Cleaning is a chore that never goes away, especially on the homestead. My kitchen takes a hit from so much food preparation, my bathrooms from my children and husband (Sorry Greg, I am blaming you too) floors from an old dog that sleeps in the corner. When my children were sick I would try and sterilize my home with Lysol and bleach. I assumed like many people that a house wasn’t clean unless it was sterile.
I found out later that this belief was actually harming my children because a sterile environment is not the healthiest choice for your children or your family. It turns out that some exposure to germs and microorganisms in early childhood is actually good for us because it helps develop the immune system. Today there are more allergies in children than ever before in history, For the last century, human beings have tried as hard as possible to wall off their bodies from the microbial world of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. We’ve deliberately separated ourselves because of the fear of disease
Not only do chemical cleaners inhibit developing immune systems but many are toxic and listed as possible carcinogens. The very products I was using to clean my home were listed as pesticides and carcinogens. I would never spray Raid around my children to kill insects so why was I using a product like Lysol? So the horribly ironic thing about this is that to keep my children safe, free of sickness and disease, I expose them to cancer-causing products. I knew there had to be a better way.
After much trial and error, I have developed my favorite inexpensive cleaners for my home. The products that I use are easily found and are safer for the environment and my family.
These are the main ingredients in my homemade cleaning products:
~I do not enjoy the smell of vinegar so I use essential oils with my cleaning products. Many essential oils inhibit germs on their own, such as tea tree oil.
Baking Soda:  A natural mineral that works as an effective degreaser and odor absorber and a scrubber
Washing Soda:Â A natural mineral similar to Baking soda but stronger
Liquid Castile soap: Such a Dr. Bronner’s provides sudsing action
Lemon Juice: Whitening and antibacterial
Coarse Salt: Is an abrasive cleaning agent that is excellent for scrubbing sinks and bathtubs
Hydrogen Peroxide: Anti-bacterial, disinfecting, whitening and non-toxic.
Essential Oils: Many are antibacterial, antifungal and they smell nice and hide the strong vinegar smell.
White Vinegar: A natural disinfecting agent with many antibacterial properties white vinegar is in almost everything
Natural cleansers will work for just about anywhere. These recipes will help you get the job done without having to resort to chemical cleaners, everything from soap scum to greasy stovetops.
Basic Vinegar All-Purpose Cleaner
- 1 Cup Vinegar
- 4 Cups Water
Pour into a spray bottle and use a light disinfectant.
Variation~ Soak citrus peels in the vinegar for a few weeks, add the citrus vinegar to the water and use as an all-purpose cleaner.
Basic Baking Soda Scrub
- 1 Cup Baking Soda
Just enough water to make a paste. I use this to scour greasy pots, scrub the bathroom tub or sinks. This can be made ahead and stored in a container until you are ready to use. Often I add Liquid Castile soap and for really tough stains, coarse salt.
Oven Cleaner
- 1 cup Baking Soda 1/2 cup of washing soda
- 1 tbs Castile Liquid Soap
- 1/8 cup of White Vinegar
Make sure the oven is completely cool before cleaning. Wipe off surface soot and any fresh spills. Combine sodas and soap the slowly add hot water until you have a thick paste, add a few drops of vinegar.
Soap Scum Cleaner
Make a paste with baking soda and vinegar (see Basic Baking Soda Scrub above) but use vinegar instead of water. Add a few drops of tea tree or and a squirt of liquid soap and mix. Apply to your soap scummed shower, let sit for 30 minutes and then scrub off.
Automatic Dishwashing Soap
- 2 cups of washing soda
- 2 cups baking soda
- 10-20 drops of essential oil of your choice
Combine all ingredients well. Store in an airtight jar or container. Use 2 tablespoons per load of dishes.
Tea Kettle Cleaner
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 4 cups of water
This recipe is great at getting off build-up on the inside of your tea kettle. Boil 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 4 cups of water. Pour out the mixture and then boil two more pots of plain water in your tea kettle before using the kettle to make tea.
Drain Cleaner
- 1/2 cup baking soda or washing soda
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1 gallon of boiling water
If you can clean your drain from both the top and bottom first using a snake or bent metal coat hanger. Remove all the hair and gunk. Pour the soda down the drain and slowly add the vinegar. Wait 5 minutes and then pour the gallon of water down the drain. Wait 30 minutes and then repeat if the drain is still clogged.
Wood Floor Cleaner
- 1 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 gallon of hot water
- 1-2 Tbs of essential oils
- 2 Tbs of liquid soap (optional)
This recipe cleans and conditions wood floors. Use a mop or damp rag to clean your floor. The soap will help clean the floor but you might have to follow up with just a water cleaning to get all the soap off.
Clothes Washing Powder
- 16 cups of baking soda
- 12 cups of washing soda
- 8 cups of grated castile soap
- 3 Tbs of essential oil
Combine sodas and grated soap. Add essential oils and mix with a whisk. Use a 1/8 cup per load. This recipe is safe for high-efficiency machines because of its low sudsing action and makes enough soap to last a family of 4 for a year.
Bleach and Brightener Substitute
- 1 cup hydrogen peroxide
- 1/4 cup lemon or grapefruit juice
- 12 cups of water
This can be used in place of bleach. Use 2 cups of load per mixture of clothes.
Glass Cleaner
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 white vinegar
- 1 tsp liquid soap (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle. For normal everyday windows don’t add the liquid soap, for dusty or dirty windows add the liquid soap. Use a dry washcloth, wadded up newspaper, or microfiber to clean windows and mirrors. Do NOT use vinegar water on eyeglasses, it peels the plastic layers.
If you have a favorite homemade cleaner, please share it with us! We are always looking for more recipes or easier ways of cleaning.
