Homemade Cleaning Recipes

In the practice of frugality, I read several library books years ago, and wrote down various recipes for home cleaning. I have saved them in a yellow folder in my cookbook shelf, and pull them out when I need to make more! I like the idea of buying a few basic products and making them on my own. Here are several of the common ones I make...

Homemade Glass Cleaner
1 c. rubbing alcohol
1 c. water
1 Tbsp white vinegar

Place in spray bottle, shake. Great on chrome, mirrors, tiles too! You can add blue food coloring if you want.

OR

Window Cleaner (from Grocery Shrink)   Cost: 1 cent!
4 cups water
2 drops Joy dish detergent
1 drop blue food coloring

Mix in 32 spray bottle, shake to combine.

Dry carpet cleaner
2 cups baking soda
1/3 cup corn starch
1 Tbsp ground gloves

Store in jar with tight fitting lid. Shake and sprinkle on carpet, leave on overnight. Vacuum up next day.

Carpet Cleaner (non-greasy spills)
1/2 tsp dishwashing liquid
1 tbsp vinegar
1 cup warm water

Mix and blot on stain, rinse.

Disinfecting spray cleaner (from Grocery Shrink)    Cost: 59 cents!
This recipe is based on castille soap and an awesomely healthy cleaner. Just a touch of borax makes it disinfecting without becoming a toxin. You can change the scent by adding a few drops of essential oil, or by buying the castle soap that is already infused with essential oils.

1/4 cup vinegar (4 cents)
2 tsp borax (less than 1/2 cent)
1/4 cup liquid castille soap (Dr. Bronner's is the best brand, we like peppermint, any flavor will work.) (55 cents)
2 cups hot water
1 drop food coloring (optional)

Swirl all ingredients together in spray bottle. Shake before using.  Spray and wipe. Ideal for countertops, table tops, stove tops, high chair trays, etc.,

Soft Scrub
Works on greasy stuff, baked on around burners or around stove hood.

Make a paste with baking soda and hand washing dish detergent. Rub in a stiff brush or non-scratching pad. Rinse well.

Adding water to this to clean really dilutes the cleaning power. Save water for the end.

Toilet Cleaner  Cost: (from Grocery Shrink) 27 cents!
Add one cup borax to the toilet bowl and leave overnight. (Protect pets and babies from the toilet!) Swish with brush in morning and flush!

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You can read more about Grocery Shrink in this blog post here.  Some of the other cleaners are from The Complete Cheapskate by Mary Hunt.

I've found inexpensive spray bottles at the dollar store, but they don't always last. My favorite spray bottles are the old ones that my name brand glass cleaner/ disinfectant came in.

Do you have any homemade cleaning recipes that you make? Please feel free to share!


Psalm 18:20
The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

Psalm 51:2
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:7
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.