Ahhh house cleaning – it’s a chore I don’t enjoy. On top of that, buying household cleaners is EXPENSIVE. Rather than being shocked by the total at the checkout, use this recipes to make your own household cleaners and save big bucks!
Laundry Detergent
I’ve been making our own laundry detergent for years. I use it in our HE machine and it always gets our clothes clean and smelling fresh. I simply combine 1 cup of Borax to 1 cup of Washing Soda to 1/2 cup of Oxi-clean (or the generic version). Then you use only 1 T per load. If you have an HE machine, you may want to put the detergent in directly with the clothes rather than using the detergent dispenser. Mine works fine from the dispenser but your machine might vary.
All Purpose Cleaner
White Vinegar also makes a great glass/floor/all purpose cleaner. Simply add equal parts of vinegar and hot water along with a quick squeeze of dish soap (think Dawn) and shake together in a spray bottle (buy it at the dollar store). From stovetops to grimy kitchen floors, this is a fabulous all purpose cleaner. For a straight up glass and mirror cleaner, simply fill your spray bottle with just white vinegar.
Clean Copper Pots and Pans with Salt and Vinegar
This is one of my favorite spring cleaning tips of all time. If you’re looking to do some deep cleaning in your cabinets, you can easily use three simple ingredients to get the bottoms of your copper pots and pans shining like new. Begin by sprinkling regular table salt on the bottom of the pan. Spritz or pour white vinegar on top of it. Then use a scour pad (without soap) to scrub away. Add more salt and vinegar as necessary. You’ll be shocked at how well this works!
Homemade Jewelry Cleaner
I know you think I’m seriously bonkers here but you can use TOOTHPASTE to clean your jewelry – gold, white gold, sterling or tarnished silver. Avoid the whitening, anti-tarter, and gel varieties and opt for plain old cheapie (no added silica) toothpaste. Use an old brush to scrub it, rinse with water, and then dry with a soft cloth.
Or you can use a favorite recipe of mine – 1 cup of hot water (microwave or heat on the stove), 1 T of Salt, 1 T of Baking Soda, and 1 T of Dishwashing Liquid. Line a cereal bowl with a piece aluminum foil. Pour hot water in the bowl. Add the other ingredients (they will bubble up, yay science!). Then place your jewelry on top of the foil.
Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with cool water, scrub with an old toothbrush if necessary, and dry with a soft cloth. It really works! Discard of the solution, which mind you doubles as a great drain cleaner.
As a side note, from everything I’ve read, the second recipe is NOT good with silver and soft stones like pearls or opals.
Fabric Softener
Did you know you can replace your fabric softener with simple white vinegar? You can use a fabric softener dispenser ball (like the one Downy sells) or you can put it straight into the fabric softener dispenser or your machine. I promise you won’t smell like a salad or Easter eggs. And the vinegar also brightens your whites as it softens, too.
I LOVE that so many of these cleaners are made from the SAME ingredients. I also make my own dishwashing detergent, furniture polish, and drain cleaner. Quit overspending and make the task of cleaning your house a little bit more bearable!
For more spring cleaning tips, check out 5 Quick, Easy, & Cheap Cleaning Hacks, 10 Fantastic Frugal Spring Cleaning Tips, and 7 Frugal Cleaning Products You Need This Spring.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out The Debt Free Devotional
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