HOMEMADE CLEANING PRODUCTS
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If you use 2 tablespoons per load, it will cost around 4 cents per load. This detergent will brighten and whiten your colors too. It also whitens your whites like Tide with color safe bleach does. The SUN laundry ingredients can be purchased at a Dollar Store, etc.


HOMEMADE TIDE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

1 cup Sun with bleach alternative powder laundry detergent
1 cups Sun oxygen cleaner
1 cup borax
1 cup super washing soda (Arm & Hammer makes it)

Mix all ingredients together in a clean ice cream bucket. Start out using 2 tablespoons of detergent and experiment until clothes are clean.






For my next set of homemade cleaning products, I'm going to focus on Fels-Naptha bar soap. This soap is economical: we use one tablespoon (or two, depending how dirty the clothes are) for a load of laundry. Of course, you may use more or less if you wish.

HOMEMADE FELS-NAPTHA LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE

1 bar Fels-Naptha Bar Soap, grated
1 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda
1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax (or Borateem)

To MAKE the DETERGENT, gradually mix the grated Fels bar with some of the washing soda in an old blender, to render it into a fine powder. If you don't put some Washing Soda in the blender, the grated Fels bar will stick to the blades. The Soda powder prevents that from happening.

Once the Fels Naptha bar is entirely powdered, it is thoroughly mixed with 1 CUP of Washing Soda and 1 CUP of Borateem. We store the mixture in 2 glass sealer jars. Do NOT try to blend the entire bar of Fels all at once; but do it a bit at a time, to prevent the blender from being overworked.

This homemade cleaning product recipe below is basically the same recipe, but you will be making liquid laundry detergent.

HOMEMADE LIQUID LAUNDRY DETERGENT RECIPE

Liquid Laundry Soap – Less than $2 for 10 gallons

1 bar of Fels-Naptha soap
8 cups water
1 cup Arm & Hammer washing soda
1/2 cup 20 Borax Mule Team (or Borateem)

Grate Fels-Naptha soap bar and add to a large pot with 8 cups water. ir continually over medium heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a five gallon bucket half full of hot tap water, and add the melted soap mixture, washing soda and Borax. Stir until all is dissolved.

Fill bucket to within 2 inches of the top with more hot water.Stir, cover, and let sit overnight to cool and thicken (soap will gel). Stir cooled soap.

Fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap. Then fill last half with water. Shake before each use.

Optional: Add 30 drops of essential oils once soap has cooled.

Top Load Machines – 1/4 cup per small load to 1 cup per extra large loads

Front Load Machines – 1/4 cup per load (or according to machine instructions)

Use baking soda as a safe, non-scratch scrub for metals and porcelain.

Cleaning the Oven

To clean your oven, sprinkle a cup or more of baking soda over the bottom of the oven, then cover the baking soda with enough water to make a thick paste. Let the mixture set overnight.

The next morning the grease will be easy to wipe up because the grime will have loosened. When you have cleaned up the worst of the mess, dab a bit of liquid detergent or soap on a sponge, and wash the remaining residue from the oven.

Remove Carpet Stains

1 TBS vinegar
1 TBS cornstarch

Work it into the spot with a soft cloth and leave it on for two days, then vacuum. It works like magic.

Homemade Carpet Freshener

Deodorize dry carpets by sprinkling liberally with baking soda. Wait at least 15 minutes, then vacuum.

or

You can also mix baking soda with ground cinnamon or cloves. Sprinkle the mixture into the carpet and let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum. The room will be filled with a comforting and cozy aroma. Note: First test a small hidden area of the carpet for color fastness before you apply the mixture to the entire area. Now on to many more homemade cleaning products...

Sparkling Clean Mirrors

Your bathroom mirror won't fog up if you clean it with canned shaving cream...and it will be streak-free.

Remove Hard Water Buildup

Pour some white distilled vinegar in a plastic bag and place the bag around the shower head so the head is completely submerged. Tie the bag around the pipe and let the shower head soak overnight. Come morning, the shower head will spray like new again.

Tough Furniture Polish

1/2 cup olive oil
3 TBS vinegar
Mix well in a bottle. Spray on cloth (not on wood), then wipe down wooden furniture.

Furniture Polish - Mild Version

1/2 cup olive oil
3 TBS lemon juice
Mix well in a bottle. Spray on cloth (not on wood), then wipe down wooden furniture. Great for wooden salad bowls.

