There are tons and tons of commercial home cleaning products to choose from down the aisles of the shops that we frequent. Manufacturers, via their ads on various media, have made the most out of convincing us that all the different surfaces in our homes require a different cleaning product. In the cleaning hullabaloo thus created, many homeowners have rushed to buy this and that cleaning product and in the process spent lots of cash that could have been used wisely elsewhere or put into savings for that matter.
Making your own home cleaning products is a sound alternative to all the commercial cleaning product frenzy out there, and there are lots of benefits to it. Home cleaning products just require some simple and inexpensive ingredients and the equally simple recipe will result in an effective cleaning solution that will be just as efficient and even better.
Given that today’s commercial cleaning products are laden with a myriad of toxic substances and pollutants, it is of essence to appreciate that our long term health is put at risk with their sustained use and disposal. Research by the US National Center for Health Statistics informs that a reduction in the use of synthetic chemicals used domestically is a crucial treatment component for 1 in 3 of people suffering from asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis and allergies.
The decision to make your own home cleaning products is also a valuable addition to the ongoing awareness of environmental responsibility. The increasing number of green solutions being launched by green businesses worldwide is the way to go for the creation of sustainable economies. Your home’s economy will certainly benefit from your decision to concoct your own home cleaning products.
-Common Ingredients for Home Cleaning Products
The following are some of the ingredients you will use regularly in your home cleaning product recipes:
- Baking soda – It is effective for cleaning, scouring, deodorizing, and water softening.
- Lemon – It is a strong food acid that is most effective against many types of household bacteria.
- Borax – It is effective for cleaning, deodorizing, and disinfecting painted walls, floors, and wallpaper. It’s also good for water softening purposes.
- White vinegar – It is effective at cutting grease and wax build-ups, and removing mildew, assorted odors, and assorted stains.
- Washing soda – It is useful for cutting grease, stain removal, the cleaning of sinks, tubs, walls and tiles, and water softening. It is however not used for aluminum surfaces. It’s also used sparingly to avoid mucous membrane irritations.
- Isopropyl alcohol – This is a most effective disinfectant but which should also be used with caution as a body buildup can contribute to illness.
- Cornstarch – It is effective for cleaning windows, shampooing rugs and carpets, and polishing furniture.
- Citrus solvent – This substance is used for cleaning paint brushes, some types of stains, and oil and grease buildups. Some people may get eye, skin and/or lung irritations with its use.
- Soap – The best varieties to use are the unscented and biodegradable types often available as bars, flakes, powders, or liquids.
As you proceed to make your own home cleaning products you should always remember not to mix substances that contain ammonia and bleach as ingredients. This combination results in toxic fumes.
1General Purpose Cleaner and Scrubber
Procedure: Combine all the ingredients. In the absence of washing soda 1tsp of baking soda is sufficient.
2Glass Cleaner
Ingredients: 2tbsps ammonia, ½ cup alcohol, ¼tsp dishwashing liquid, water and blue food color.
Procedure: Mix the ammonia, dishwashing liquid, alcohol, and food color, then add in an amount of water sufficient to make 1 quart. In the absence of ammonia you can use 3tbsps lemon juice or vinegar.
3Furniture Polish
Ingredients: 1tbsp lemon juice/vinegar, 1tbsp boiled linseed oil and 1 tbsp turpentine.
Procedure: Have all the above in a glass jar that is tightly lidded and shake until the mixture is fully blended. To use it take a cloth dampened with cold water and fully wrung then saturate it with the mixture. Dab the same on a small area of the furniture and then polish with a soft cloth after 30mins. This home cleaner tends to get gummy with time so it’s prudent to only make an amount enough for a day’s work.
4Floor Wax Remover
Ingredients: 1 cup of laundry detergent, ¾ cup ammonia, 1 gallon of warm water.
Procedure: All the ingredients are mixed together. The resulting cleaner is applied to a part of the floor and in 5-10mins it will have loosened the old wax. Depending on the quantity the old wax can either be mopped up or scraped off. The floor is then given a thorough rinse using a solution made from 1 cup vinegar and a gallon of water prior to the application of a new finish.
5Mildew Remover
Ingredients: 1tbsp laundry detergent (powdered), 1 quart of chlorine bleach, 2 quarts of water.
Procedure: All these ingredients are mixed in a bucket and having put on a pair of rubber gloves you can proceed to clean off the mildew.
6Toilet Cleaner
Ingredients: 1 cup borax, ¼ cup lemon juice/vinegar.
Procedure: The ingredients are mixed together to form a paste. This is then applied to the toilet bowl’s inner side and allowed to sit for 1-2 hours. A thorough scrub and rinse follows and the bowl will soon be gleaming.
7Rug Cleaner
Ingredients: ¼ tsp dishwashing liquid, a cup of lukewarm water
Procedure: The ingredients are mixed in a spray bottle. The solution can then be sprayed over a large portion of the rug or alternatively spot-sprayed to target non-greasy stains. The use of dishwater detergent or laundry detergent is ill-advised as the additives these contain may alter the color of the rug.
8Wood Floor Polish
Ingredients: ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of vegetable oil
Procedure: The two are mixed well and rubbed on the floor before being buffed clean using a dry cloth.
9Heavy-Duty disinfectant cum cleaner
Ingredients: ¼ cup of laundry detergent (powdered), ¾ cup of hot water, ¼ cup of pine-based cleaner or pine oil, and 1tbsp borax.
Procedure: The borax and detergent are slowly stirred in the water until they are fully dissolved. The pine oil is then added. Bathroom cleaning requires a full-strength solution but for kitchen cleaning dilution with water is recommended.
10Wood Floor Polish
Ingredients: ¾ cup of baking soda, ¼ cup of borax, and dishwashing liquid.
Procedure: The three ingredients are thoroughly mixed together in a sufficient amount of dishwashing liquid until a smooth paste is attained.
These are but some of the home cleaning products you can make at home and end up saving considerable amounts of money as well as sustaining your good health.
