The Home Series – Surprising DIY Cleaning Supplies

Our new ‘The Home Series’ covers everything from maintenance tips, repairs, design and decorating, organization, to buying and selling a house, and so much more – but really just about the way we all live in our homes.

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Surprising DIY Cleaning Supplies

No need to quote statistics, we all know the economy has been eating us alive with rising prices, shrink-flation at the grocery store, product recalls and unstable finance rates. Amidst it all, I’m sure you’ve noticed the cost of household cleaning supplies, yikes! But there are alternatives, indeed almost all cleaning products can be DIY’ed with a few common pantry supplies.

We use a lot of Vinegar in this house, infrequently as a food ingredient but repeatedly as a cleaner. Vinegar is a safe natural disinfectant and though the odor can initially be a bit unpleasant, it dissipates quickly and leaves your house hygienic and smelling fresh. Vinegar and alcohol works great on windows and mirrors, use vinegar with baking soda for carpet stains, vinegar, borax and a drop or two of essential oil makes a powerful all-purpose spray cleaner. Even for mopping floors, vinegar and alcohol with water and a drop or two of dish soap results in an easy no-rinse surface cleanser. There really is no debate- vinegar is the stuff of magic as eco friendly as you can get and inexpensive besides. But did you know that so many other common household supplies can easily replace potentially hazardous chemical cleaners?

Borax and a pot of boiling water left to soak in the toilet bowl will make the task of toilet cleaning so much easier. The same two ingredients can clear up a drain clog in no time.

Lemon juice and olive oil will bring the luster back to wood surfaces. It is not, however, advisable to use olive oil on wood floors as it can present a slipping hazard.

Metal can, and probably should be cleaned with gentle household products for instance: salt and lemon juice for copper-bottom pans, baking soda, salt and water in a homemade foil bowl silverware, chrome and stainless steel benefit greatly from a paste simply made of baking soda and water, and you can shine up those brass candlesticks with a little salt mixed with cornstarch and lemon juice.

Cleaning and freshening your home is a simple way to improve your quality of live and need not cost a fortune, and I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface here. As a matter of fact you can do it all for next to nothing with a quick internet search and a few every day pantry products. Linda Cobb – The Queen of Clean is my absolute favorite source for everything DIY. RIS Media also published a hand full of brilliant tips, I’ve added them below.

4 Unexpected Household Items to Clean With

Did you know you can clean your home with toothpaste? How about ketchup? Whether you’re trying to avoid harsh chemicals, or are just looking to get creative with what you have, below are four strange items you can clean your home with.

Toothpaste. Do you notice hard water stains on the exterior of your home or car windows? A little toothpaste can take care of that. Choose a non-gel variety, squirt a bit of paste onto a clean, damp rag, and rub in a circular motion to remove the stains. Wipe down with a clean, wet sponge or cloth to remove paste residue.

Vinegar. There are myriad ways to use white vinegar to clean your home. Make a mixture of half vinegar, half water to clean your walls, counters, shelves, fridge, and more. Have a pesky clogged drain? Skip the harsh chemical-ridden products. Simply dump two tablespoons of baking soda down the drain and follow it with a cup of vinegar for a fizzy, clean effect.

Ketchup. America’s favorite condiment also makes a terrific cleaner for brass, jewelry, and silver. Why? The tomatoes in ketchup boost its acetic acid content to around 4 percent.

Olive oil. Is your coffee or dining room table riddled with rings from cold or warm beverages? Buff it out with a mixture of olive oil and salt. Stay patient. After you remove the mixture, it can take several hours to show its magical effect. Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2017. All rights reserved.