Healthy Home, Healthy Planet!
In my quest to reduce my plastic pollution AND make my home healthier with fewer chemicals, I am venturing into the exciting prospect of making my own cleaning supplies & air fresheners.
Using commercial cleaners dramatically contributes to indoor air pollution, which can be an enormous problem for those who suffer from asthma or allergies. They also leave toxic residue behind, which can cause other dangerous health conditions, making your family ill. Making homemade cleaners is not only safer, but they are relatively inexpensive to create yourself. Not only are they better for the environment, they are safer for your family.
I hope you join me in trying some of these non-toxic & green homemade recipes.
Easy 3 ingredient Laundry Soap
I love this recipe, because I can use whatever scent I desire, the ingredients are inexpensive & I don’t have to buy any plastic packaging to make this!
Measure into a large bowl:
2 cups washing soda (Sodium Carbonate)
1 cup baking soda (Bicarbonate of Soda)
1/2 cup-3/4 cup grated Castile Soap (I like Dr. Bronner’s) unscented or scented ( I like lavender)
Pour into a glass container to store mixture.
Use 1/8 cup (2 TBSP) per load. Or more for heavily soiled clothes.
Best with warm water.
Laundry Pods
1 bar pure castile soap (Dr. Bronner’s comes in multiple scents)
2 1/2 cup washing soda- found in laundry detergent aisle
1 cup white vinegar
optional-10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil, if soap is not scented & you want a scent
2 ice cube trays
1. Grate the castile soap using a box grater. You can also cut it into chunks and blend in a food processor-(much easier!).
2. In a large bowl, add soap, washing soda, vinegar and 10-15 drops of essential oil (if using).
3. Stir immediately until combined and chunks begin to form. Add a little more vinegar if necessary. (Avoid touching the mixture directly with your hands, as it can dry out your skin.)
4. Spoon mixture into ice cube trays and pack down tightly with the back of the spoon.
5. Let sit to dry overnight.
6. Use one pod per load of laundry in both regular and HE washing machines. Use 2 pods for heavily soiled loads.
Store in an airtight container.
+I found if I am doing a cold water wash, it works better to dissolve the pod in a cup of hot water, then add to washer- (as it takes the pod a while to dissolve in cold water.)
Liquid Laundry Soap
I love this recipe because I can use whatever scent I desire. Use a container with a tight fitting lid, because you will need to shake it well before use, as the mixture separates.
2 cups hot water
1 cup baking soda
1/3 cup salt
1 cup liquid castile soap, (I like Dr. Bronner’s) unscented or scented
optional: 10-15 drops essential oil, if castile soap is not scented & you want scent
In container with lid, combine water, baking soda & salt & shake to dissolve. Add castile soap & essential oil.
Use 1/4 cup per load. Shake well as the mixture will separate.
Floor Cleaners
Homemade All Purpose Floor Cleaner
This fantastic cleaner will work on every hard flooring surface in your home, including your hardwood floor, laminate, vinyl flooring, linoleum & tile.
2 cups warm water
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup rubbing alcohol
3 drops eco-friendly liquid dish soap (make sure it doesn’t contain any antibacterial ingredients, moisturizers, or oxygen bleach & not castile soap that leaves streaks)
5-10 drops essential oil of your choice
Combine ingredients in a bucket. You may want to double this recipe. This recipe is ideal for eliminating many different types of stains and will leave your floor smelling and looking like new.
Homemade Wood Floor Cleaner
You can use warm water & a mop to clean your floors daily. If your wood floor is filthy, you can use this recipe to get it clean. This formula does double duty as it polishes your floor, leaving them with a beautiful natural sheen.
1-gallon hot water
1/4 or 1/2 cup olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a bucket. Using a mop that you’ve thoroughly wrung out, apply the solution to your floors. Allow it to air dry.
The hot water & the lemon juice clean the floors, while the olive oil works to polish them. You don’t need to rinse the solution when you’ve finished, once it’s dry your floors will look great.
Information from:
Homemade Dish Soap
Mix 2 cups of Dr. Bronner‘s Castile soap (I’ve used it full strength, but can try it diluted) with 12 to 15 drops of your favorite essential oil.
Squirt on a scrub brush & scrub dishes.
Easy Peasy!
Stainless Steel Cleaner
So much better than the chemical-laden store bought polish that left me with a headache.
Mix in a spray bottle:
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1/3 white vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
Spray on stainless steel & rub with a soft cloth. Polish with a soft cloth & olive oil (I used an old tee shirt rag)
No Scrub Tub Cleaner
The vinegar & dish soap work together to tackle soap scum & dirty tub rings.
