Make your own Cleaning Supplies

Making your own cleaning supplies is fast, easy and cheap!!!  I have found that for cleaning around the house I really only need 2 things, vinegar and baking soda!  You can clean just about your whole house with these 2 items!   It is very important as amother with a crawling child to be sure that my floors and rugs are chemical free, this also goes for people with pets as animals naturally lick their paws.  It is also just as important to keep a clean air policy in the house by not spraying harmful chemicals that can be inhaled by you and your family.

‘White distilled vinegar is a popular household cleanser, effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity. Cleaning with white distilled vinegar is a smart way to avoid using harsh chemicals. You’ll also be glad to know that it is environmentally friendly and very economical.’

I make myself a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water and use to clean countertops, floors, sinks, windows, mirrors, and shower.  For floors I just spray on the floor and mop up!

I have recently discovered the magic of Australian Tea Tree oil and I add a small amount to my spray bottle as well.  I buy my tea tree oil from Trader Joe’s, it comes in a very small glass bottle and is highly concentrated.

‘Tea tree oil is a broad spectrum germicide, fungicide, and bacteriacide.’

I also use Baking soda for cleaning my tub and toilets as well as for clogged drains.

‘Baking soda is a sodium bicarbonate, a natural substance that maintains the pH balance. Baking soda neutralizes both acids and bases, so it actually eliminates odors rather than just covering them up.  Baking soda causes dirt and grease to dissolve in water, so it is very effective in cleaning kitchen counter tops, refrigerators, and stove tops. And sprinkled on a sponge or dish rag, baking soda forms a mildly abrasive scouring powder.’

Here is a list of uses for vinegar and baking soda:

To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.

Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough white distilled vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

Clean counter tops and make them smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted white distilled vinegar.

Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so, then run hot water down the drain.

Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.

Deodorize and clean the garbage disposal with white distilled vinegar ice cubes. Make them by freezing full-strength white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Run several cubes down the disposal while flushing with cold water.

Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.

Clean the shelves and walls of the refrigerator with a half-and-half solution of water and white distilled vinegar.

Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.

Avoid the bad smell when you heat up a newly cleaned oven by using a sponge soaked in diluted white distilled vinegar for the final rinse.

To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle. Do monthly.

To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before letting them dry or drying them with a towel.

For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.

Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength white distilled vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.

Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers with white distilled vinegar. Fill the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of white distilled vinegar and run it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)

Baking Soda Uses:

• Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before vacuuming to eliminate food and pet odors.
• After emptying the garbage, sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the garbage can; this will neutralize the food odors.
• Keep an open box of baking soda in the back of your refrigerator and in your pantry; replace every 3 months or so.
• Pour baking soda down your garbage disposal while running warm water.

Here are uses for Tea Tree Oil:

1. General Tea Tree Oil Spray
As mentioned above, combine 2 teaspoons of Australian tea tree oil in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake to blend. Spray on mold and don’t rinse. The smell will dissipate in a few days.

2. Tea Tree Oil Grout Spray
Using the same formula as in #1, spray grout to repel mold and mildew. While this formula won’t take away the mold discoloration, it will kill the mold.

3. Musty Mold Remover
The must will be removed from anything using the above formula. Just don’t rinse.

4. Household Antiseptic Spray
Use the above formula to spray areas that need antiseptic attention, such as after someone has vomited.

5. Laundry Helper
Add 1/2 teaspoon tea tree oil to your laundry for towels and other fabric prone to getting moldy.

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