Going Green-A Guide to Natural, DIY, Cleaning Supplies.

Homemade household cleaners are a great way to save money and live a more chemical free life.  Along with the many household uses for vinegar, there are other DIY household cleaners that you should consider adding to your must try list. Enjoy!

DIY Window Cleaner… a green alternative.

Window cleaner can be expensive and full of harsh chemicals, but there is a DIY alternative that works just as good as the store bought kind.  Clean windows and mirrors with DIY Window Cleaner and a paper towel or absorbent flour sack towel.  Whether it’s daily cleaning, or windows that have been slobbered on by a loving family dog, this DIY cleaner will get the job done.

DIY Window Cleaner

Ingredients

10 ounces rubbing alcohol
10 ounces water
3 teaspoons vinegar
splash of blue food coloring (optional)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in spray bottle and gentle shake to mix.  

 

DIY Laundry Detergent

Ingredients

1 bar (5.5 ounces) Fels-Naptha soap
1 cup washing soda
1 cup borax

 Directions

Use a cheese grater to grate the soap.  Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and stir together to combine them really well.  Alternatively you could pour them all into a 1/2 gallon jar and shake the ingredients to combine.  Recipe yields approximately 1 quart.  Use 1-2 tablespoons per load of laundry depending on what you are treating.  For front load washers, you can put the laundry detergent in the drum prior to adding clothes. 

DIY Dishwasher Detergent

Ingredients

2 cups washing soda
1/2 cup borax
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup citric acid
Sprinkle rice

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together in a plastic tub or 1/2 gallon jar that you can seal and shake.  Stir everything together until well mixed, but if you have a container with a lid that seals well, go ahead and shake it up too.  The sprinkle of rice is to help prevent the dishwasher detergent from clumping together in the container.
Yields three cups.  Use 1 tablespoon per dishwasher load.