Homemade Cleaners {day 22}

Making Homemade Cleaners is cost effective. I’m not one of these homemakers who use green or homemade cleaners on everything because I have a very sensitive nose to certain smells. Several years ago, I tried cleaning only with a vinegar mixture and it was disastrous. Before traveling, I gave the bathroom a good cleaning and when I returned home two days later, icky bathroom smells were looming. I’ve even been in other people’s houses that are cleaned with green products and vinegar and the smell is horrible. While they don’t smell it, I do. If you have a sensitive nose, like mine I wouldn’t want you to come into my house and smell something bad. If you ever visit and smell weirdness, I'd like to know about it. Don't leave me in the dark, okay?

Homemade Cleaners

There are three cleaners I do make and use often: produce cleaner, window cleaner, and laundry soap. If you’ve been reading for a while, then you’ve probably read my laundry soap posts. If not, you might want to check them out.

Produce Cleaner – just rinsing your produce off in water doesn’t remove the wax that is put on them for shipping. When I think about the creepy, dirty hands that have been touching no telling what while packing my produce, I want to scrub those germs away. Vinegar is an all natural ingredient, that is safe to ingest and it works wonders as a produce cleaner. I use 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle. I spray everything down and let it drain in the colander and then rinse if off. If the wax on the apples has not come off completely, then I use a little vinegar on a piece of cloth and wipe it off. If I have a lot of produce that needs cleaning, then I will fill the sink with water and add the vinegar and then dump everything in.

Window Cleaner – ammonia and water is all I use. No added soap, vinegar, or alcohol. A good spray down and wipe with newspaper any you get sparkly clean, streak free windows. I have tried cleaning with several different lint free cloths and paper towels, nothing works like newspaper. Just wad a piece up and use it until it is too wet to use. I mix 2-3 Tablespoons of ammonia with a quart of water in a spray bottle. You don’t even have to buy a spray bottle; you can just reuse a store bought window cleaner bottle – a little extra money in your pocket.

Do you use homemade cleaners? Which ones do you make?

Have you missed any days of the 31 Days of Homemaking Series? You can catch up HERE.