Scouring Powder

1/4 cup washing soda
1 cup baking soda

All-Purpose Cleaner

(Not for sealed stone, granite, marble)
2 tsp tea tree or lavender oil
1 cup vinegar
1 cup water

All-Purpose Cleaner
(Safe for granite, sealed surface counter-tops)

2 drops of Castile liquid soap
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
2 cups water

Cleaner for Unfinished or Linoleum Floors

1/4 cup vinegar
1 gallon water

Wood floors

1 TBS Castile liquid soap
2 cups water

Black Lacquer Cleaner

Make a pot of strong tea, and allow it to cool to room temperature. Dip a cloth into the tea and rub the lacquered surface well. Dry well and buff with a soft, clean cloth.

Painted Cabinets Cleaner

1/4 cup baking soda
1 cup household ammonia
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 gallon very warm water

Wash cabinets with this solution and a sponge. Rinse off with a clean sponge and water. Wipe the cabinets until they are completely dry.

For stubborn areas, press a hot, damp cloth against the grease deposits until they soften, and then proceed as directed above. Now on to more homemade cleaning products.

All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

2 cups rubbing alcohol
1 TBS liquid dish soap
1 TBS non-sudsing household ammonia
1 TBS white vinegar

Mix together in a gallon jug and fill with warm water. Shake well and put in a spray bottle. Excellent for cleaning windows, chrome and bathroom fixtures. The next homemade cleaning product is great for window cleaning outdoors.

Heavy Duty Window Cleaner

1/2 cup ammonia
2 cups rubbing alcohol
1 tsp liquid dish soap

Mix ammonia, alcohol and dish soap in a gallon jug. Fill up to the top with water and shake well before each use. This is great for cleaning really dirty windows, and taking tape marks off windows. It works wonderfully removing soap film from the shower doors. More homemade cleaning products below.

All Purpose Window Cleaner

Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining 1/3 cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon liquid soap (example: Joy) or detergent, and 3 cups of water in a spray bottle. Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to mix well. Now you have a great streak-free window cleaner that cost pennies to make.


Here's the other Winder Cleaner:

To clean windows inexpensively, add a small handful of cornstarch to 3 or 4 quarts of water. Wash the windows with this solution and dry with paper towels. It cleans and dried them faster than the store-bought cleaning solutions.

Antibacterial Spray

1 quart cool water
1 tsp liquid bleach

Mix ingredients together in a spray bottle. Use to disinfect surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom. Make in small batches and use immediately. As bleach evaporates, it loses its germ killing properties. The following homemade cleaning product works wonders on that molding and stained siding.

Vinyl Siding Cleaner

2/3 cup Spic n' Span
1/2 cup Tide laundry powder
1 quart liquid bleach
3 quarts hot water

Mix ingredients in a 2 gallon bucket and allow to stand for 4 to 5 hours. Pour into an ordinary garden sprayer and apply to vinyl on house or camper.

This homemade cleaning product is wonderful when you need it.

Skunk Scent Remover Shampoo

32 oz hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp liquid dish soap

Mix ingredients together in a large bottle that has a cap. Use as shampoo on pets, children and adults. Rinse well. The next homemade cleaning product makes smelly shoes and dog beds smell wonderful and fresh. Now on to more homemade cleaning products.

Homemade Febreeze

2 cups fabric softener
2 cups baking soda
4 cups warm water
1 cup vodka

Combine ingredients.

Vodka breaks down odors and because of the alcohol, it evaporates quickly so everything dries faster. It doesn't hurt to have a sip or two either. I will have more homemade cleaning products in the future.

Clean Stainless Steel Flatware

If your stainless steel has lost it luster, do the following. Place your flatware in a pan and cover it with carbonated water, soda water, seltzer or club soda. Let set; after a few minutes, it will shine like new.

Clean Silver

To clean your silver, boil 2-3 inches of water in a shallow pan with 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and a sheet of aluminum foil. Totally submerge silver and boil for 2-3 minutes more. Remove silver from the pan and wipe away the tarnish with a clean cotton cloth.

Clean Blinds

To clean mini blinds, use a clean paint brush. It's a lot cheaper then buying expensive blind-cleaning tools and works just as well.

Wine and Fruit Stains

Salt is great for removing stubborn fruit and wine stains from your tablecloth, towels or napkins. Cover the stain immediately with salt. Let it stand a short time and wash in cool water.

Remove Floor Marks

Remove black heel marks on hardwood floors by applying a little toothpaste to an old toothbrush, scrubbing the area and wiping it with a damp cloth. The heel marks will disappear and the floor will have a nice shine.

This is a wonderful homemade cleaning product that works well.

Cleaning Shower Curtains

To remove the soap and hard water film that accumulates on plastic shower curtains and curtain liners, try this handy hint. Take down the curtain and place it on a flat surface. Wash it with a solution of 1/2 cup ammonia to 1 quart warm water. The film will vanish.

