Whether your concern is the environment or saving money by making your own household cleaning supplies, you can make them with simple ingredients you may already have on hand. Here are some basic recipes you can mix up to replace equivalent name brand products you may normally purchase; including approximately how much you could save doing so.
Furniture, Fabric and Hard Surface Disinfectant (Savings = $3.50 per Bottle)
1 Teaspoon of Bleach (Bleach is a sodium and is toxic undiluted but breaks down to the basic element of salt after being exposed to air. Children's toys and eating surfaces are safe to use after they dry completely and pose no risk of harm.)
32 Ounces of Water
3 Drops of an Essential Oil of your choice (Optional)
- Mix in a spray bottle set on “mist”, and use as you would Lysol spray. Let sit on hard surfaces for 2 minutes before wiping.
Fabric Softener (Savings = $3.00 per 40 Oz)
1 12-16 Oz Bottle of Suave Conditioner
20 Ounces of Water
8 Ounces of White Vinegar
10 Drops of Lavender or any Essential Oil of your Choice (Optional)
1 Tablespoon of Xanthan Gum for thickening (Optional and Available in Most Grocery Stores on the Baking Aisle)
- Mix in a blender if using xanthan gum for faster results and fill your old fabric softener bottle and use 2 Oz per load in the rinse cycle.
Laundry Detergent in a Pinch (Savings = $5.00 for 35 Loads)
4 Ounces of Arm & Hammer Washing Soda
4 Ounces of Borax
4 Ounces of Quality Concentrated Dishwashing Liquid such as Dawn or Gain
1 Gallon of Water
- Pour water in a pot and bring to boil, turn heat off, add washing soda and borax, stir until dissolved, add dishwashing liquid and stir over medium heat until thickens. Using ½ cup per load this will clean 35 loads. The cost to make each batch is about $0.75!
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