Natural Cleaning Supplies

Here you will find my ever growing list of natural clean supplies recipes. I have been making these for some time now. I make them for several reason:

• To save money.
• to know and control what ingredients are in my environment, going into my home and on my body. (NO TOXINS!)
• To reduce the amount of unwanted packaging coming into the house.
•  and as a way to recycle the bottles I already have.

If you have some of your own I would love to have the recipe and try it out. Feel free to add your’s here…

Liquid Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Ivory Soap, grated
1/2 cup Washing Soda-Sodium Carbonate- (not baking soda)
1/2 cup Borax
1 oz. Lavender essential oil (or your favorite scent)
5 gallon bucket with lid

• Using a cheese grater, the larger hole side grate, your bar soap.
• In a pot add 6 cups of water and grated soap and heat to a boil, continue until soap is melted.
• to this add the washing soda and borax, continue to stir until dissolved well and remove from heat and pour into your bucket.
• Add 4 cups HOT water into the bucket and stir until everything is mixed well.
• Add 1 gallon plus 6 cups cold water and stir.
• stir in essential oil well, cover bucket and let sit 24 hours.
• In 24 hours remove cover and your soap should be a thin gel. Use 1/2 cup per load to wash.

I use a downy fabric softener ball with white vinegar for the rinse cycle.

Note:
We have a septic system and powders aren’t good for it. The original recipe called for soap flakes but here in the US soap flakes are not easily available. There are other recipes that call for Fels Naptha soap, but this has petroleum in it, so I choose to use pure Ivory soap.

Home made Liquid dish soap:

1 gallon of warm water

2 cups shredded bar soap (I use Ivory)

Large pot

2 Tbl. liquid glycerin

½ cup lemon juice

2-5 drops essential oil (I like eucalyptus)

5 drops tea tree oil (Antibacterial)

• Mix warm water and soap flakes in a large pot.
• Dissolve the soap flakes in the water on the stove over low heat. Continually stir the mix while it is heating.
• Stir in the glycerin and remove from heat.
• Let cool until almost room temperature.
• then add lemon juice (or white vinegar).
• Mix in your favorite essential oil and tea tree oil.
• Pour the mixture into bottles and shake well.

But anyone that knows me knows that I can’t leave things alone and am always looking to make things easier. Here is how I make mine:

• I have a large plastic juice container I use and this is the amount of water I use. I pour hot water into my pot and turn it on high to heat up.
• While it’s heating I grate 1 bar of castlie soap and put it in the pot. Stir often to melt soap into water.
• Once it’s melted I turn off the heat and add the liquid glycerin and let it cool to room temperature.

Then add:

• 1/2 cup lemon juice and essential oils, plus the tea tree oil.
• Stir well and pour back into my bottle.

4/09 Update:

Since I first posted this I have received several questions about the liquid being on the thin/runny side. Yes, this is much thinner than a store bought variety. I find that it still works very well and I usually use about 1/2-3/4 of a cup per sink of water. Mine lasts about 1 week, we do alot of dishes here. If let set much longer than that it will start to become moldy. It’s because of the water and lemon juice going bad. Water and lemon do grow bacteria!

I also only use enough water to fill the container I use to store the soap in, not as much as the recipe calls for.

Oven Cleaner

I keep this recipe mix in an old jar and just use a bit when needed. I have a self cleaning oven so I don’t ever have that much clean up to do. I also keep a sheet of aluminum foil in the oven and place it under anything I bake that might spill over while cooking.

3/4 cup salt
1/2 cup Borax
32 oz. Baking Soda
Water
Vinegar

Mix all dry ingredients together and store in a glass jar. When ready to use pour out a small amount into a bowl and add small amount of water to make a paste. Spread it on the oven and let sit one half hour. Wipe off with a clean cloth and vinegar.

Scouring Pads

I have always trade with a neighbor for the loofah she grows, cut them into 1″ thick slices and scrub away with my favorite cleaner. When used up, rinse well and toss into the compost.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1 cup of white vinegar left in the bowl overnight and scrubbed in the morning.

Antibacterial/Anti fungal multipurpose Cleaner

4 Tbl. lemon juice
1 Tbl. Tea Tree oil

equal parts white vinegar and distilled water.
mixed together in a spray bottle. Shake before using.

Window Wash

1/3rd part ammonia
2/3rds part water

Mixed together in a spray bottle.

Window Wash #2 from Mitchell

• • 1/3 Ammonia
  • 1/3 Alcohol (rubbing)
  • 1/3 water

put in spray bottle. This works very well on windows and glass mirrors. Dries very quickly.

Carpet Fresh

1 old jar
Baking soda (1lb.)
20 drops essential Oil

mix together in glass jar. Sprinkle on carpet and let sit overnight, vacuum the next day.