Homemade Cleaners

I don't just get the "Spring Cleaning" urge in April. I also get it once the kids are back in school. (Let's face it, the summer was just too fun to spend time cleaning). I wanted to share a quick post about making your own household cleaners, and some things I have learned over the years.

1- White Vinegar is your friend. Seriously, I buy this by the gallon and go through it like you wouldn't believe. It is a great all-purpose cleaner, and because I live with hard water (bleh!) I know that vinegar is a wonderful cleaner for all those pesky hard-water deposits and build-ups and gross what-nots. Since I have a house full of kids, I don't like to use a lot of the harsher cleaning products, and I find that vinegar works wonderfully.
Vinegar also deodorizes. As soon as it dries the vinegar smell is gone and so is the 'what-on-earth!' smell. To make an all-purpose cleaner add equal parts vinegar and water to a spray bottle. Kitchen cleaning, bathroom cleaning, this is even safe enough for hardwood floors.

2- Baking Soda. I use baking soda in place of "scrubbing" cleaners. Just wet your sponge, put a small amount of baking soda on the scrubbing side and clean away! I use this all the time for my kitchen sink, because I don't need to worry that a residue of chemical is left from a harsher cleaner.

3- Alcohol. No I don't mean to take all the cares of cleaning away. Alcohol is a great evaporating agent. So, to make a glass/window cleaner: 1 cup water, 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar, and a few squirts of dish soap. Put it in a spray bottle and you have a great 'Windex' alternative.

Well, I hope that helps get you in the "Fall Cleaning" mood. Let me know if you use any other homemade cleaners and your recipes in the comments, share and share alike right? ;)