Favorite Homemade cleaning items & or products?

[shelbylovesmelby]

I really love using a squirt bottle w/ some watered down dishsoap w/ a touch of bleach.

I like using vinegar in the washer & in the coffee maker.

What do you use?

[Bookie]

Ammonia and rubbing alcohol do a good job on glass.

[tinapbeana]

10% white vinegar solution with a little orange essential oil on top. shake up before using, and it's good for glass, counters, ceramics, even floors. i use this for pretty much everything, especially cleaning my glass cooktop and the inside of my microwave since all the ingredients are edible...

for tubs or sinks, dampen them with water, sprinkle liberally with baking soda, then spray with the vinegar solution. creates its own 'scrubbing bubbles', and then just throw a little elbow grease on top to scour everything down.

a mixture of vinegar, ammonia, and water (stinks, BTW!) is about the only thing i've found that will easily get tree sap off my car windows.

i also keep a bottle of 10% bleach solution for sanitizing the trash can and my butcher block since neither of them will fit in the dishwasher if something needs sanitizing and is small enough, i'll just run it through the dishwasher since it reaches high enough temps to do the job.

[scfr]

This isn't homemade but it's definitely thrifty: Microfiber cleaning cloths are fantastic but very expensive. I bought a big pack of microfiber car detailing cloths in the automative section at Costco that I use for house cleaning. They were a fraction of the cost of the "official cleaning cloths," they work just as well, and they are larger so I actually like them better.

[fairy74]

hydrogen peroxide with a little water in a spray bottle.

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by scfr

This isn't homemade but it's definitely thrifty: Microfiber cleaning cloths are fantastic but very expensive. I bought a big pack of microfiber car detailing cloths in the automative section at Costco that I use for house cleaning. They were a fraction of the cost of the "official cleaning cloths," they work just as well, and they are larger so I actually like them better.

check out dollar tree if they're in your area: microfiber clothes for a buck each!!! i have collected about 15 of these over the course of 2 years, and use them for everything. i fell into the swiffer trap about 6 years ago, but no longer buy their 'cloths'. i wrap the head in a dry microfiber cloth for dust mopping, or a damp MF cloth for mopping. when it gets dirty, put it in the wash pile and replace with a fresh clean one. cheap and good for the environment, my favorite combination!

[fairy74]

scfr: also try your local auto parts store, I got 4 microfiber cloths for $2.50. They have held up great!

[sunsetssplendor]

I was watching How Dirty Is Your House and the two British ladies
used Worchestire (sp) sauce to clean brass.

I use a Lavendar cleaner mixed with water for a nice smell throughout
the bathrooms.

[cschin4]

I like the smell of Murphy's Oil Soap. I have a spray bottle and add a couple of capfuls of Murphy's and water.

[fairy74]

How about baking soda, the humble little box is an absolute miracle worker!

[Staceyy]

I like adding a few drops of essential oil such as lavender to a cotton ball, and putting it in my vacuum cleaner bag. I have to be careful not to use too much though as the scent can become overpowering.

[momof1in150]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

check out dollar tree if they're in your area: microfiber clothes for a buck each!!! i have collected about 15 of these over the course of 2 years, and use them for everything. i fell into the swiffer trap about 6 years ago, but no longer buy their 'cloths'. i wrap the head in a dry microfiber cloth for dust mopping, or a damp MF cloth for mopping. when it gets dirty, put it in the wash pile and replace with a fresh clean one. cheap and good for the environment, my favorite combination!

They may be $1 at the Dollar Store but I bough 25 for $9.99 at BJs - MUCH CHEAPER.

[cschin4]

I have tried cleaning things with vinegar but just don't care for the smell. I do use bleach to clean the bathroom. And, I also buy a concentrated bottle of Mr. Clean or pine-sol and make spray bottles for that as well to use on other things.

[tinapbeana]

Originally Posted by momof1in150

They may be $1 at the Dollar Store but I bough 25 for $9.99 at BJs - MUCH CHEAPER.

sadly i have no BJs card, so the towels plus the membership would make them ineffective for me cost-wise. good to know for someone who does shop BJs

[robex]

We have a spray bottle of vinegar, ammonia and water and we use it on EVERYTHING! Works great on windows and mirrors, too.

Smelly, though.

[PetMom]

I refuse to purchase the typical household cleaning products
that are getting more and more expensive. People are
paying a high dollar for convenience now.

I buy generic ammonia and mix a very small amount
with a bit of dishwashing liquid and a lot of water for
a cleanser for really dirty areas.

I also purchase a generic bleach for heavy duty disinfecting
and for using a small amount for whites in the wash.

Also some Lavender or Lemon
essential oils and use these as the scent (some theories
are that these have cleansing properties in themselves).
I use Dr. Bronner's lavender soap for cleaning the toilets
(very concentrated and strong).

White vinegar (regular strength), water and a few drops
of essential oil is used for all purpose non disinfecting cleansing -
this combo with some canola or olive oil is good for furniture.

I add table salt to the above concoction and use to scour the sink or tub (has not scratched
yet - but test first on a small area). This was my best discovery and
I have not purchased a scouring powder in years!

I also have not bought paper towels in years and use old socks as
cleaning rags for floor, old towels for kitchen work. I use an
old mesh (from an onion bag) as a dish scrubber (can be
disinfected with a soak in some bleach).

I love a clean home but refuse to pay the prices
for cleaning products that are bascially overscented and
watered down.

[momof1in150]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

sadly i have no BJs card, so the towels plus the membership would make them ineffective for me cost-wise. good to know for someone who does shop BJs

You can get a 1 day shopping pass for BJs and pay an additional 5% without a membershp. Might be worth it. I get my card through my church so it is only $20 a year and pays for itself.

[mom-from-missouri]

To polish brass, tarnished silver and copper, I make a paste out of salt and lemon juice.
Vinegar cleans bathrooms and windows

[mstrohm]

Here is a list of home made cleaners:

Thrifty Times - Stain Removal Recipes

[jhoylman]

I use this stuff from the dollar store called "Awesome Cleaner". It is $1 per bottle and works great on just about every surface. My favorite use for it is mopping the kitchen floor. Just spray it and mop it up.

Later,

Jared