Simply Saving

Here’s a few more recipes for 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.

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.

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!