There seems to be a big move towards home-made cleaning products. They’re cheaper, more natural and supposedly better for the environment, but to be honest sometimes the thought of making all my own cleaning products seems daunting. Mixing ingredients that I don’t usually have around the house, or cooking laundry soap over the stove kinda daunts me at this point. The good news is, I’ve discovered just because I don’t want to cook up my own cleaners, doesn’t mean that I have to buy all my cleaning products either!
Elbow Grease
We get in such a habit of using a special cleaning product for every surface that could ever be imagined. There’s floor cleaner, oven cleaner, window cleaner, furniture polish….. While it can be good to have some specific cleaners, it’s not always necessary. I usually wipe down my counters, tables or shelves with just a damp cloth…no cleaner at all. Unless I’m cleaning up raw chicken or a super gooey mess, a damp cloth and a little elbow grease usually does the trick!
Soaking
When I have to clean out my crock pot I usually fill it with water and maybe a little soap and let it sit! I let the soaking do most of the work for me. Then when I wash it out, usually most of the hardest gunk falls right off. Soaking can also be done with stained clothes.
Vinegar instead of Windex
I did a post on this before and in my post I mixed white vinegar and water, but I’ve changed that and now I just do all vinegar. Just put it in a spray bottle and spray your windows and mirrors then clean with an old newspaper or rag. I like using microfiber cloths. You can impress your friends by telling them you make your own windex, and they never have to know it’s just one ingredient!
Vinegar for Fabric Softener
I like to soak stinky shirts in white vinegar to help get rid of the smell, but it also has other benefits in laundry use, which you can read about here.
Baking Soda
Baking soda can be used for many a cleaning job. It works good for scrubbing, especially when paired with an old toothbrush and it helps get rid of odors (as does vinegar). You can sprinkle some in the toilet bowl, clean sinks or counter tops with it. To make it handier to use you can keep it in an old spice bottle and sprinkle out as much as you need.
Vinegar + Baking Soda
Mix the two ingredients and you have a bubbly reaction! I’ve used these two together to put down sink drains to get rid of odors and help keep the drains clear.
Easy Air Freshener
I’ve made my own Febreeze using fabric softener. It worked pretty well too.
Have you tried making home-made cleaners and detergents? Do you just buy them? Or do you meet in the middle, like me?
I believe the only thing I never heard of on your list was to use fabric softener as febreeze. I do most of the same things you do. My place is tiny, so kitchen counter is wiped down with wet rag using the dish water, crock pot soaks and is wiped up later. Baking soda and vinegar are my standard go-tos for just about any cleaning. And paper towels don’t exist in my home as I have a basket filled with rags that work much better. I have made some of my own cleaners, but it ends up costing too much, so I’ve gone back to just the basics. plus I’m lazy
You had put your idea for putting baking soda in an old spice bottle in a post a while ago, and I stole it. It works well for me too. I am working on using up my store bought cleaners, and am using vinegar, baking soda, and occasionally I use ammonia, but not often.