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3 DIY Cleaners to Save Money at Home

Posted at 2:45 PM, Apr 12, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-12 16:45:32-04

With just a few products, you can keep your home clean and fresh. The best part for me about making my own cleaners and soaps is that instead of buying a new bottle when something runs out, I can just refill them with incredibly inexpensive products that not only save money, but are also proven to be effective!

Many of my solutions utilize vinegar, baking soda or a concentrated soap. But before we go into the ingredients, I am focusing mostly today on cleaning products, which physically wipe away germs and grime, not disinfectant products that kill germs on the spot and keep them from reproducing (we will leave that to bleach!).

Cleaning product ingredients:

Vinegar - Dissolves dirt, soap scum and hard water deposits. It can be used for anything from cleaning hardwood floors and eliminating mildew to replacing fabric softeners. It's an odor neutralizer, so don't be afraid to add it to your laundry, wash your hair with it, or pour it down a stinky sink!  Mix with equal parts water to make a cleaning spray.

Baking soda - It's a great odor destroyer and neutralizer, and also makes for a good scouring product. Sprinkle down drains, in toilets, on mattresses and wherever else you could use some abrasive scrubbing or deodorizing. Use it to add shine to the sink or other surfaces.

Lemon essential oil - Lemon has antibacterial properties, and also great at dissolving buildup. It also smells amazing! Add 5-15 drops of essential oil to your cleaning solutions as a nice boost, or even just mix with water as a disinfectant!

Castile Soap - Just a few squirts of a concentrated, castile soap like Dr. Bronner's in water (look at your container of castile soap for the measurements) makes for a powerful cleanser for bodies, dishes, clothes and anything else you need cleaned. It's non-toxic and plant-based, and is free of harmful chemicals.

Hydrogen Peroxide - This product is actually recognized to kill many harmful germs, and in fact, Clorox uses it in some of their non-bleach products as an effective disinfectant. Use a 2-ounce HP to 22-ounce water ratio to dilute, and spray on/wipe off surfaces to disinfect (it can discolor some surfaces so test first). I like to use my vinegar spray on top of it and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping!

Hope this helps you clean without the chemicals, and save money by refilling your bottles! I love to refill mine in SLC at HelloBulk Markets.