Ammonia-good grease cutter, wax stripper, and window cleaner. NEVER MIX WITH BLEACH!!!
Bleach
-great for whitening anything, removing molds and mildews, and general cleaning. Best used diluted with water.
DO NOT MIX BLEACH WITH VINEGAR, TOILET BOWL CLEANER, OR AMMONIA. The combination of bleach with any of these substances produces a toxic gas which can be hazardous. We want to save money without jeopardizing our lives!
Baking Soda
- Extremely versatile, baking soda is an all-purpose, non-toxic cleaner. It cleans, deodorizes, scours, polishes and removes stains. There are entire books out about the zillions of uses of baking soda, and the best thing about it is that it's cheap!
Borax
:(sodium borate) It deodorizes, removes stains and boosts the cleaning power of soap. It also
prevents mold and odors. Great alternative for those who do not want to use bleach.
Cornstarch
: cleans and deodorizes carpets and rugs, you can use this to replace expensive "baby powders" also.
Ketchup
-great for cleaning copper
Lemon juice
-great for whitening items, but vinegar is cheaper . It also cuts through grease and stains on aluminum and porcelain
Pure Soap
: cleans just about anything and is mild
Salt
: believe it or not, regular table salt makes an abrasive, but gentle, scouring powder. Who would have known?
Washing Soda
:(sodium carbonate) Cuts grease and disinfects. It will also increase the cleaning power
of soap.
White Vinegar
-very cheap and versatile, great for whitening, also fantastic for cleaning hard surfaces, windows and shining up metal surfaces. Removes mildew, stains, grease and wax buildup. This is another natural cleaner that whole books have been written on!
All Purpose Cleaner (From Rodale's Book of Practical Formulas)
2 cups rubbing alcohol (70% isoprophyl)
1 tablespoon mild dishwashing liquid (for handwashing dishes, NOT dishwasher detergent-it contains bleach!)
1 tablespoon ammonia
2 quarts water
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl. Fill a CLEAN spray bottle (not recycled one) with cleaner and store the rest tightly sealed in a large bottle. Use with a cloth or sponge to clean the bathroom fixtures, kitchen fixtures, appliances, chrome, plastic countertops, and painted surfaces. Rinse with a clean cloth or sponge after cleaning.
Here are some more cheap basic cleaner recipes...
1. Scouring Powder - use straight baking soda.
2. Soft Scrubber - combine 1/4 cup baking soda and enough detergent to make a frosting texture.
3. Window Cleaner - 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 cups water, and 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent in a spray bottle.
4. Oven Cleaner - Cover bottom of stove with 1/4 inch of baking soda. Sprinkle or spray water over the baking soda to keep it moist. Let it sit overnight and then clean out with a sponge.
5. Furniture Cleaner - 1/4 cup of vinegar in a bowl and then add a 3-5 drops of vegetable oil.
6. Drain Cleaner - 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by 3 cups of boiling water.
7. All Purpose Cleaner - 1/2 teaspoon of washing soda with 2 cups of hot water in a spray bottle.
8. Antibacterial Spray - 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.
9. Laundry Detergent - Chop or flake a bar of soap (your choice) into a saucepan with enough water to cover the soap. Heat (not boil) the soap until it's completely dissolved
into liquid. Add that to 3 gallons of water. Mix well and then add 1 cup of washing
soda (not baking soda or washing powders). Mix well again and then let cool.
