Making your own DIY household cleaners

Listed below are effective recipes for making your own household cleaners. I bet you are wondering 'how can this be green?', let me explain..

1st - Chemicals, Chemicals, Chemicals

Ever wonder exactly what is in the household cleaners you buy? Ever wondered what effect it is having on your health, your family and your general well being? A lot of householder cleaners out there are a complex collection of various active and inactive chemicals; some which clean, some which make it look the right colour and some which make it smell 'right'. Could they be carcinogenic? Could they be effecting your immune system? No one is really sure, the complexities in modern cleaning products make it increasingly more difficult to know one way or the other.

2nd - Environmental Impact

So these cleaners have lots of chemicals - do we know exactly how they interact with the larger environment? How much effort is spent cleaning up after the cleaning? Also the act of going out to buy these products incurs transportation costs, so again affecting the environment.


So what do you need to make your own household cleaners? First start with:

• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Washing Soda (found near laundry detergent in stores)
• Borax (Sodium Borate, also near laundry)
• Mild Dish Detergent

Now lets get cleaning..

Hints:

• Make your cleaners in advance and save time and money. Also buy the ingredients in bulk for cost savings and to avoid excess packaging and transportation.
• Make large batches of the cleaning recipes and store them in reusable airtight plastic containers and spray bottles.
• Do label all of your ingredients and put them out of the reach of children.
• While most of these cleaners are not poisonous, some can be harmful or even fatal if swallowed by children or pets - this is the same as for commercial cleaners, so exercise the same caution.

Vinyl Floor Cleaner

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 gallon warm water 

Mix in your bucket and use to clean vinyl floors.

Wood Floor Cleaner 

• ½ cup vinegar
• 1 gallon water 

The most important thing while cleaning wood floors is make sure that they do not get overly wet.  When using the above mixture, dip your mop into the solution and squeeze until almost dry,  then mop;  never put the cleaner directly onto the floor. Dry any streaked or wet area with a clean towel as you go along the floor. 

Carpet Cleaner

Carpet stains: Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly onto the stain and let sit for several minutes, then clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water.

Fresh grease spots: Sprinkle corn starch onto the spot, wait 15 - 30 minutes, then vacuum.

Heavy duty carpet cleaner: Mix quarter a cup each of salt, borax and vinegar together. Rub the resultant paste into the carpet and leave for a few hours, then vacuum.

All Purpose Cleaner in a Bucket

This is ideal for big jobs like cleaning walls.

• ½ cup ammonia
• ¼ cup vinegar
• ¼ cup baking soda 

Mix the above ingredients with 1 gallon of warm water.  Double the above ingredients for cleaning shower walls or other extra heavy duty areas.

Mildew Remover

Dissolve half-cup vinegar with half-cup borax in warm water.

Rust Stain and Hard Water Deposit Remover

Apply full-strength vinegar or lemon juice and let stand until spot disappears, then rinse. Repeat if necessary.

Spot-free Dishwasher Rinse

Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse compartment of the dishwasher, then wash your dishes as usual. As simple as that. By the way, does your commerical Rinse Aid smell like vinegar?

Window Cleaner

• 3T Ammonia
• 1T vinegar 

Put in a spray bottle and fill it up with water, shake and off you go!

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