Cleaning Shower Doors

Keep shower door shiny and clear by using a soft cloth moistened with baby oil. The baby oil prevents buildup from dirt and soap, and keeps hard water spots from forming for several months.

Homemade Drano Drain Cleaner

1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 cup white vinegar

Place the baking soda in the drain that is clogged. Then pour in the vinegar. Cover with a wash cloth for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove wash cloth and pour boiling water down drain. Repeat if necessary.

If you would like more information about cleaning your home naturally, please click here.





If you wash dishes by hand - this homemade cleaning product is for you.

HOMEMADE DISHWASHING LIQUID
recipe and ingredient info courtesy of MoneyTalksNews.com


2 bars Octagon soap
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup washing soda (Arm and Hammer)
1/4 cup lemon juice

Shred the soap into about 5 quarts of water and heat until it melts. Then add the other ingredients and pour it into a sealed container. It isn’t supposed to create a lot of suds, but it’s supposed to work well...

Instead of buying it, why not make this dishwasher detergent and save some money...

HOMEMADE DISHWASHER SOAP

1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup table salt
2 packets unsweetened Lemon Kool-Aid

Mix together and fill cup in dishwasher. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Here's a list of what these ingredients do in these homemade cleaning products.

BAKING SODA
Eliminates odors and helps with stains, and also works as a natural method of pest control – ants hate it.

BORAX
This mineral salt beats bleach as a toilet cleaner and is also useful for scrubbing walls. And as you see in the recipes above, works with laundry, too.

FELS-NAPTHA SOAP
This one’s actually made by one of those big cleaning companies: Dial. They recommend it for "pre-treating" stains. In other words, "use this in addition to a bunch of our other expensive products, like Purex!" But you can turn the tables by using it as part of a recipe for your own laundry detergent, and they can keep the Purex.

RUBBING ALCOHOL
Works as a disinfectant and is also a great glass cleaner. It also gets grime off plastic and metal surfaces like patio furniture or bathroom fixtures.

LEMON JUICE
This cuts through dish grease and is an ingredient for homemade furniture polish – but it’s not the easiest thing to preserve long-term.




This is more homemade cleaning products that goes back to the 50's, and still gets the job done.

HOW TO MAKE SOAP

5 lb fat
1 quart water
1 can lye
2 TBS Borax
1/3 cup ammonia
1/2 cup Arm and Hammer washing soda
1/4 cup boiling water

Melt the fat. Mix lye and water together, and add ammonia, borax,and dissolved soda to the lye and water mixture. When the fat has cooled, add slowly to the lye mixture, stirring until it thickens. Pour into a pan and let sit overnight. Cut into bars while still pliable.


Old Fashioned Lye Soap Recipe

So, you’re finally ready to start your soap making journey and might be wondering how to make lye soap the old fashioned way. First off, you have to get all the necessary soap making supplies ready which include a couple of gallons of water, around 10 ounces of lye and 5 lbs of beef fat. Note that the amount of lye depends on the kind of fat you use.

The three ingredients mentioned above are used in making all kinds of lye soap. The only difference is in the kind of fat and quantity of water used in making it.

To start with, you have to cut the fat into a cubical shape with around one-inch dimensions. If you’re using fat from meat you’re cooking yourself, simply trim away the fat and let it continue to cook after the meat is done.

After the fat is thoroughly cooked and all the grease is eliminated from it, you have to twist the solid part that’s left. It’s really important to be careful while cooking fat, as burning it will reduce the quality of your soap. The use of cheesecloth during this process can help a lot.

Once the fat cubes are ready, measure 5 pounds of solid fat using a scale and put it in an iron melting pot. Then, pour the water gradually into the pot along with the fat and cook until the mixture looks blended.

Once completely blended, add the lye carefully, keeping in mind that it’s an alkali and can easily burn the skin and eyes if you’re not careful.

Be sure to follow all safety precautions such as wearing goggles and gloves, too. From this point on, avoid using any aluminum tools or utensils because the lye will have an acidic effect and might cause damage to your skin.

Your mixture of fat and water should look like a single solution without any separation of oil. When it does, add 10 ounces of lye and stir in slowly using a wooden tool.

You should notice small bubbles rising above the surface of the mixture. At this point, boil the mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes up to an hour. It’s essential to boil slowly and remember to stir the mixture from time to time.

Finally, you should have a thick and creamy soap mixture ready to be poured into your chosen molds. Using a wooden paddle, pour the thick cream into your molds and allow them to set for a couple of days before cutting into bars.

Best of all, once you understand the basics of how to make lye soap, you’ll want to start experimenting with different types of oils, colorings and fragrances too.