Homemade Cleaning Products 101
Windows and Glass
To remove fingerprints, smudges and grease, combine 1/4 cup of vinegar and dilute it with 2 quarts of warm water. It is best to wash windows and glass with a lintless cloth or paper towels to prevent streaking. When washing windows, always start from the top to bottom in a side to side motion.
Ovens
To remove grease and stuck on food, fill a small bowl with 1/2 cups of ammonia and 1/2 cups of orange rind. Place in your oven and leave overnight. The odor of the ammonia and orange rind will lift the toughest grease and stuck on foods from your oven. After, simple take a hot sponge and gently scrub then wipe clean with a paper towel.
Pots and Pans
Have you ever washed and washed your pots and pans, but food and marks were still on them? Well simply soak or boil each pot or pan with 3 tbsp. of baking soda. Let them stand for about 15 minutes then rinse.
Drains
I know that drains can become clogged and they can stink! But follow this and they won’t anymore! To remove clogs and odors, dissolve 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup lemon juice, and 1/2 cups of orange rind in boiling water. Next, pour the mixture down the drain and let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse with 3 cups of boiling water. You may do use as many times as you want. For me, I do this process 2 times a week.
Household Odors
To freshen each room, Simple take 1 bag of cotton balls and dampen with peppermint oil or your favorite fragrance. Next place in bowl and enjoy the freshness! Be sure not to soak the cotton balls, the scent will become to strong unless your freshening a much larger room.
Bathroom Cleaner
To get rid of mold and mildew, combine 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide and 2 cups of warm water. Put into spray bottle and shake gentally. Next, spray on desired areas and let stand for 30 minutes. Then wipe clean with a dampened paper towel.
Disinfectants
Mix 1/2 cup of Borax into 1 gallon of vinegar. Spray wherever is need and wipe clean with a paper towel. Using hot soapy water doesn’t always cut it when it comes to disinfecting. Borax has always been a #1 household product in disinfecting and for laundry.
Furniture Polish
To make a beautiful shine on your furniture, simply mix 2 teaspoons of olive oil, juice from 1 orange, and 1 tablespoon of warm water. When fully mixed, spray on wood and let sit for 5 minutes. Next wipe clean with a soft cloth.
Carpet Freshener
Combine 3 cups of baking soda and 20 drops of your favorite fragerance Mix in bowl and break up any clumps that form. Next, sprinkle on carpet and let sit for 10 minutes before vaccuming. If using for flees, add 1/2 cups of salt and let sit for 30 min. Salt is very toxic for flees.
#1 Cleaning Tip – Never ever mix bleach with any type of acid such as vinegar or ammonia, this can create toxic fumes that are very dangerous.
Cleaning always doesn’t have to be a big pain in the butt, make it fun! Homemade cleaning products are easy to make and cost’s a lot less. Personally, I would much rather use homemade products. They contain lesser harsh fumes and has a decreasing affect for allergians. However, when it comes to toilets and cleaning your kitchen garbage can, I still tend to use pure Clorox bleach along with 1 cup of orange rind, just to hide the bleach smell.
My most two favorite natural cleaning items are vinegar and oranges. Vinegar has the tendancy to naturally clean just as good as an all purpose cleaner. Oranges are another natural substance that quickly dissolves grease and leaves a pleasent odor. Another thing I usually do is I place 2 orange peels on each side of the garbage can, this will eliminate any nasty garbage smells.
Also, if you would like to get rid of any tough stains, simple pour a little bit of club soda on area, let sit for 5 minutes, then blot dry with a dampened cloth. Club soda is an effective way for lifting up stains.
Well I hope you enjoyed these simple homemade cleaning product recipes. As always be safe.
