Before you start your Spring cleaning, don’t miss a single post! All this month, I’ll be sharing the best tips and recipes for homemade cleaning supplies. You may be very surprised to find out how much you can do with ingredients around your house. Plus, once you know how to make your own cleaning supplies, you won’t be a slave anymore to what you can buy at the store. So take charge, save money, and live like you’ve never lived before!
Before we get into the recipes for homemade cleaners, I think it’s really helpful to understand what each ingredient does and WHY. I’ll briefly go over the main ingredients you’ll find in homemade cleaners, why they work on what they work and give some basic uses for each one. This is one part one of a three part post series, so check back on Wednesday and Friday for more tips! (BIG thank you to my favorite Utah State Extension educator for this information!)
LEMONS
The acid in lemon juice removes dirt and rust stains. It’s especially effective when mixed with salt, which makes an excellent scouring paste. Dip the cut side of a lemon half in baking soda to tackle countertops; wipe with a wet sponge and dry. Do not use on delicate stone, like marble or stainless steel (it may discolor).
To increase the grease-cutting power of your dishwashing detergent, add a teaspoon of lemon juice
Faucets: Combat lime scale on faucets by rubbing lemon juice onto the tops and let it sit overnight. Wipe with a damp cloth.
Garbage Disposal: Cut a lemon in half then run both pieces through the garbage disposal. The lemon cleans it and makes it smell great.
Grout: Add lemon juice to 1-2 teaspoons cream of tartar to make a paste. Apply with an old toothbrush. Rinse.
Laundry: to brighten whites, add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle for a normal size load.
Plastic food-storage containers: to bleach stains from acidic foods, rub lemon juice.
BORAX
When added to a wash, borax makes detergents even more effective. It’s also quite alkaline so it kills mold and fungus and softens water.
Baseboards, countertops, and walls: Dissolve 1/2 cup borax in 1 gallon hot water and out the solution into a spray bottle. Spritz generously, wipe down with a damp cloth and let air-dry.
Dishwasher: If the machine is smelling like last night’s chicken cacciatore, sprinkle borax in the bottom, let it sit overnight, then wipe down with a damp sponge. No need to rinse; just run the next load.
Toilet: Pour borax in the bowl, and let it sit overnight. Swish the bowl a few times with a toilet brush and flush the next day. Gets rid of rust stains.
VINEGAR
Inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and some bacteria. Cuts detergent residue, makes a great fabric softener substitute (sensitive skin).
Dishwasher: disinfect the interior of the machine, pour 1/2 cup vinegar into the reservoir and run an empty cycle.
Drains: cleans drains and the pipes. After 30 minutes flush with cold water.
Floors: Add 1/4 cup vinegar to a bucket of warm water to clean almost any floor except marble (can scratch) or wood (it can strip it).
Glassware: Add 1 cup vinegar to the rinse water.
Moldy walls: spray vinegar on the affected areas. After about 15 minutes, rinse and let dry thoroughly.
Shower heads: Pour vinegar into a plastic bag and knot. Soak overnight. Rinse with water in the morning. Remove hard water spots.
Glasses: 2:1 water-vinegar. 3-4 glasses simmer 15-20 minutes. Remove to sudsy water, polish dry.
