As I looked at my monthly expenses, I found that cleaners was another BIG sucker on the budget. So, that is what I wanted to tackle next. So Alysia has provided us with some recipes that she and I have both tried. These took me less than a few minutes to assemble and they work great! Also...they are free of all the major chemicals and so you are not only saving money to give...but you are creating a healthy lifestyle. You are also relying less on others to make everything for you and your family! We are not helpless women...we can take a small amount of time to make some of our cleaners and have fun doing it with our kids. My husband likes helping too:)
Here are some of my favorites!
All Purpose Spray
Mix 1 tsp washing soda into 2 cups of hot water until dissolved.
Add:
*1 tsp liquid castile soap
*Note: I use Dr. Bronners that I find at Kroger in their organic section in the cleaning supplies. You can use any kind of liquid soap you like! It is a little pricey...but you only use a small amount and I use this stuff for EVERYTHING! So far I use it for my dish liquid soap, dish washing detergent, in homemade shampoo I use, the all purpose cleaner, our hand soap, etc. And in doing all of this for the past month I still have about 3/4 of a bottle left! It just depends on how much you are going to use it for and...if you get the Dr. Bronners with Tea Tree it will have germ fighting ability for sure! (See info below)
*2 Tbs vinegar
*10 drops essential oil of choice - Now if you are not familiar with essential oils, you need to do a little research on it on the internet. I have a friend who is a master herbalist and she has given me TONS of advice on these. You will need to find a natural store to buy them. I have a great place that sells them for about $5 a bottle and I use just a few drops! I will be glad to answer any questions I can in the comment box!
Here are my recommendations if you are not familiar with essential oils (from Denise Jacob, master herbalist, of Affussion Skin Care):
*Lavender - smells WONDERFUL and is a great stress reliever. It's great for air fresheners around your home, hand soap, etc.
*Tea Tree Oil - this stuff is a GREAT disinfectant! I use it in my all purpose spray along with some lavender. Tea Tree has a more medicinal smell some people don't like...so you can pair it with another nice one you like. But, I use this stuff all the time! Be sure to buy pure essential oils...and you must dilute them.
*Rosemary - This oil is an anti-viral and I put this in my bathroom cleaner that I make. Basically the same as this one above but with more tea tree and more rosemary in it for deep germ and virus fighting!
Those are the only ones I have right now. My next one will be peppermint (for my homemade conditioner) and maybe a rosewood. We'll see! Pace yourself...don't feel like you have to get them all at one time. They last me for a REALLY long time!!
* Use this cleaner for everything except glass and windows, as it will leave a streak in them
Furniture Polish
1 part lemon juice
2 parts olive oil
15 drops essential oil
* Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well before using. Use a dry cloth with this on wood furniture
Dishwasher Detergent
Put 1 Tbs washing soda in each cup of your dishwasher. Put 2 tsp liquid soap in the washing cup along with the washing soda. Fill rinse cup with white vinegar.
*I use this at it works really well! Remeber that washing soda you bought for the washing detergent? Well, get it back out and put a small container under your sink with a TBS on top to scoop it out. Put your Dr. Bronners next to it and you are ready to go!
***Note: There are times when I do have a slight film on my glasses. Our dishwasher is really old and so I had that some with my other detergent also. What I do is take my dry cloth and just wipe down anything that has a little film on it so that it sparkles. The white vinegar helps to make your dishes not be filmy...so it just might be our dishwasher.
Scouring Powder
Fill a container with baking soda and drop in approx 8 drops of essential oil. Put a secure lid on the container and shake vigorously to distribute the scent. Sprinkle this on any surface you need to scour, but test first for delicate surfaces. This can be used for:
sinks
toilet bowls
tubs
caked on dirt and burned food on dishes
to buff up stainless steel
Foam Hand Soap
For this you must have one of the foam pumps from another time you bought the soap. I had 1 of those in each of my bathrooms and when they ran out, I used this recipe...so I wouldn't have to buy more!
Fill the foam pump bottle with 1/3 castile soap (Dr. Bronners or your own liquid soap you already have) and the rest of the way with water. That's it! I do either use tea tree Dr. Bronners for germ killing properties...or I put a few drops of tea tree and rosemary oil in it to kill germs and viruses. But, that's just me:)
As of now...I have relocated my cleaners into a box at the top of my laundry area. I didn't want to throw them away in case I ran out of something, didn't like something I made, etc. But, so far...I don't even go down the cleaner aisle in the store! It saves me SO much money because the things I invest in are cheap and go a really long way! Even the castile soap and essential oils will last me for a few months and I use them for everything. They are all natural, wonderful smelling, and do the job great!
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