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We all want to keep our homes clean, but recently, a lot of people have been questioning the wisdom of using expensive, chemical-laden (sometimes dangerous) commercial cleaners to do the job. Those people are right to question because, for any cleaning job, you can create a homemade all-natural cleaner that works just as well and is a fraction of the cost. Most homemade cleaners use items you already have in your house.
To make cleaners smell nice, you’ll need to invest in some essential oils (or just fruit zest), but even with essential oils in the mix, your homemade cleaner will be far less expensive than the commercial alternative (and smell better too)! Check out these awesome recipes for homemade cleaners to get started.
Most homemade cleaners use items you already have in your house. To make cleaners smell nice, you’ll need to invest in some essential oils (or just fruit zest), but even with essential oils in the mix, your homemade cleaner will be far less expensive than the commercial alternative (and smell better too)! Check out these awesome recipes for homemade cleaners to get started.
Tub & Tile Cleaner
Tubs and floor tiles are often the most difficult to get really clean. You may think you need some heavy-duty commercial cleaners to get the job done (exposing yourself to caustic chemicals and making your bathroom smell like a chemistry lab in the process), but you only need three common household ingredients. This recipe will have those bathrooms clean and chemical-free in no time. You just need some baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap.
Toilet Bombs
Making your toilet bombs is surprisingly simple. All you need is an ice cube tray (or another mold) some citric acid, baking soda, and essential oils (your choice of scents, to make your bathroom smell good without the overpowering chemical smell). Toilet bombs are ultra-easy ways to cut down on your cleaning, keep your costs down, and keep that toilet bowl fresh.
Electronics Cleaner
With the number of electronics, everyone uses in their daily lives, having appropriate cleaners for them is imperative, particularly for those pesky touch screens. Unfortunately, most basic cleaners are too harsh for delicate electronics and commercial cleaners designed for just electronics are often very expensive. Luckily, you can just make your specialty cleaner for a fraction of the cost. Here’s how.
Heavy-Duty Hand Cleaner
If you ever work on cars or get any tough stains on your hands, you know basic hand soaps don’t usually do the job. There are soaps out there designed for strong stains, but they contain scary chemicals and aren’t cheap. You don’t need any expensive or questionable ingredients for this homemade recipe. Just some bar soap, sand or pumice, and a container.
Slime Cleaner
Admit it. It doesn’t matter how old you are, playing with slime is fun. Now you have an excuse! Use it to clean. This homemade slime is great for cleaning up those hard to reach areas, like between keys on a keyboard, and won’t leave you having to clean up a sticky mess from the slime either. The slime is one use cleaning, but it works great and is fun.
Oven Cleaner
Most of us don’t clean our ovens as much as we should, which leaves stuck on grease and grime. When you finally decide to clean that oven, don’t think you need heavy duty commercial cleaners for the job, though. This recipe for a homemade oven cleaner will take care of even the toughest stains. You’ll need a few household staples, like baking soda and dish soap, and a lot of elbow grease, but your oven will be clean and chemical-free by the end!
Crock Pot Cleaner
This excellent how-to will show you how to eliminate those horrendous crock pot stains. You know the ones. They make you wish you had invested in the crock pot liners you saw at the store or make you consider just tossing the whole thing and buying a new one. You don’t even need to put forth a lot of elbow grease. Just let it sit overnight and wipe away the mess in the morning.
Great Smelling All-Purpose Cleaner
If you hate that chemical smell, but like the clean smell of lemons, this is the all-purpose cleaner for you. The lemon-basil combination will leave anything you use it on smelling fresh and clean, and most importantly, pleasant. You’ll need essential oils to get that great smell, and then some white vinegar for cleaning action and water to mix.
Steam Cleaner
Yep, you can make your own steam cleaner solution. The best thing about it? It works great and uses only three household ingredients: vinegar, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide. You’ll save tons of money and keep yourself and your family away from harmful chemicals. Of course, you still need to have an actual steam cleaner. Check out the recipe here.
Streak-Free Window Cleaner
There are two main problems with commercial window cleaner: It usually streaks and its packed with harmful chemicals. This homemade recipe eliminates both those problems. Plus, it’s inexpensive, using mostly ingredients you already have at home or could easily find in the store. The recipe also includes essential oils (your choice of scent) to keep your cleaning supplies, and your house is smelling fresh and clean instead of like chemicals.
Scent Booster
If you like your clothes to smell nice when they get out of the wash, but don’t want to use expensively scented fabric softener, try a homemade scent booster. You’ll need some Epsom salt and essential oils, but the results will be totally worth it. You’ll have fresh smelling towels, sheets, and clothes without all the chemicals added in. The recipe is easy. Check it out.
Wood Cleaner
If you have hardwood floors, you know the headache of keeping the dirt, dust, and scratch-free. You also know how many standard cleaners can’t (or shouldn’t) go on wood floors. For commercial cleaners, you are generally limited to chemical-smelling, possibly toxic brands. But you can make your own cleaner with some castile soap, white vinegar, and water. Add some essential oils to make your cleaner smell however you want it to!
Scratch Remover
Keeping your hardwood floors clean is only half the battle. You also need to keep them scratch-free. While it’s almost impossible to prevent any scratches on your floor from ever occurring, you can fix the ones that do with a simple solution of white vinegar, canola oil, and water. It won’t just help floors; you can use it on anything wood. It even shines it right up!
Stain Remover
Stain removers are expensive, and who knows what crazy things they contain. So if you want to remove blueberry stains or other difficult to clean stains, you can make your own stain remover at home with just two ingredients. If you think it won’t work as well as commercial brands, you’d be wrong. A little Dawn dish washing liquid and hydrogen peroxide will remove even set in grease stains. Try it for yourself with this easy recipe!
Reusable Dryer Sheets
Dryer sheets are a must for some people, and a never use for others, but any dryer could benefit from a dryer sheet thrown into the mix. Whether you don’t feel like shelling out the money for commercial dryer sheets or you just feel like saving the environment. These reusable dryer sheets will be perfect for you. All you need is some fabric scraps, essential oil, and vinegar!
Drainer Cleaner
Commercial drain cleaners are expensive, and they contain some caustic chemicals. You can make an all-natural drain cleaner that works just as well, however, with just three non-harmful ingredients. Best of all, you probably already have these ingredients in your house. It will definitely remove any sewer smell around. All you need is some baking soda, some white vinegar, and some hot water, and you can be clog-free in no time!
Disinfectant Wipes
Disinfectant wipes are all the rage. They are easy to use and very efficient at cleaning up messes and disinfecting areas. They are also full of harmful chemicals. To get the same results, without all the chemicals, you can make your own wipes. This recipe is simple! All you need is water, vinegar, some essential oil to keep things smelling great, and some soft cloths.
Dishwasher Detergent
Dishwasher detergent is pretty expensive to buy commercially and still, often leaves your dishes spotted and gritty. Not to mention do you even know what chemicals you are putting on your dishes to clean them? This recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent is something you can make for pennies and will clean your dishes wonderfully all with ingredients it’s safe to consume. That’s right. You could technically eat this detergent, but it probably doesn’t taste great.
Bleach Alternative
So you want to get your whites white, but you don’t want to use harsh bleach to do it. Good news! You can use all-natural ingredients to get the same results. You probably even have these at home. All you need is lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide (you know, the stuff hanging out in your medicine cabinet to disinfect cuts and scrapes), and some water. Check out the recipe here.
Keep the chemicals out of more homes, and share these ideas (and this page) with your friends!
