Home made cleaning products

[Mustang27]

Does anyone do this?

Do you have ones you would recommend?

Iv seen a method to make my own washing powder it seems like it could be quite good & worth a try. It got me thinking I could probably remove a lot of the chemical cleaning products I have and start making all my own. I'm also wondering if I'm just making more work for myself but I then thought about how I'd be contributing to reducing plastic package waste so could be worth the extra time on that basis alone.

I'm really interested in this kind of thing and make a lot of my own products when it comes to my hair and body so have a lot of the essential oils and things so wouldn't cost that much to get me started doing this.

Most my stuff is vinegar and baking soda but I also use Dawn dish soap (the original blue recipe), rubbing alcohol (at least 70%), hydrogen peroxide spray, super washing soda and borax.

We have vinyl floors so I use 50/50 hot water and distilled white vinegar with a hint of Dawn.

To clean my hair brushes I use a small squeeze of shampoo, about 3 Tablespoons of baking soda and 3-4 cups of hot water. Let soak 30 minutes then scrub with a toothbrush. Rinse with cool water and air dry.

For my kitchen counters and furniture (fake leather) I spay with water and half a squeeze of Dawn then wipe dry.

For wiping down everything else I use 50/50 distilled white vinegar and water spray.

Use same vinegar/water spray for mirrors and windows. Wipe dry with a few coffee filters! (such a cool hack)

Spray hydrogen peroxide and let dry for anti-bacterial needs.

To clean your TV screen, cell phone, keyboard and mouse, spray rubbing alcohol onto some folded coffee filters. Make sure they're damp, not wet. GENTLY wipe the surfaces. Will dry fast. NEVER SPAY ANYTHING DIRECTLY ONTO YOUR ELECTRIC'S SCREENS.

To disinfect your toilet brush or plunger, spray liberally with rubbing alcohol and let drop dry by using the toilet lid to hold it over the bowl. After about10-15 minutes the brush or plunger should be dry.

I don't use essential oils as of yet but if you do, to get what you want out of the oil and not just the smell, use 10-20 drops per batch of whatever you're making.

To clean my microwave I microwave 50/50 distilled white vinegar and water for about a minute. Then I wipe the inside down with a dry cloth.

I then take the microwave leftover, roll our luffa around in it, and then hang it to dry.

Then I pour the rest in a spray bottle to spray down my shower curtain and walls when everyone's done (let air dry). Because of this I don't have to deep clean the shower as much.

I use baking soda in the garbage can to deodorize. And use hot water and baking soda (maybe just a couple table spoons per large bowl of water) to wipe down inside of fridge and freezer.

I microwave my sponge every night for about 2 minutes.

I do other stuff, too. Lemme know if I should go on.

Also, dishwasher stuff is half a Tablespoon of Dawn (in the main open detergent area), about 4-5 Tablespoons of baking soda (put this on the door anywhere) and fill up the place on your dishwasher that you put stuff in and then close it...yeah fill that with distilled white vinegar. Have been using this for years and years.

Oh yeah and laundry is liquid because I'm too lazy to grate soap:

1/2 C Borax
1/2 C washing soda
1/2 C Dawn
4 C hot water

Combine and mix. Then fill container the rest of the way with tap water. This is concentrated laundry detergent. Shake it before use. Use 1/4 C per load. Useable in high efficiency washers - little to no suds.

Note: The laundry detergent recipe was for a half gallon jug.

@asilkyone I thought I was barking that's awesome thank you so much for all that advice. I love the idea of getting rid of all the chemical cleaners so I'm going to give them all a shot.

Coffee filters?? I can't wait to try that my windows and mirrors stress me out as I can never get them streak free.

Be aware there are mixed reports on the safely of borax.
I use a lot if bio-d products products which seem to be non-toxic from my investigations (manitou reciting ingredients lists in EWG site. I use their washing powder which cleans but I think us making some clothes harder and bobblier. I have switched to a soft water machine and therefore use about a teaspoon of detergent and that has helped. I use there softener but it sure it does much! Have tried vinegar and that doesn't do anything either in terms of softening clothes.

I used a vinegar spray - half white vinegar and half water with a few squirts of washing liquid. Sometimes add essentials oil but not sure this outweighs the vinegar!! Again I used Bio-d ad it's the best product of these I use. Very effective. I also use it to wash my hair sometimes!!

I use the vinegar spray for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. It's particularly good on glass and taps - brings them up v shiny. - good on limescale. The spray is also used on toilet with a j cloth that I throw away afterwards as this method is not as antibacterial as others. Ooo I also use the bio-d washing powder as a bath scourer as it gets stains off. Also great at bleaching my downstairs sink! These are both enamel-ceramic. Not sure how it would be on plastic - it would probably stretch it.

I use bio- multi surface cleaner on floors and also use dr bronners magic soap in my carpet cleaner. Works brilliantly. You only need a few drops.

Dusting done with damp microfibre cloth. No chemicals needed

If you use bleach be careful as bleach cannot be mixed with vinegar. Produces a horrible toxic gas.

Everyone things I am mental too but I don't what a soup of the carcinogenic, endocrine- disrupting, allergies forming etc etc chemicals in my home.

I wonder if we could get a natural cleaning tip board together for helpful tips, ideas and successes?

Oh yes I also make an oxy action spray out 2/3 hydrogen peroxide and washing up liquid (bio-d). And it works really well

Hydrogen peroxide is also used in a whites pre wash (although it can be use on colours then don't generallly need a soak in it. I also do a hydrogen peroxide pre wash ( with powder) on my tea towels.

"Also, dishwasher stuff is half a Tablespoon of Dawn (in the main open detergent area), about 4-5 Tablespoons of baking soda (put this on the door anywhere) and fill up the place on your dishwasher that you put stuff in and then close it...yeah fill that with distilled white vinegar. Have been using this for years and years."
*
Great tip poster above. I can't remember how to tag.*