Here’s a few more homemade cleaners for you to try out. I haven’t tried them out yet so let us know how they are if you do! 
Window Formula
1/2 cup ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
1 Tbls. cornstarch
1 gal. water
*used balled newspaper
Wall Formula
1/2 cup ammonia
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup washing soda
1 gal. water
Hardwood Floor Formula
1 cup Ivory Flakes
1/2 cup bleach
1 gal. warm water
Upholstery Stains (old stains)
1/2 cup powdered laundry detergent
1/4 cup vinegar
warm water
Whiten Whites / Brighten Polyesters
2 cups electric dishwashing detergent
cold water
Soak overnight; was as usual
Commercial Spot Remover
2 parts water
1 part rubbing alcohol
Put into mist spray bottle; use for clothing
Frost Prevention
Rub inside window with rubbing alcohol; wipe with newspaper.
Fabric Softener
1 cup ammonia to washing cycle along with detergent.
Clogged Drains
1 cup salt
1 cup baking soda
1 cup boiling water
*Do not use with garbage disposal
Or try
3 cups boiled vinegar into drain.
Flush with water.
OK to use with garbage disposals.
Homemade Pre-Wash
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup liquid detergent
1/3 cup ammonia
Mix well and put in empty spray bottle.
Carpet Stain Formula
1/2 cup powdered laundry detergent
1/2 cup vinegar
Urine Spot Remover for Carpets
1. Blot up urine with paper towel.
2. Apply carpet stain formula (above); blot.
3. Pour on club soda; blot.
4. Mist/spray with vinegar.
5. Layer paper towels; place a heavy object on top to pull out moisture.
Mildew Prevention
1/2 cup salt into wash cycle to cut down possible mildew.
Baby Formula Remover
1/4 cup bleach
1 cup dishwashing detergent
1 gal. water
Soak overnight; wash as usual.
Spot Remover
1. Flush with club soda
2. Mix together 2 parts water and 1 part rubbing alcohol
3. Mist/spray spot with above and wipe off.
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One of the best means of avoiding exposure to household hazardous materials is to use safer alternatives whenever possible. Included in this section are time honored recipes and suggestions to help you make the switch toward safer household products. Ingredients followed by instructions will guide you through an array of easy-to-make, easy-to-use safer alternatives. Some ingredients recommended as alternatives are safer, but not nontoxic. These ingredients have been marked with an asterisk(*) to assist you in identifying their presence. Making your own simple and effective products is fun and economical.
Air Fresheners
Most commercial air fresheners do not freshen the air at all. Instead, they mask one odor with another, coat your nasal passages with an undetectable oil film, or diminish your sense of smell with a nerve-deadening agent. For a safer alternative, you may wish to try
one of the following.
Ventilation. Open windows or doors in the house for at least a short period every day. This will also help to reduce toxic fumes that may be building up indoors.
Vinegar. Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors.
Cinnamon and Cloves. Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider.
Potpourri. Buy or make your own potpourri from your favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags.
Kitchen And Food Odors
Vanilla*. Place pure vanilla on a cotton ball in a small saucer. Place the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odors. It is reported to remove even skunk odors. Keep the cotton ball out of reach of children; vanilla has a high alcohol content.
Baking Soda. Place a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf. Replace every two months and when you do, pour the contents of the used box down the drain to remove odors and keep the drain clean. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize bottles by filling them with undiluted baking soda and allowing the bottles to soak overnight. Then wash as usual.
Borax*. Empty the garbage frequently and clean the can as needed. To inhibit growth of odor-producing molds and bacteria, sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can.
Vinegar or Celery Stalk. To avoid or remove onion odors from your hands, rub white vinegar on your hands before and after slicing. Rubbing hands with the end of a celery stalk will also remove the odor.
All-Purpose Cleaner
Vinegar and Salt. Mix together for a good surface cleaner.
Baking Soda. Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water for a general cleaner. Or use baking soda on a damp sponge. Baking soda will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
Carpet And Rug Cleaner
IF YOU PLAN TO SHAMPOO YOUR CARPET, FIRST TRY A PRE-CLEANING TREATMENT. Sweep the carpet, which will make the nap stand up and loosen the imbedded din. Next vacuum. With this work alone, the rug should show a noticeable improvement, so much in fact that you may decide to delay the shampooing.
