DIY Cleaning Products

They say if you pinch pennies, the dollars will pinch themselves. I’d like to think that all the little things I do, like turning off lights, bundling my errands, and shopping in bulk add up to make a difference. Another way I like to save a few bucks is making my cleaning products at home.

Laundry Detergent

I have saved a TON of money making my own laundry detergent. I made a year’s worth for a few bucks using this recipe. It’s pretty simple, smells clean, and works great. Gets rid of pet, urine and BO smells and doesn’t leave a residue. I will confess, it does not not remove the smell of mildew so I keep a bit of the commercial stuff on hand just in case.

Disinfectant Spray

I have tried a few different methods, but this is my favorite:

• 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol
• 1 tbs of dish soap
• 1 cup of water

Put it in a spray bottle and go to town. It works great, smells great, and actually looks like it killing germs. Don’t ask me how, it just does.

Bathroom cleaner

I believe very strongly in bleaching the bathroom. I like it when my bathroom smells like bleach. It makes me feel safe. So I just use diluted bleach in a spray bottle (about 1:5 bleach to water ratio) to clean my tub and surfaces and pour bleach directly in my toilet bowl. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that.

Floor cleaner

Vinegar. I have laminate and tile in my house, and I simply use diluted vinegar (about a 1:4 dilution.) The smell is strong but it goes away pretty quickly and takes the other household odors with it.

Baking Soda

I use baking soda in a few different ways. I sprinkle it on carpets, mattresses, and furniture and vacuum it it up to remove pet odors (I have a lot of animals.) I also sprinkle it in my garbage disposal when it starts to smell funny and then pour hot lemon juice in.

photo credit: https://www.1stclasscleaningnyc.com/harmful-cleaning-products/the-most-common-ammonia-based-cleaning-products.html