What do you do when you find yourself with a big mess, and there is none of your favorite cleaners handy? Well, surprisingly enough, you’re never very far from ingredients that can be used to craft a pretty effective cleaner.
Many of these reside in your pantry and are probably there right now! Of course, there are other reasons you may want to learn how to make DIY cleaning supplies.
So in this article, we will be looking at a few recipes that you can use to do just that. If this is something you are interested in, keep reading.
Why Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies?
Before we give you some great ideas for DIY cleaners, you may be asking yourself why to go through all the hassle. After all, there are plenty of clean options available, and all you have to do is buy them.
This is true, but even those “organic” or “all-natural” cleaners may not be what you think they are. They may contain chemicals or other harmful toxins. So to ensure you or the family are not being exposed, crafting your own cleaning supplies is a great idea.
Of course, there are a few other reasons.
- Saves you money
- Better for the Earth
Some DIY Cleaning Supply Recipes
Creating homemade cleaners is easy as long as you don’t mix things that don’t go well together. For instance, you will want to stay away from combining chlorine/bleach with any type of ammonia-based products.
That is why we want to give you a few DIY cleaner ideas so that you can get started using safe cleaners and keep from any potentially hazardous situations.
Here are a few recipes with easily obtained ingredients that most homes have in their pantry that we think will help (some are all-natural, and others use combinations of chemicals you have in your home):
All-Purpose Cleaner
Ingredients
- White vinegar (1 part)
- Lemon rind
- Water (1 part)
- Sprigs of Rosemary
Add the sprigs of rosemary and lemon rind into a spray bottle. Then combine the water and vinegar in the same spray bottle. Shake to combine.
Once this is done, you can use this cleaner for pretty much any cleaning you need to do as it is a relatively all-purpose solution. Not only will it smell great, but the lemon included can actually help enhance the cleaning ability of the cleaner. One word though you will not want to use this on countertops that are made of granite as they may damage them.
Glass Cleaner
Ingredients
- White vinegar (1/2 cup)
- Rubbing alcohol (1/4 cup)
- Water (2 cups)
- Orange essential oil (2 drops)
Combine all the ingredients together and funnel them into a spray bottle. This combination is great for windows. But be warned, don’t use it on warm days as the cleaner will dry quickly. This may leave streaks that you just don’t want.
Grease Cleaner
Ingredients
- Sudsy ammonia (1/2 cup)
- Water (fill 1 gal.)
This ammonia has detergents in it that can help cut through that stubborn grease. So combine it with enough water to fill a gallon jug. Then shake to ix.
After this, you can use a sponge or rag and this solution to clean the stove and oven. Then make sure to wipe down the area with a damp towel to get any residue left by the cleaning solution off the surfaces.
Stain Remover
Ingredients
- Dishwasher detergent (1 cup)
- Water, hot (1 gal.)
- Chlorine bleach (1 cup)
If you have some serious stains to get out of your wardrobe, then you will want a pretty strong solution. Combine all the ingredients into a vessel (not aluminum). Then soak the clothes in this solution for up to 20 minutes. Once the stain is gone, wash the clothes the way you normally do.
Heavy-Duty Scrub
Ingredients
- Lemon (1/2)
- Borax powder (1/2 cup)
If you are dealing with hard water or rust stains that just can’t be removed, then you may want to look at this recipe. Take the lemon half and dip it into the borax. Then scrub the area with this combination.
Summary
So there you have it; a few DIY cleaning supply recipes that you should be able to put together whenever you need them.