Money Saving IDEAS!

Making your own cleaners

Making cleaners does not mean that you need to purchase a ton of items; in fact, most cleaners can be made from things you already have in your house. The main components that I like to work with are white vinegar, baking soda, liquid dish washing soap, and lemon juice. To get started, however, you may need to purchase a few spray bottles. I pick these spray bottles up from our local dollar store. These clear spray bottles will make it easy to measure and label your new cleaners in your house.

All-Purpose Cleaner - Mix together two tablespoons of mild dishwashing soap and two cups of water in a spray bottle and give it a shake. Use this anywhere that you would use a commercial all-purpose spray. This cleaner is particularly great for countertops, bathroom surfaces, and high chairs.

Glass Cleaner - Mix together one part white vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle. Spray this solution on your mirrors and windows and dry your windows with newspaper. The newspaper is great for lint-free drying.

Homemade Oven Cleaner/Deep Kitchen Cleaner - Mix a paste of three parts warm water to one part baking soda to clean away kitchen stains or to clean your oven.

Bathroom Cleaner - Mix dish washing liquid with baking soda until you have a thick paste and use this throughout your bathroom.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner - No measuring is required with this recipe. Sprinkle a little baking soda into your toilet bowl and then pour a little vinegar in and watch it fizz it up. Give it a swish with your toilet brush and then flush.

Floor Cleaner - Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water. The scent of the vinegar will fade in approximately an hour, but you can also add a couple of drops of essential oil to help with the scent.

Furniture Polish - Mix 1/4 cup olive oil with four tablespoons of vinegar and two teaspoons of lemon juice. Pour into a spray bottle and shake well before using. If you do not use all of it in one cleaning session, store the remainder in the fridge, as the lemon juice can go sour.

Silver Cleaner - Although I don't polish silver very frequently, this is a great to have in your bag of tricks. In a large bowl (or you can use your kitchen sink), place strips of aluminum foil and place the silver pieces on top. Cover the silver with boiling water and then add three tablespoons of baking soda and soak for ten minutes.

By making your own cleaners, you will save hundreds of dollars over the course of the year. What a difference that will make to your grocery budget and helping the environment is also a wonderful benefit of your fabulous frugalness.

Taken from: stretcher.com

My Thoughts:
I believe that we should be wise in how we spend our money. It is so easy to get caught up in the world and what it offers. What it offers may not really be what we need and or want. I have enjoyed this site and found some very handy and helpful things one can do to help S T R E T C H our dollars.