Frugal | Tightwad Tuesday: Homemade Cleaning Products

Tightwad Tuesday: Homemade Cleaning Products

Posted by Lynnae on January 29, 2008

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Libman Mop

The Libman mop is my favorite mop. To clean, just throw the mop head in the washing machine.

One of the ways I save money is by not buying too many cleaning products.  It’s not only less expensive, but often it’s better for the environment to avoid harsh chemicals.  And with the right mix of ingredients, homemade cleaning solutions often work just as well, and sometimes better, than their store bought counterparts.

The three ingredients I always have on hand for cleaning are baking soda, vinegar, and Dawn dishwashing detergent.  You can clean almost anything with these three items.

To clean windows, mix 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar, and up to 1/2 teaspoon of Dawn in a spray bottle.  It cleans windows beautifully!

For floors, add 1 cup vinegar to 1 gallon hot water and mop away!

My favorite bathroom cleaner is a spray bottle filled with 1/2 cup Dawn and as much vinegar as the bottle holds.  It works better than any commercial tub cleaner I’ve ever tried!

For cleaning toilets, mix 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup Dawn, and 1/4 cup water.  Let sit on the toilet bowl for a couple of hours, swish with a toilet brush, and flush.

Plain baking soda works just like scouring powder.  It’s also great for deodorizing carpet.  Just sprinkle on the carpet, let sit for a while, and vacuum up!

Have you ever tried homemade cleaners?  What is your experience?  Do you have any great recipes?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Photo by jspatchwork.

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Comments

41 Responses to “Tightwad Tuesday: Homemade Cleaning Products”

  1. nomorespending on January 29th, 2008 12:01 pm

    I once tried homemade washing gloop, but gave up, too messy. I now use one tablet per wash with some white vinegar instead of softener.
    I haven’t bought cleaning products for ages, just vinegar, baking soda and an enviromentally friendly product called ‘Stardrops’. I’m not sure if its available outside the UK though
    :)

  2. Ron@TheWisdomJournal on January 29th, 2008 12:46 pm

    For tough greasy stains you can try the gel type hand cleaner that mechanics use. You can get a big ole tub for a few bucks and it will last a looooong time. It really works, too.

  3. Mrs. Micah on January 29th, 2008 2:36 pm

    I need a mop! I scrub floors because most of our apt is carpet and our kitchen and bathroom are so little…but I should really get a mop at some point.

    I definitely use making soda and the like. The grittyness really helps with my sink and bathtub, for instance. And for blocked bathtubs–baking soda followed by vinegar!

  4. Angela on January 29th, 2008 2:50 pm

    On your mix for floors what about hardwood?? Do you use the vinegar mix on vinyl flooring? I just use AJAX (or equivalent brand) on toilets etc and it’s quite inexpensive…not sure about environemntally friendly since it has bleach though.

  5. dawn on January 29th, 2008 3:41 pm

    I am going to try your bathroom cleaner recipe…
    Thanks!

  6. LJ on January 29th, 2008 3:47 pm

    I use baking soda for A LOT of things, it is great for deodorizing and can work wonders in a tub!
    I always use Dawn for homemade bubble solution (dawn and glycerin =really cheap to make, fun to use bubble solution!)

    Thanks for the recipes, I will have to try them out!

    Take Care

    LJ

  7. Mike Cruz on January 29th, 2008 5:52 pm

    great ideas….I need to get away from the cleaning by gadgetry syndrome!

  8. Léonie on January 29th, 2008 11:57 pm

    and it is good for our environment too, cause vinegar is just a natural product. thanks for posting that.

    take care,
    Léonie.

  9. Jay on January 30th, 2008 10:20 am

    I am wondering about the vinegar smell… is it strong, especially when mopping? I am trying to get away from ’store bought’ cleaners and have laminate wood flooring through out most of my home.

    Thanks,
    Jay

  10. Connie on January 30th, 2008 11:59 am

    I use the vinegar to clean bathrooms and the smell can be overpowering. But I would rather use it than all the chemical cleansers.

  11. RacerX on January 30th, 2008 3:11 pm

    The Dawn on Windows thing is an interesting idea. We have fairly hard water where we are and have a tough time with our shower glass.

  12. Becka on January 30th, 2008 8:39 pm

    I’m really glad I found this site. I’m 4 months pregnant and a clean freak. When the doctor told me no more cleaning with the current products I’ve been using (clorox, comet, and etc) I didn’t know what to do!

    Thanks so much for posting these. I’m going to give away all my cleaning products and just use your solutions!

  13. S.B. on January 31st, 2008 7:31 am

    Hi,
    I liked this article, so I linked to it from my blog. Thanks.

    S.B.
    http://bethriftylikeus.blogspot.com

  14. Val on January 31st, 2008 10:28 am

    I started using vinegar and water with a couple of drops of dawn in my swiffer wet jet. I poked a hole in the part of the container that would be towards the top when inserted into the mop. It’s a hole smaller than around my pinkie and I pour carefully. Then I put a bandaid over the top to avoid splashing if I drop the handle or it tips over when not in use, though its probably not necessary. The vinegar scent is strong at first, but it disappears as it dries. CVS also sells store brand pads for the bottom of the wetjet for a much better price.

  15. Alison@This Wasn't In The Plan on February 1st, 2008 12:46 pm

    Thanks for this! I already tried the toilet bowl cleaner and I think I’m converted!

