Homemade Cleaning Products to Save You Money!

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This past year I started making my own cleaning supplies. I started out by using a mixture of vinegar and water to clean the mirrors and windows in our home. Slowly, I have added more homemade cleaning supplies to my list, and saving lots of money.

Homemade Laundry Detergent Powder

Ingredients:

• bar of Fels Naptha
• 2 cups borax
• 1 3/4 cup of washing soda

Directions:

1. Using a cheese grater, grate the Fels Naptha bar.
2. Mix borax, washing soda, and grated Fels Naptha bar all together.
3. Add mixture to a 32 ounce container with lid. You’ll need to shake container every once in awhile to evenly distribute the mixture.
4. Add 1 tablespoon to each load of laundry, and adjust amount as needed.

Homemade Dish-washing Detergent

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Borax
• 1 cup washing soda
• 1/2 cup Kosher salt
• 5 packets of unsweetened lemonade

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together and store in an air tight container.
2. Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. You’ll need to shake the container every once in awhile to keep the ingredients evenly distributed.

We go through dish-washing detergent like there is no tomorrow! I love this inexpensive recipe which lasts awhile. Because we have hard water, our dishes were coming out filmy. You can read how I get rid of the film on dishes.

Bathtub Cleaner

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of vinegar
• squirt of dish soap
• hot water

Directions:
1. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and a squirt of dish soap to the bottom of a bucket.
2. Fill bucket up with hot water.
3. Use a scrub brush to scrub mixture onto walls of shower and sides and floor of the tub. Rinse shower and tub with water.

Homemade All purpose Cleaner

RECIPE #1

Ingredients:

• one part vinegar
• one part water
• a few drops of liquid dish soap
• squirt bottle

Directions:

1. Fill squirt bottle half way with vinegar and the rest of the way with water.
2. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap.
3. With the lid screwed on tightly to the squirt bottle, shake all ingredients together.

I use this mixture to wipe down the kitchen counter tops, kitchen sink, inside the refrigerator and microwave, bathroom counter tops and sinks, outside of the toilet, windows, and mirrors. My husband even used it on the grill grate and it took the food gunk right off!

RECIPE #2 All purpose cleaner with Castile Soap (full directions)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons castile soap
• 2 cups distilled water
• spray bottle

Directions:

1. Using a funnel add 2 Tbs. of castile soap to the spray bottle.
2. Using a funnel add 2 cups of distilled or purified water to the spray bottle.
3. Screw spray lid on tightly, and shake the spray bottle to mix ingredients.
4. Store the spray bottle out of direct sunlight and heat.

Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• hot water
• bucket

Directions:

1. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to a bucket.
2. Fill the rest of the bucket up with hot water.
3. Wet mop and wring out.
4. Mop small section. Use a towel to dry that section.
5. I like to attach a small towel to my Swiffer mop to dry the floors. Continue with the rest of the floor.

Homemade Tile Floor Cleaner

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vinegar
• squirt of dish soap
• hot water
• bucket

Directions:

1. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and a squirt of dish soap to the bottom of a bucket.
2. Fill bucket up with hot water.
3. Wet mop and wring out.
4. Mop small sections of the floor at a time.

Save More Money on Cleaning Products:

1. Use reusable rags instead of disposable sponges and cloths.

I used to go through sponges and Lysol wipes all the time, but it got expensive having to buy them so often. Now, I use inexpensive white dish rags. The white rags are used solely for cleaning the bathrooms. They go in the wash and are reused next time.

2. Use microfiber cloths to dust.

These cloths pick up everything! Simply throw in the wash and reuse them. Courtney at Creek line House shared a great tip for getting your microfiber cloths to work the way they are suppose to.

3. Use your own cloths instead of Swiffer disposable cloths.

After I sweep the floor, I use my Swiffer Sweeper Mop to run over the floor one more time. This also allows me to get under the furniture easier than I can with a broom. I love to use the micro fiber cloths because they pick up so much dust that my broom misses. Again, just throw them in the wash and reuse them.

Note: I buy vinegar in gallon bottles. Sam’s has a pretty good price on a box of 2, and every once in awhile the local grocery store will have them on sale for BOGO. It lasts forever, and is so inexpensive.

How about trying one of the cleaning solutions above? Start with one, see if you like it. Then add another to your list. It’s amazing how much money you will save!

Looking for more ways to save money at home? Check these posts out!

How to Instantly Lower the Grocery Budget

Save Money in the Kitchen

Want to stay ahead on your cleaning? Grab your copy of my cleaning schedule on Etsy!

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