To neutralize odors: Borax* and cornmeal. Sprinkle the carpet with a mixture of 1 cup Borax and 2 cups cornmeal. Let this mixture stand for an hour before vacuuming.
Another alternative is Baking Soda. Making certain that the carpet is dry, sprinkle baking soda liberally over the entire carpet. Wait at least 15 minutes, or overnight if the odor is particularly bad, before vacuuming.
Decal Remover
Vinegar. To remove no-slip decals from the bathtub, saturate a cloth or sponge and squeeze hot vinegar over decals. Vinegar also removes stick-on hooks from painted walls. Saturate a cloth or sponge with vinegar and squeeze the liquid behind the hook so that the vinegar comes in contact with the adhesive. In addition, vinegar can be used to remove price tags and other decals from glass, wood, and china. Paint the label or decal with several coats of white vinegar. Give the vinegar time to soak in and after several minutes the decal can be rubbed off.
Disinfectant
Soap. Regular cleaning with plain soap and hot water will kill some bacteria. Keep things dry. Mold, mildew, and bacteria cannot live without moisture.
Borax has long been recognized for its disinfectant and deodorizing properties. Mix 1/2 cup Borax into 1 gallon hot water and clean with this solution.
Isopropyl Alcohol*. This is an excellent disinfectant. Sponge and allow to dry. (It must dry to do its job.) Use in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves.
Drain Cleaners and Drain Openers
Prevention. To avoid clogging drains, use a drain strainer to trap food particles and hair; collect grease in cans rather than pouring it down the drain; pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain weekly to melt fat that may be building up in the drain; or weekly put
some vinegar and baking soda down your drain to break down fat and keep your drain smelling fresh.
Plunger. A time-honored drain opener is the plunger. This inexpensive tool will usually break up the clog and allow it to float away. It may take more than a few plunges to unclog the drain.
Baking Soda and Vinegar. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar and cover the drain if possible. Let set for a few minutes, then pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain to flush it. The combination of baking soda and vinegar can break down fatty acids into soap and glycerine, allowing the clog to wash down the drain.
Salt and Baking Soda. Pour 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain. Follow with 6 cups boiling water. Let sit overnight and then flush with water. The hot water should help dissolve the clog and the baking soda and salt serve as an abrasive to break
through the clog.
Floor Cleaners and Floor Polishes
Vinegar. A few drops in the cleaning water will help remove grease panicles. Dull, greasy film on no-wax linoleum can be washed away with 1/2 cup white vinegar mixed into 1/2 gallon water. Your floor will look sparkling clean.
For Linoleum: Mild Detergent. Damp mop using a mild detergent and water for day to day cleaning. Keep water away from seams and edges to prevent loosening of the tiles. To preserve the linoleum floor you may wish to add a capful of baby oil to the mop water.
For Wood Floors: Vegetable Oil and Vinegar. Mix a 1 to 1 ratio of oil and vinegar into a solution and apply a thin coat. Rub in well.
For Painted Wooden Floors: Washing Soda*. Mix 1 teaspoon washing soda into 1 gallon hot water and wash the floor with a mop, sponge, or soft bristled brush. This solution can
also be used to remove mildew.
For Rubber Tiles: Mild Detergent. Avoid oils, solvents, and strong alkalies as they will harm the surface. Wash with clear water, a mild detergent, and a clean mop.
For Brick and Stone Floors: Vinegar. Mix 1 cup white vinegar into 1 gallon water. Scrub the floor with a brush and the vinegar solution. Rinse with clean water.
For Ceramic Tile: Vinegar. Mix 1/4 cup white vinegar (more if very dirty) into 1 gallon water. This solution removes most dirt without scrubbing and doesn’t leave a film. Washing ceramic tiles with soap does not work very well in hard water areas as it leaves an insoluble film.
Club Soda. Polishing your floor with Club Soda will make it sparkle.
Wax Remover
For Vinyl and Asbestos Tiles: Club Soda. Remove wax buildup by pouring a small amount of club soda on a section. Scrub this in well. Let it soak in a few minutes and wipe clean.
For Linoleum Flooring: Isopropyl Alcohol*. To remove old wax by mopping, mix a solution of 3 pans water to 1 pan rubbing alcohol. Scrub this in well and rinse thoroughly. Be sure the area is well-ventilated and wear gloves.
