Make Your Own Household Cleansers

When I first read about how you can clean your house without any of the harsh chemical products that line the supermarket shelves, I was really surprised. How could something so simple work? The more I researched, the more I realized that these recipes are ones that have been used for hundreds of years. Your great grandmother probably made her own soap from cooking grease and washed clothes in borax and lye on a wash board. In indigenous cultures, people knew which plants (like the yucca) could make soap and their pantry of cleaning products for their body and everything else was a bunch of roots and herbs.

Granted, no one is suggesting that we go back a century and give up all modern conveniences. Most of the chemical products available today do make the job easier and faster, but the cost doesn’t end after you’ve paid for the product. The majority of these cleansers are loaded with chemicals that we’re now finding out are highly toxic and accumulate in our bodies causing serious harm. Artificial fragrances alone are known to be hormone disrupters and neuro toxic and they are in virtually every modern cleaning product.

According to Environmental Protection Agency- the average home contains as much as 25 pounds of toxic cleaning products. When these chemicals go down our drains, they pollute our water and soil. In 2010, there are plenty of alternatives that are easy to use, effective and don’t harm our environment. Some of these products you can buy ready made, and some, you can make yourself with a few commonly available ingredients. I did a price comparison between some of these home made products with the green alternatives that are easily available and discovered (no surprise) that the savings is dramatic. The savings is even more absurd if you’re still using the mainstream commercial brands. If you haven’t already made the switch to green cleaning products, maybe this will be the year for you.

Dish Soap

What You Need:

* 1 ounce liquid castile soap

* 2 cups water

* 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin

* 5 to 10 drops of an essential oil.

(Tea Tree, Lavender, Oregano, Geranium, Thyme and Lemon are all antibacterial and smell nice too)

for more info on antibacterial properties of essential oils: http://www.anandaapothecary.com/articles/antibacterial-essential-oils.html

Directions:

1. Blend the soap and water in a jar

2. Add the glycerin and essential oil (if using).

3. Stir to blend and use as needed.

Soap Scum-fighting Spray

What You Need:

* 1 teaspoon borax

* 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent

* 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

* 2 cups hot water

* Makes 2 1/4 cups

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

2. Shake to blend

3. Spray and wipe with a sponge

4. Rinse

Magic Window Wash

What You Need:

* 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

* 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent

* 2 cups water

* A few drops of essential oils, for scent (optional)

* Makes 2 1/4 cups

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

2. Shake to blend.

3. Spray on surface

4. Remove with a squeegee, paper towel or newspaper

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

What You Need:

* 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar

* 2 cups water

* Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle

2. Shake

3. Spray along the inside rim of the toilet

4. Leave on for 15 minutes

5. Scrub with a toilet brush.

Oven & Pot Cleaner

What You Need:

* Large box of baking soda

* Water

Directions for Oven:

1. Sprinkle the bottom of the oven with baking soda to cover

2. Spray with water until very damp

3. Keep moist by spraying every few hours

4. Let set overnight

5. In the morning, simply scoop out the baking soda – all the grime will be loosened – and rinse the oven well

Directions for Heavily Soiled Pot:

1. Sprinkle the bottom of the pot with baking soda to cover

2. Add a small amount of water

3. Heat until the water boils then remove from heat

4. Let set overnight

5. In the morning, the grime will easily wash away.