Homemade Cleaning Aids

Through the years I have gleaned files and files of ideas that help me as a wife,
mother, homemaker.Some of my favourite ideas are the homemade cleaning products. I love the feeling it gives me when I measure and brew, creating all sorts of concoctions that I can use to clean my house. I should have been a mad scientist!
Before you begin making your own cleaning aids remember to NEVER mix chlorine bleach
with ammonia products, lye, toilet bowl cleaners, rust removers, vinegar, oven cleaner or any
other cleaning agents. Such combinations release a dangerous gas that if inhaled, can cause
injury or death. Remember that some scouring powders contain chlorine bleach also.
Here is a list of cleaning products and how to make your own homemade version. They are all economical...you don’t have to have money to be clean! In fact, I went to a thrifty living class on cleaning and the woman had ALL store bought cleaning products! I almost fainted! The only time that you should have commercial products in your cupboards is if you bought them on sale and with a coupon! : )

HOMEMADE CLEANING PRODUCTS
Chemically treated dust cloth: Soft rag (soaked in vinegar and then dried.)

Treated floor mop: Soft rag (treated in vinegar as above) over broom or mop.

Tile Mildew cleaner: Bleach in spray bottle. Spray and leave on area for 15 min. Rinse with water.

Sticky Goo Remover: Orange essential oil (will have a reaction with some plastics, test small area first.)

Window cleaner: Combine and mix well in a gallon container- 2 Tbsp. non-sudsy ammonia, 1 tsp. liquid dish soap, 1 pt. rubbing alcohol, 1 or 2 drops blue food color, and finish filling with tap water.

Fine Wood Furniture Polish: 1/3 cup boiled linseed oil, 1/3 cup turpentine (not paint thinner),
1/3 cup vinegar. Combine and mix well. Wipe on with a slightly damp soft rag. Polish and shine.

Scented Furniture Wax: ½ cup beeswax, 2 ½ cups turpentine, 1 Tbsp. soap, 1 ½ cups strong herbal infusion (herbs and water boiled down to make a concentrated brew.) Lavender, roses or lemon peels make a wonderful scent.
Melt beeswax in turpentine over LOW heat source. In another pan, bring infusion to a boil and add grated soap until melted. Allow both mixtures to cool and then blend together until it is thick and creamy. Store in container.

Disinfectant spray: 1 pt. alcohol, 1 pt. water, 6 drops lemon essential oil, 6 drops orange essential oil, 12 drops tea tree essential oil. Combine in quart spray bottle. Some may question the use of expensive essential oils, however, a little goes a long way and they can also be used for medicinal purposes.

All-purpose cleaner for woodwork and painted walls: 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup vinegar, 3/4 cup sal soda (found in grocery stores in laundry section.) Wear gloves when using.

Drain Opener: 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup salt, ½ cup vinegar, 1 qt. boiling water
Pour soda, salt and vinegar into drain. Wait 15 min. and then flush with boiling water. If this doesn’t work, rent a snake, then use drain opener weekly.

Oven Cleaner: 1 cup ammonia, 3 cups boiling water
Warm oven to 200 degrees for about 20 minuets, then turn off oven. Fill a 9 x 13 pan with water and place on bottom rack in oven. Place small bowl of ammonia on top rack in oven and quickly close the oven door. Open windows, doors, etc..., to ventilate vapours. Leave cleaner in oven over night. The next day, ventilate room and stand back as you open oven door. Leave room until strong vapours are gone. Wash off the inside of oven with a liquid dish soap and water. Luckily, more modern ovens now have the self-cleaning feature.

Abrasive cleaner for porcelain: Flannel cloth sprinkled with salt.

Upholstery and carpet shampoo: Suds from detergent OR 6 Tbsp. white soap flakes, 1 pt. boiling water, 2 Tbsp. ammonia or borax
Dissolve soap in boiling water. Add borax or ammonia. Let stand until it jells. Brush in circular motion over area that is soiled. Wipe up the soiled suds with a clean, dry terry cloth. If necessary, repeat. Let dry completely before using.

Wallpaper cleaner: Stale chunks of bread, rubbed over wall-paper in even, vertical strokes.

Ceramic tile cleaner: Equal parts of ammonia and vinegar mixed with water.

Copper cleaner: Dip half a lemon in salt and rub the object. Rinse in hot water and polish with a soft cloth.

Silver polish: Place silverware in an aluminum pan and fill with a gallon of hat water to which one Tbsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking soda have been added. Swish silver around for several minutes, rinse well and polish with a soft cloth.

Aluminum cleaner: If pan is discoloured, boil rhubarb or tomatoes in it to remove stain.

Scratch remover: Dark woods- dye the scratches with iodine. Repeat application until scratch disappears. Light woods: rub the scratched area with the cut surface of walnut or Brazil nut meat. Natural woods: treat the scratched area with mineral oil.

Carpet Deodorizer: 1 box baking soda, 12 drops of favourite essential oil. Mix together in jar. Sprinkle on rug, let set for a couple of minutes then vacuum.

Degreaser: 1 Tbsp. deodorized kerosene, 1 quart water. Mix and wipe over area with soft cloth then dry.

Soft Scouring cleanser: 1/4 cup soap flakes, 2 tsp. borax, 1 ½ cups boiling water, 1/4 cup whiting (hardware or paint store). Dissolve soap and borax in boiling water. Cool. Add whiting and mix well. Store in plastic squeeze top container (an empty catsup bottle works well). Additional whiting may be added if you want a more abrasive cleanser. Shake well each time you use.

Lime remover: Vinegar, Salt. Mix equal parts and apply to area. Let set for 30 minutes. Scrub off with scouring pad. Larger batch can be made by adding water into container with vinegar and salt and soaking item (such as shower head) for specified time.

Toilet bowl cleaner: 1 tsp. ammonia, 1 cup hydrogen peroxide, ½ gal. water. Mix water, ammonia and peroxide in large container. Plunge toilet to remove water. Pour mixture into toilet and let stand for 1 hour. Scrub and flush.

Rusty bowl ring cleaner: Borax, Lemon juice. Make a paste and rub on rust stains. Let set for 1 hour. Scrub throughly with a pumice stone.

Pewter Cleaner: Rub with cabbage leaves

There are so many great sites on the internet for homemade cleaners! Here are a few of my favorites: http://www.naturodoc.com/library/lifestyle/cleaner.htm
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/home/cleaning-recipes.shtml
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/8088/clngrn.html