Warning: This post is a little wordy, so get comfy! You can thank my husband for making me that extra-large iced coffee this morning.
I could go on and on about the dangers of the chemicals commonly found in cleaning products, but I will step down from my soap box (for now) and save you from my speech. But I will say this…
Just because it’s on the shelf doesn’t mean it’s safe.
Since last fall I have been on a quest to find healthy, natural alternatives that will be a non-toxic way of cleaning and easier on the budget. After reading through several books, articles and enlisting the help of the chemist I married… we now have several tried and true recipes.
We used to buy over 20 different household cleaning products, including air fresheners. And many of the products have several separate disposable packs (ex: Swiffer pads, liquid bottle, dusters, etc) that all attach to the same unit. We added up what we used to buy and it’s no wonder there are more commercials for Snuggle than there are for real food. They make bank. And think about the amount of plastic going into our landfills each year!
After gutting our cupboards, we switched to brands like Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, and Burt’s Bees for the interim. I love Seventh Generation because not only are they toxin free, they are Eco-friendly as well. For the rest of the products, we have started making our own recipes at home, including laundry soap. The savings are incredible and knowing they are safe to use is even more awesome!
Below are a few of the main products we make at home. Most of the recipes are short and require things that you might already have, like vinegar, lemon and baking soda.
Say it with me: goggle lines are sexy.
Just kidding, no chemistry experience is required!
First, we went to the store and grabbed a few $1 spray bottles for the recipes calling for them and got started right away. I just stuck a piece of tape to the bottle and wrote on it with a sharpie. Since we will remake the recipes as needed, we have significantly reduced our waste.
GLASS CLEANER
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
5-10 drops essential oil (orange or lemon is my fav!)
Simply mix together in a spray bottle and use as normal.
ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY
Soak orange peels in vinegar for two weeks in a sealed jar and then pour vinegar into spray bottle.
ALL-PURPOSE SPRAY #2
1 tablespoon Borax
1 tablespoon washing soda
1 tablespoon dish washing soap
1 cup vinegar
4 cups hot water
20-30 drops essential oil
Mix all ingredients together, then pour in spray bottle once cooled. Can be used on just about any surface, but always test before spraying a whole surface!
BATHROOM CLEANER
3/4 cup baking soda
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons liquid dish-washing soap (I use a green brand)
1/2 cup vinegar
10 drops of essential oil
Mix all ingredients in bowl to make a paste. Note: this will foam as you mix it, that’s normal. Use in tub, shower & sinks as normal. You may want to test it first to see if its abrasive, if so remove salt.
DISHWASHING SOAP
1 cup baking soda
1 cup Borax
1/2 cup salt
Mix well and store in air-tight jar. Add 1-2 Tbs to each load and 2 Tbs of vinegar to the rinse compartment.
GREEN BLEACH
1 1/2 cups hydrogen peroxide (3%)
1/2 cup lemon juice
distilled vinegar to fill rest of gallon jug
10-15 drops essential oil
Mix all ingredients well in a gallon jug. Use one cup with your washing cycle.
FABRIC SOFTENER (for he machines)
1/2 cup vinegar
8-10 drops of essential oil (I used lavender)
Mix ingredients will in a jar. Add normal amount to fabric softener section of your machine. And YES, this works well on towels!
FLOOR CLEANER
50% water
50% vinegar
2-3 drops of dish soap (I use Seventh Generation)Mix together in bucket or reusable “Swiffer” bottle.
AIR FRESHENER
1/2 cup baking soda
Essential oil drops of your choice
Place baking soda in a shallow bowl or jar, drop in essential oils until scent is strong enough for you. I leave jars around the house open, but you could cover them with mesh fabric.
We haven’t tested the homemade laundry soap just yet, so I will be doing a separate post on the homemade laundry soap process.
Hope you enjoy making these! If you have any tried and true DIY green cleaners please feel free to share!
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