Special Problems
To remove black heel marks:
Baking Soda. Rub the heel mark with a paste of baking soda and water. Don’t use too much water or the baking soda will lose its abrasive quality.
To remove tar:
Scrape up excess tar with the side of a dull knife. Rub again with your fingernail, a popsicle stick, or anything that won’t scratch the floor. Finally, wipe up the tar with a dry cloth.
To remove crayon marks:
Toothpaste. Crayon marks on the floor may be removed by
rubbing them with a damp cloth containing toothpaste. Toothpaste will not work well on wallpaper or porous surfaces.
To remove grease from wood floors:
Ice Cube or Cold Water. If you spill grease on a wood floor, immediately place an ice cube or very cold water on the spot. The
grease will harden and can then be scraped off with a knife. Then iron a piece of cloth over the grease spot.
*more to come*
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Here’s a few more recipes for homemade cleaners you can make yourself. Invest in a few spray bottles and make them before you need them. That way you always have them on hand for cleaning jobs.
OVEN CLEANER
2 Tbsp. dish washing liquid
2 Tbsp. borax
1/4 c. ammonia
1 1/2 c. warm water
Mix together, apply to oven spills and allow to sit 20-30 minutes. Scrub with an abrasive nylon-backed sponge and rinse well.
GENERAL-PURPOSE CLEANER
1 tsp. borax
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vinegar
1/4 tsp. dish washing liquid
2 c. hot water
Combine all ingredients. For a more pleasant smell, use lemon juice instead of vinegar.
EASY SCRUB
3/4 c. baking soda
1/4 c. borax
Dish washing liquid
Combine the baking soda and borax. Mix in enough dish washing liquid to make a smooth paste. (Add 1/4 tsp. of lemon juice for a more pleasant smell.)
HEAVY-DUTY DISINFECTANT CLEANER
1/4 c. powdered laundry detergent
1 Tbsp. borax
3/4 c. hot water
1/4 c. pine oil or pine-based cleaner
Slowly stir the detergent and borax into the water to dissolve. Add the pine oil (available at hardware stores and supermarkets) and mix well. For bathroom cleaning, use the mixture full strength. In the kitchen, dilute with water.
GLASS CLEANER
2 Tbsp. ammonia
1/2 c. alcohol
1/4 t. dish washing liquid
A few drops blue food coloring
Water
Combine ammonia, alcohol, dish washing liquid and food coloring,
then ad enough water to make 1 quart. If you prefer a
non-ammonia cleaner, substitute 3 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice
for the ammonia.
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I’ve been doing this for a long, long time, mainly as a simple way of saving money. Another benefit being that household cleaners on the market today can be harmful to your health and are not environmentally friendly. Over the years, I’ve collected a lot of information from various sources. Some of these I have tried (the glass cleaner), others I haven’t (the laundry detergent). I usually make large batches of it ahead of time and store it in empty water jugs. Before you begin, keep in mind…NEVER MIX BLEACH AND AMMONIA TOGETHER! This combination is deadly!
ALL PURPOSE CLEANER:
½ cup ammonia
¼ cup vinegar
¼ cup baking soda
Mix the above ingredients with 1 gallon of warm water and use for basic cleaning jobs around the home.
WINDOW CLEANER
3T Ammonia
1T vinegar
Put in spray bottle and fill the rest of the way up with water.
JEWELRY CLEANER
1/4 cup ammonia
1/4 cup dishwashing liquid
3/4 cup water.
Mix all the ingredients well, then soak your jewelry in the solution for a few minutes. Clean around the stones and designs with a soft-bristle toothbrush. Buff dry. (Caution: Don’t use this with gold-plated jewelry; with soft stones such as pearls, opals, or jade; or with costume jewelry, because it could ruin the plastics or loosen the glue.)
TOILET CLEANER
1 cup borax
1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice
Combine the ingredients to make a paste. Apply it to the inside of the toilet bowl, let sit for 1 to 2 hours, and scrub.
LAUNDRY DETERGENT
In a large heavy-duty plastic container, combine 1 cup soap flakes, 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup of borax. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load of laundry. Use with cold and warm water washes, with cold water rinse.