  16. RecycleCindy on February 5th, 2008 3:23 pm

    Followed your post from MIFS carnival today. I love your blog site and hope to visit again. Frugal stuff rocks!

  17. Jessica on February 7th, 2008 7:19 pm

    I make my own laundry soap! Here’s the recipe:

    1 bar bath soap
    1 cup washing soda
    1 cup baking soda
    1 cup 20 Mule Team Borax

    Grind together in your food processor. Use 2 Tablespoons for a full load. I also use it for general housekeeping. It costs 2 or 3 cents per use.

    I also use Dawn to fight laundry stains, and white vinegar as a fabric softener. (The smell disappears when the clothes dry.)

    White vinegar is so versatile! I love using it as a rinse aid in my dishwasher, as well as for keeping ants off my counters. (Bugs can’t stand the taste of acid.)

    Your blog is awesome, Lynnae–keep up the good work!

  18. Jaymi on February 25th, 2008 9:43 pm

    Nowadays with Dawn liquid so concentrated, do you really need 1/4 cup? It seems like about half of that would do the trick. Plus be easier to rinse.
    Thanks for the tip. I love the idea of being frugal AND environmentally safe.

  19. The Happy Slob's Guide to Housecleaning on March 10th, 2008 1:58 pm

    Hey,

    :) I’m a huge advocate of homemade, natural cleaners. The one I talk about the most is the Very Vinegar Cleaner - so easy that it’s ridiculous!

    In a clean plastic spray bottle (nothing that has contained harsh chemicals) pour about 1/4 cup or so of white vinegar. Fill the rest of the way with cold tap water, and for good measure - a small squirt of natural liquid dishwashing soap. Gently shake the bottle to combine. Voila - instant cleaner that is good for literally every surface.

    I have a free listing of homemade cleaning recipes for all of you at http://www.happyslob.com/cleaningrecipes.html . Hope you save money by using these instead of harsh (and pricey!) chemicals.

    Take care,
    Christina

  20. roadkill on March 18th, 2008 4:10 pm

    What’s the product equivalent to Dawn in the uk?
    Can i buy it in the uk?

  21. Lynnae on March 18th, 2008 4:22 pm
    @roadkill - It looks like Dawn is only available in the U.S. and Canada. It’s a dishwashing detergent that’s known for it’s ability to cut through grease. Here’s the product link, so you know what to look for in the UK. I’d just experiment with a good dish detergent.
    http://www.dawn-dish.com/en_US/ultradawn.do
  22. SavingDiva on March 26th, 2008 8:11 am

    I’m out of toilet cleaner, so I’ll try your recipe. Does it have to be Dawn? Or can I use any dish detergent?

  23. Funny about Money on March 30th, 2008 8:11 pm

    I’ve taken to adding about a cup of vinegar to the dishwasher. We also have hard water–the vinegar eliminates that haze on glassware and makes everything come out sparkling clean, especially if you use an enzymatic dishwasher detergent.

    I’m also curious: Does it have to be Dawn? How about clear Ivory? Or a bit of laundry detergent?

    For hard floors (but not real wood and prob’ly not laminate), spring for the cost of an inexpensive steam cleaner. I call it “a steam iron on a stick.” Cleans floors magnificently with nothing but water! No mopping, no dirty mopwater smell, and no hassle. Soooo worth the cost!

  24. sky on March 31st, 2008 2:05 pm

    I found these to be great ideas but can’t use dawn. I am allergic to dyes and fragrance. We clean with diluted tea tree oil. It kills everything that bleach does but is much easier on the skin and the environment. We also use vinegar for the bathroom and kitchen fixtures. When scrubbing the tub we make a paste with baking soda, laundry soap (All Free and Clear), and a few drops of tea tree oil or peppermint oil to kill bacteria.

  25. Cricket on April 8th, 2008 4:21 am

    I keep a spray bottle handy in my kitchen with 1/4 vinegar, the rest water. I spray my stove top, counters, everything with it. I LOVE it. Someone was asking about the vinegar smell. It dissipates quickly, and freshens the air. A trick to get a burnt-toast smell or actual smoke out of a room quickly is to wave a rag that’s saturated with vinegar! Also, you can leave out an open bowl of it for awhile or overnight. It’s awesome at air-freshening. Vinegar is an acid. So don’t spray it and leave it set on porous surfaces such as marble. In addition it can scratch and dull plastic over time (like the outside of your coffee maker.) Great post. I’m always happy to meet frugal people. I am linking you from my site http://beingbooga.com. Happy Blogging!

  26. Heather on April 16th, 2008 6:22 am

    My favorite cleaner is the following:
    1/2 cup vinegar
    1/3-1/2 cup scented rubbing alcohol
    fill the rest of the spray bottle up with water.

    The scented alcohol covers the vinegar smell (I hate that smell) and speeds up drying time!

  27. Heather on April 16th, 2008 6:23 am

    I forgot to mention in my comment above:
    I have found both wintergreen scented rubbing alcohol and citrus scented. It is located in the pharmacy section of your favorite store. I have been able to get mine a the dollar store!

  28. Gwen on April 19th, 2008 6:40 pm

    I keep these things on hand at all times:

    Calgon water softener
    vinegar
    baking soda
    murphy’s oil soap
    wintergreen rubbing alcohol
    regular (not ultra) Dawn
    20 Mule Team Borax (cold water & borax gets stains out of clothes, even most old stains)

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