Homemade All Purpose Cleaners

You don’t have to buy expensive commercial cleaners. Make your own cleaners with these recipes! Home made spray cleaners can cost as little as 20 cents for over 32 full ounces. Compare this to over $5.00 for purchasing the equivalent in cleaning power for the specialty version you can purchase in the grocery store. This makes you a smart and frugal home manager, the products work just as well, are better for the environment and are easier on your lungs.

If you compare ounce for ounce, making your own homemade cleaning formulas will cost you less than 1/10th of the price of a commercial cleaning counterpart. Make up your batches of all-purpose cleaner and pour it in it’s own spray bottle. (don’t forget to label the spray bottle)

Basic Cleaner Recipe

This makes about 2 cups of formula, and it works really well cleaning dirt and grime.

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda or washing soda
• 2 teaspoons borax
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
• 2 cups hot water

Combine all the ingredients and the water into a spray bottle. Shake well. The washing soda or baking soda makes this formula a great grease cutter.

All Purpose Cleaner with Ammonia

• 1 qt rubbing alcohol
• 1 cup lemon ammonia
• 1 tsp dishwashing liquid
• 21 oz 409

Combine the ingredients into a empty one gallon container such as a milk carton. Shake the contents, and then top off the gallon container with water to make 1 full gallon of cleaning solution. note: never add bleach to ammonia, a harmful and toxic gas will result. Pour the cleaner into a spray bottle then you are all set

Heavy Duty Cleaner

• 1 tablespoon Ammonia
• 1 tablespoon Liquid Laundry Detergent
• 2 Cups Water

Mix all of the ingredients well and pour the cleaning solution in a spray bottle.

Make Your Own Soft Scrub

This is very easy to do. Simply pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into a mixing bowl. Add liquid detergent and mix until the texture is similar to the commercial product.

Vinegar Deodorizer

Pour straight white household vinegar into a spray bottle and use it to clean countertops and cut grease on the stove. The vinegar odor dissipates. Vinegar will kill mold and mildew, cut grease, and is a natural deodorizer. It leaves no residue and is not harmful to your health

Baking Soda or Washing Soda?

Baking soda and washing soda are both natural odor removers. Washing soda is basically double strength baking soda, it has a very high pH, and is in the caustic/alkaline category. You need to use gloves when using it. Most foul odors occur due to what is a strong acid, or a strong base. Washing and baking soda, neutralizes the offender, due to its inherent chemical properties. This is not masking the odor, it is eliminating it.