily
--Unstick a Ring Stuck on Your Finger
--Shines Plastic Houseplants
--Shines Stainless Steel
--Lubricates Zippers, Shower Doors, Hinges, Windows, Bike Chains, Roller Skate and Skateboard Wheels
--Softens Leather
--Prevents Rust on Garden Tools
--Put on a Band-Aid to Loosen It So It Doesn’t Hurt Removing It
--Polishes Silver

And remember, you can always donate excess items from your stockpile to your local shelter or sell it on eBay.

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