Tuesday 24 May 2011

Clean Cleaning

Well I promised you a recipe for a dish washing powder that you can make yourself, but wait, there's more!!  Yes I am going to show you how you can clean all of your home with just a few different recipe cleaning products.  Now when I go down the aisle at the supermarket for cleaners, washing powders etc I just aim straight ahead and then go down the next aisle.  I have absolutely no business down there whatsoever! 

Not only am I saving money, but I am creating a cleaner, more healthy home for my family.  With allergies in our family this has been brilliant for us.  I can safely wash our clothes and know no one will get itchy skin.  I can clean the benches and know it's not going to affect our girls.

Now without further ado, here are the recipes I use...

Dish washing powder:


1 cup washing soda
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup citric acid


Blend washing soda until fine, then add and blend other ingredients. Use 1 tablespoon per load in dishwasher. You can use white vinegar in the rinse.


Window/glass cleaner:

2 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
a few drops of liquid detergent
add a few drops of lavender oil if you like

Mix together in a good quality spray bottle and spray onto glass.  Wipe clean with a dry cloth.  I washed these windows today using a wet cloth and this product, and the aluminium frames came up a treat as well.  Simple and quick.

Shower Cleaner:

500ml water
500ml white vinegar

Mix in a good quality spray bottle.  Spray on shower, vanity and toilet then wipe clean with a damp cloth.  I also use this in the kitchen for surfaces. 

For cleaning hobs I sprinkle baking soda all over the top then spray shower cleaner over the b.s. and leave for 15mins or so.  Then all the grime just wipes away.  I use it in the oven as well. 

Washing Powder:

1 cup washing soda
1 cup baking soda
60ml liquid castile soap
drops of essential oil if you like

Blend the washing soda until fine.  Add the baking soda, liquid soap and essential oil.  Mix until blended well.  Use one tablespoon in an average load.  Your washing will come out smelling wonderful and so clean as well.

Floor cleaner:

4 litres of hot water
1 cup white vinegar
half a squeezed lemon

Put in a bucket and wash floors with mop.  Your floors will smell lovely with the lemon and they will come up a treat.


*All of these ingredients, except the liquid castile soap, I found in our local supermarket.  The washing soda can be found near the clothes washing powders.  The liquid soap came from the health shop.  These cleaners are a fraction of the cost of bought ones and are all natural. 

*I found these recipes online and from Wendyl Nissen's book, A Home Companion.

*And of course, use these products at your risk.  Please don't blame me if something awful happens!  It's what I use and I haven't had any problems.

8 comments:

Pomona said...

A post after my own heart! I also use vinegar with a bit of lavender oil in the rinse compartment of the washing machine. And if you can't get castile soap, you can grate plain white soap and boil it up with water and washing soda to make laundry gloop!

I have a Sew Mama Sew giveaway on my blog - hope you might join in?

Hope all's well with you and yours anyway.

Pomona x

Serenata said...

Everything looks lovely clean and sparkly and fresh. The book is great isn't it Sarah. I managed to get it before I left NZ when Mum and I popped out shopping.

Cat said...

I have just finished making my laundry liquid this evening! Last night was dishwasher powder and the weekend was my spray cleaner!
Isn't Wendyl just a breath of fresh air!

Beki said...

I clean my windows, hob and floors the same way but haven't tried the washing powder so perhaps that should be next on my list xx

janjan said...

I use 50/50 meths and water in a spray bottle for polishing glass and stainless steel, wiped over a kitchen sink drainer it stops the water marks and polishes up the taps a treat.
The sinks get bicarb and vinegar down the drains for a weekly clean out, bicarb gets used for scouring out the coffee and tea stains in cups.
I save a fortune on my cleaning products.
I'm looking for something to clean the grout behind my bathroom sink, it looks a bit mouldy (black) anyone with any ideas.

Jan

polkadotpeticoat said...

Thank you ,these are solid gold recipes to me!
these work so much better than what you can but also!

Unknown said...

Great tips my mum swears by white vineger and baking soda ;-)) The old ways are best, dee x

Robyn said...

Thanks for the great recipes. Working well.