FURNITURE POLISH
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white vinegar
4 cup water in spray bottle
swipe with cloth.
Essential Cleaning Oils
·* Lavender disinfectant, calming scent to ease tension and anxiety.
·*Lemon, Orange and grapefruit oils are tough degreasers with refreshing scents.
·* Eucalyptus is a disinfectant and relieves a stuffy nose.
·* Tea Tree Oil is anti-bacterial, anti viral, and anti fungal. Use as an all purpose disinfectant, especially when there is illness in the home, also eases congestion.
·* Pine oil is a degreaser and disinfectant.
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Green Cleaning: by Nancy
You’ll be surprised how easy it is to clean without using strong chemicals or ingredients that are bad for the environment. I have SEVERE allergies so I have a need to find cleaning solutions that don’t set those allergies off. I have found the following recipes/techniques effective ways of having a clean home and controlled allergies. Feel free to share your cleaning tips with me!
Did you know that:
* Equal parts of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce make a great copper
cleaner? Mix together and apply with a cotton cloth. Rinse with water and dry.
* Equal parts of vinegar and salt clean brass? So does ketchup.
* You can clean out the innards of your dishwater by running it empty with a bowl of vinegar in it? Same is true for your coffee pot (except not the “bowl” part.).
* Coffee and tea stains can be cleaned by rubbing baking soda into them?
* Cleaning a microwave is a snap when a few spoonfuls of baking soda are put in a cup of water and then heated in the microwave until boiling? Just wipe those splatters away!
* You can put the last scraps of soap from a bar in a jar and add water to make liquid soap?
* You can clean blinds by putting on a rubber glove covered by an old sock? Sure, just dip your gloved, socked hand into rubbing alcohol and start cleaning those blinds!
* Black scuff marks on the floor can be removed by scrubbing with a paste of baking soda and water?
* You can remove soap scum from a faucet in 10 minutes by wrapping the faucet in paper towel soaked in vinegar?
* You can clear soap from a drain by pouring vinegar into the drain?
* A lemony spray deodorizer can be made with 1 t. baking soda, 1 t. lemon juice, and 2 c. hot tap water, Put this in a spray bottle and spray as you would any deodorizer.
* The Amish make an all-purpose cleaning solution by combining 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup white vinegar and a gallon of water? Shake well and pour the solution into a spray bottle. * You can make a carpet disinfectant from 1 c. cornmeal, 1 c. borax and 1/2 c. baking soda? Just sprinkle the mixture on the rug and rub it in with a cloth. Leave it alone for a few hours or overnight, then vacuum thoroughly.
* Baking soda and vinegar have been successfully used to clean carpet spots? Sprinkle the baking soda on the spot , then pour on some vinegar. It’ll bubble like crazy. Let it dry some and then vacuum up with a shop vac. And make sure you test the color fastness of your carpet FIRST before cleaning the whole thing.
* Shaving cream cleans carpets? Sure thing… Rub some into a stain, and remove with a sponge. And guess what? You can use this on your sofa, too! Yep, upholstery responds well to being cleaned with shaving cream!
* Those pesky miniblinds can be cleaned with water and baking soda? You have to take them down in the closed position and lay them on the ground outside or in a bathtub. Clean them with a sponge (one of those handled sponges works well) dipped in the solution. Then use your garden hose or your shower head to rinse them off.
* Your kids don’t have to give up their favorite non-washable stuffed toys? All you have to do is put them in a plastic bag with some baking soda and shake the heck out of them. Open that bag out side and then shake the heck out of the toy to remove loose baking soda. Brush the rest off.
* Your silk flowers can be cleaned by putting them in a plastic bag with some salt and shaking the heck out of THEM.
* Small-necked bottles can be cleaned using a baking soda, vinegar and a secret ingredient – GRAVEL! Fish tank gravel will do. Mix the three together (ratios don’t have to be too precise) and shake them around inside the bottle! CLEAN!
* Olive oil can be used as a furniture polish on unvarnished wood? Sure thing!
Article Source: http://www.homesteadarticles.com
About the Author: Nancy, the Frugal Decorating Diva, substitutes creativity for money – and comes up with a better result. Read more about how to do that at www.FrugalByDesign.com or email Nancy at nancy@frugalbydesign.com
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