Yes, I missed Earth Day on the blog. I know! But to atone for it, here are a couple cleaning recipes for you! These are really easy on the wallet and really hard on dirt and grime. I know that it's tough sometimes in this current economy to stay green while taking care of your home and family, but you don't have to shell out for the expensive green cleaners. Simply use these cleaning products that you can whip up on your own in a matter of minutes for only pennies!
Glass Cleaner
1 part white distilled vinegar
1 part water
Simply pour into an empty spray bottle and use just like the more expensive glass cleaners. Works better, in fact, and if you use a flour sack towel instead of paper towels you not only save trees, you don't have that pesky lint that is left behind by the paper!
All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 cup white distilled vinegar
1/2 cup warm water
2 tsps borax
Mix until the borax is dissolved, and pour into a spray bottle. Antiseptic, works great, cuts grease and grime, and safe for food surfaces, too! Use caution when pouring out the borax, though, that you don't inhale it. You can even add a drop or three of essential oil to this to give it a lovely fragrance. I happen to like lavender and geranium oils in mine!
Dishwasher Detergent
1 part washing soda
1 part Borax
Combine in a plastic, sealable container. Use 1-2 tbsp per load in the dishwasher.
Toilet Cleaner
1 cup white distilled vinegar
1 cup baking soda
Pour each into toilet bowl. Let sit for 1/2 hour, then scrub clean and flush to rinse. Sparkling!
The costs associated with these cleaners is so much less than commercial cleaners! I can buy a box of Borax for about $3.89, and a box of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda for about $2.89. A gallon of white vinegar is $2.67 where I shop, and baking soda is super cheap when you buy the big box of the generic brand. I have found plastic spray bottles for .98 cents. And I use an old, large, plastic butter tub for my dishwasher detergent and have it labelled clearly under my kitchen sink.
If I total all those things up, I have about $11 invested, and these cleaners will last me forever! I have two spray bottles, and it works out to less than a penny per cleaning session with them. Even the dishwasher detergent recipe saves a ton of money. The typical box of name brand detergent can be on average $6 per box. I get four to five times as much for that same price by making my own!
I hope these little tips help you.... Your home will be sparkling and germ free without any dangerous toxins and chemicals. Open the windows once in a while, and get the fresh air moving, too, by the way!
To clean our stainless steel pans, we use kosehr salt and some vinegar. It gets them spick and span and shiny in no time with very little elbow grease and no harsh chemicals are involved. It all biodegradable! For the carpet cleaning, I think it was soda water then piles of salt. Gets the red wine out every time! You can also use a cup of vinegar in your rinse cycle to soften your clothes. I keep vinegar in a spray bottle and use it to clean our shower and faucets. I also use it with hot water to clean our floors gets them really nice and shiny!
Posted by: Marcelo | May 25, 2012 at 03:55 PM
After spending lots of time and money buynig storebought to fix this problem, out of desperation I mixed a few tablespoons of pancake syrup with pinch of baking soda this attracts and then kills the flies(bugs cannot burp). I place a teaspoon or so of this in a jar lid and put on my windowsills. For a few days I cleaned up dead flies, but had none the rest of summer.The best part is that it is safe for kids and pets. It works for ants, too. Just go easy on the baking soda, it doesn't take much but if you use too much it won't work.
Posted by: Waqar | May 28, 2012 at 12:12 AM