Home-made Cleaning Products

Everyone that I have talked to, who started down the path of making their own home cleaning products, had a different reason for starting. For me, it was my husband’s itchy skin reaction. I wondered if it might be caused by something in the laundry soap. But whatever their initial reason, most people continue because it is easy, fun and inexpensive.

The basic list of supplies needed to make your own products is very short, and readily available: baking soda, washing soda, borax, liquid soap or detergent, vinegar, and if you want, essential oils.

Some common misconceptions about homemade cleaning products are that they take a lot of work and that they do not work as well as store bought items. I have not found this to be the case. It only takes a minute to mix up a batch. When your spray bottle is empty - just fill it up again. No waste, no harsh chemicals.

As for the effectiveness of homemade cleaning products, these same ingredients have been used by generations of homemakers, and are based on the pH scale of acids and alkaline bases.

The price we pay is for a synthetic cleaner is very high. For example, a bottle of window cleaning spray costs between two and four dollars. Refilling an old container with a homemade solution of vinegar, water and a small amount of detergent is a fraction of the cost, and works just as effectively.

I hope you will enjoy the recipe listed below. It is from the book, “Better Home Basics”, by Annie Bertold-Bond.

All Purpose Cleaner

1 2/3 cup baking soda

1/2 cup liquid castile soap

1/2 cup water

2 Tablespoons vinegar

16 oz. bottle

Mix baking soda with liquid soap in bowl. Add water.

Add vinegar last. Shake well.

May also add essential oils


www.lavenderbasics.com

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