When you walk into the home of someone who has just cleaned, you are usually hit with the overpowering scent of chemicals. Bleaches, cleaners, polish, they’re all unavoidable smells, and while it may seem that the more chemically the place smells, the cleaner it must be, it’s not always the case. Many of these chemicals can be toxic and bad for the environment.
Yet cleaning the home is an inevitable part of life and a necessary one. The dust in your home can make you sneeze and cause allergic reactions. You also want to get rid of the bacteria that coat the surfaces of your home and make your family sick. When cold and flu season rolls around, a clean house can make all the difference in your family’s health.
Of course, all of these home cleaning products can get expensive. The bathroom cleaner is different from the kitchen cleaner, and then you need a toilet bowl cleaner and a glass cleaner. If you want to polish the wood in your home, you’ll need something for that, as well as something else for dusting other surfaces. Don’t forget about laundry and dishwasher detergent.
Before you know it, you’ve run up quite a bill at your local store, but what you don’t know is that you might have all the cleaning products you need in your pantry. You just have to mix them together. Check out these seven great DIY home cleaning solutions that will keep your house clean and your wallet happy.
Dynamite Floor Cleaner
You will need:
- 1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup baking soda
- 2 gallons warm tap water
Combine all of these ingredients in a bucket and use a mop to spread it around your kitchen or any other tiled or linoleum floor. Your floor will look clean enough to eat off, and it will smell fresh without that chemical smell.
Yellow Armpit Stain Remover
Chances are you’ve probably thrown out many white shirts because of those embarrassing yellow arm pit stains. It’s true, they’re not pleasant to look at, but they’re hard to avoid. If it’s warm outside, you want to wear white because it will reflect rather than trap the sunlight’s heat, which makes you cooler, but you can’t stop yourself from sweating on a hot summer day no matter how white your shirt is.
Mix up the following ingredients:
- One part Dawn dish soap
- Two parts hydrogen peroxide
- A dash of baking soda
Pour this DIY home cleaning solution directly onto the stained armpits. Let the shirt sit for a couple of hours with this solution, and then throw the shirt into the laundry with the other clothes. When it comes out, it should look as white as the day you bought it.
Oil Stain Remover
Having oil stains on your driveway can be a real eyesore, especially if the concrete is beige coloured, rather than a dark grey or black. They’re not easy to get rid of either, so don’t bother waiting for a rain shower. It won’t help take away the mark.
Instead try this: Pick up some Pour-N-Restore powder and cover the oil stain with the powder. Let it sit for a few minutes, then sweep it up into a dust pan. The oil will stick to the white powder particles and be swept away with it. Now you have a clean driveway once more.
DIY Dishwasher Detergent
Although many people like to do their own dishes in the sink, dishwashers are essential for any family. There is probably not enough time in your day to devote to doing the dishes at dinner time, and some dishes need a long wash. Try this great home cleaning solution and compare it with your store bought detergent now.
Gather these ingredients:
- Baking soda
- Borax or other all-natural household cleaner
Mix the ingredients in equal ratios. If you use one cup of one, use one cup of the other. Store in a container and label it so someone doesn’t mistake it for a beverage (they’d be in for a nasty shock). Treat this powder like any other commercial detergent. Spoon about two tablespoons into the washing container and turn on the washer. Your dishes will look clean and bright in no time.
Homemade Glass Cleaner
There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing streaks on your windows and mirrors after you’ve just cleaned them, but some glass cleaners leave those horrible streaks behind. Instead, try mixing this solution and see the difference.
You will need:
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol
- Water
- Spray Bottle
Combine the lemon juice and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Fill up the rest of the bottle with water and give it a little shake to make sure everything is mixed. Now go clean those windows and see the difference.
Tidy Toilet Bowl Cleaner
If there’s one place in the house you want to keep clean, it’s definitely the toilet. Treat it right with this great cleaner.
Fetch these ingredients:
- 1/4 cup of borax or baking soda
- 1 cup of vinegar
Mix these ingredients together in the toilet and let them soak for a good 15 minutes, maybe longer if it’s necessary and you have the time. Scrub the ingredients around after letting them sit and then flush to finish the project.
Easy-to-Make All-Purpose Cleaner
This type of cleaner can virtually be used anywhere on any surface, and it’s simple to make with just three ingredients.
They are:
- 1/4 cup of lemon juice
- 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide
- 2 cups of water
Mix these ingredients and adjust to your needs. The hydrogen peroxide is commonly used to kill germs on cuts and wounds, so you know it’s safe to use around kids and pets. It also bleaches your surfaces, and if needed, it can be added to a load of laundry in order to whiten your clothes. The citrus in the lemon will slice through any grease while leaving the surface smelling lemony fresh.
Fiona Wilson helps people all over Australia to better organise their homes and lives. Working closely with Wardrobe World and GarageSmart, she is incredibly passionate about finding practical lifestyle solutions for her clients.