With the official beginning of Spring already behind us and Summer quickly approaching, I have been (thinking of) doing a deep, thorough cleaning of my home. With “Baby K” due at the end of July I’m waiting for my nesting instincts to set in (oh, I hope they do!). My love for cleaning is not as much fun these days with a 14 month old that I must keep all ears and eyes on. So daily surface level cleaning happens but the nitty-gritty, “don’t look in that corner” cleaning just doesn’t.
Several weeks ago, I posted a video of the limited number of cleaning supplies that I use. Almost all of these items can already be found in your home and are thus huge money-savers when it comes to cleaning supplies. Whip up a simple batch of each of these recipes and you’re ready to go!
I’m a firm believer that these three simple ingredients are all you really need around your home to get most everything clean:
Vinegar
Baking Soda
Hot water
And these are mainly what I use. I won’t bore you with the long lists of things that these ingredients can do, but if you haven’t already discovered their amazingness, here they are:
All of the few cleaning concoctions that I keep handy and consistently use around our house contain at least one of these ingredients. You can make them fancier (aka smell better) by adding a few drops of essential oils or scented castile soap but they really aren’t necessary. Below you’ll find the concoctions that I always have on hand:
All Purpose Cleaner
2 tsp Borax
4 Tbs vinegar
3 c. hot water
Shake before spraying. Note: It does contain a small amount of borax which makes it slightly toxic.
*I use this exclusively in my kitchen but you could also use it in the bathroom.
Window/Mirror Cleaner
3 Tbs vinegar
½ tsp dish soap
2 c hot water
Spray on and wipe off with a lint-free cloth.
Disinfectant Spray
1 part vinegar
1 part hot water
Non-Abrasive Scrub
Baking soda
Hot water
Some people make a paste. That takes too much time for me. I simply shake it out of the box, wet my “scrubby” sponge and scrub away. Add a little more water as needed. Rinse completely. I then follow up with my disinfectant spray.
*I use this in my sinks and bathtub.
Toilet Bowel Cleaner
Vinegar
Essential oils (grapefruit extract oil or tea tree oil), if desired
Baking soda (if needed)
Flush to empty bowel and turn off water flow (Not necessary, but then I have to use less vinegar to disinfect). Pour in some vinegar and a few drops of essential oil and scrub with brush. Let sit and flush at a later time. If you need scrubbing capacity, add a small amount of baking soda.
Carpet Stain Remover
Vinegar
I spray to saturate the stain and immediately rub/blot up. Keep adding vinegar until stain is gone. It works! I also use this on my furniture but not with 100% results.
Furniture Polish
1/3 c vinegar
1 c olive oil
Rub on with lint-free cloth. Rub off with a different cloth.
*I only use this twice a year.
They are literally THAT simple.
And for those occasional cleaning times, I also keep fresh lemons or lemon juice and salt on hand. Again, the uses for these items are endless.
What are your favorite cleaning concoctions?
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This post was linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom, Seasonal Celebrations at Natural Motherhood, Homestead Barn Hop at The Prairie Homestead, Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist, The Welcome Home Link-up at Raising Arrows, Fat Tuesdays at Real Food Forager, WLWW at Women Living Well, Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways at Frugally Sustainable, Real Food Wednesdays at Kelly the Kitchen Kop
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