Homemade Cleaners That Work

I’ve made my own household cleaners on and off, for years. I started mainly as a simple way of saving money. It’s fun to make something for far less money than you would by buying it off the shelf. Of course, we all know that that household cleaners on the market today may be harmful to your health and are not environmentally friendly.

Over the years, I’ve collected a lot of homemade cleaners that work. I’ve tweaked some recipes and I’ve tried all but the laundry detergent. I usually make large batches of it ahead of time and store it in empty water jugs.

Remember the golden rule of making your own household cleaners –

NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER! This combination is deadly!

Homemade all purpose cleaner

½ cup ammonia
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup baking soda
Mix the above ingredients with 1 gallon of warm water and use it for basic cleaning jobs around the home.

Homemade glass cleaner

3T Ammonia
1T vinegar
Put in a spray bottle and fill the rest of the way up with water.

Homemade jewelry cleaner

1/4 cup ammonia
1/4 cup dishwashing liquid
3/4 cup water.

Mix all the ingredients well, then soak your jewelry in the solution for a few minutes. Clean around the stones and designs with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Buff dry. (Caution: Don’t use this with gold-plated jewelry; with soft stones such as pearls, opals, or jade; or with costume jewelry, because it could ruin the plastics or loosen the glue.) Do not use on sterling silver jewelry. Toothpaste or polishing cloth is the best for that.

Homemade toilet bowl cleaner

1 cup borax
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice
Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Apply it to the inside of the toilet bowl, let sit for 1 to 2 hours, and scrub.

Homemade laundry detergent

In a large heavy-duty plastic container, combine 1 cup soap flakes, 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup of borax. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per a load of laundry. Use with cold and warm water washes, with a cold water rinse.

Homemade furniture polish

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
4 cup water in a spray bottle
wipe with a cloth.

Homemade cleaner with essential oils

·* Lavender disinfectant, calming scent to ease tension and anxiety.
·*Lemon, Orange and grapefruit oils are tough degreasers with refreshing scents.
·* Eucalyptus is a disinfectant and relieves a stuffy nose.
·* Tea Tree Oil is anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. Use as an all purpose disinfectant, especially when there is an illness in the home, also eases congestion.
·* Pine oil is a degreaser and disinfectant.

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DIY All Purpose Cleaners