Mix in a spray bottle:
1/2 cup warm vinegar
1/2 cup eco friendly liquid dish soap
Spray on dirty tub.
Let sit for 20 minutes — or a few hours if dealing with tough stains — wipe clean & rinse.
Homemade Wood Polish & Dusting Spray
This recipe will pick up dust & polish surfaces at the same time. Smells great without any nasty synthetic fragrances.
3 parts olive oil
1 part white vinegar
15-30 drop essential oil (optional) I like a citrus scent
Mix all three ingredients in a small jar or spray bottle. (Small batches are better to keep oil fresh. I used 3 TBSP olive oil & 1 TBSP vinegar) Shake well until olive oil is emulsified. Dip a clean old sock or rag into the mixture or use a spray bottle. Shake frequently to keep mixed.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Bleach & toxic chemicals are not good for your septic system or your health, so consider mixing up this cleaner with ingredients easily found in your home. Makes enough to clean several toilets- best used straight away.
1/2 cup baking soda
1/4 cup Dr. Bronner’s liquid Castile soap
10 drops essential oil of your choice (I like tea tree or a citrus scent)
1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide
1 cup hot water
1/4 cup vinegar
In a large bowl, mix baking soda, liquid Castile soap & essential oil. Add hydrogen peroxide, then hot water, whisking gently. Add vinegar & stir until foaming stops. Funnel into a squeeze bottle. Squirt under the rim of toilet & let sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub clean & flush.
Foaming Hand Soap
In a foaming soap dispenser:
1/3 cup Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap, unscented
2 tsp almond oil
15-20 drops essential oil, scent of your choice
Fill dispenser with water to 1/2” from top. Shake well.
Fresh Lemon Dishwasher Detergent
Looking for an easy, all-natural recipe for homemade dishwasher detergent? This Fresh Lemon Homemade Dishwasher Liquid uses real lemons, salt & vinegar to make liquid dishwasher detergent that is effective & non-toxic. Smells amazing when you cook the lemons!
2 cups diced lemon (Use both the rind & fruit with seeds removed, about 4 medium lemons)
3 1/2 cups water (Divided into 1 ½ cups and 2 cups)
4 oz white vinegar
1 cup kosher salt
Cut lemons into small ¼ inch thick chunks, making sure all seeds are removed. Place the lemons into a small sauce pan with 1 ½ cup of water.
Heat the lemons & water to a slow boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until water is reduced and syrupy & lemons are very tender. Make sure to stir frequently, add water if needed. Add the cooked lemon & syrup mixture to blender with 2 cups of water, blend on high until very smooth. Strain lemon mixture back into your saucepan using a small colander. (I was left with approximately 1 Tbsp of pulp and rind.) Add vinegar and salt to saucepan & stir until well combined.
Bring mixture to a slow boil & cook for 10-15 allowing it to thicken slightly. It will be the consistency of runny applesauce when done.
Cool completely in sauce pan, stirring occasionally to incorporate salty crust that may form on the top.
To wash dishes: Fill your dishwasher detergent dispenser with the fresh lemon gel. I use about 1/4 cup of detergent.
WHY FRESH LEMON HOMEMADE DISHWASHER DETERGENT WORKS
There are five (5) reasons why Fresh Lemon Homemade Dishwasher Liquid works well.
The citric acid in the lemons helps to clean mineral deposits.
The naturally occurring lemon oil in the rind has antibacterial & cleaning properties.
The white vinegar contains acetic acid which is a good degreaser, descaler, & also helps as a rinse agent to soften hard water.
The acid in the lemon juice is a great degreaser.
The kosher salt acts as a mild preservative & scouring agent.
The rind & white pith of the lemon are rich in pectin, a natural thickening agent. The high pectin level is why the mixture forms a gel. Do not leave out the rind and pith!
Recipe from: https://brendid.com/fresh-lemon-homemade-dishwasher-detergent/
Baking Soda Odor Eater
This air freshener is easy to make & great since it constantly emits a light scent, while the baking soda works to absorb any unwanted smells. When you need more scent, just give it a little shake! This works best in a small space like a pantry, a cupboard or a small room.
A small glass jar
1/2 cup baking soda
A piece of cloth or sturdy paper to cover the jar (which will allow the scent, but not the contents to escape the jar)
Essential oils of your choice, 15-25 drops
Add 1/2 of a cup of baking soda & 15-25 drops of essential oil to the jar & stir them together.
Place the lid & jar covering (cloth or paper) on top & you are ready to go!
Give the jar a little shake whenever you need to release a bit of scent.
Classic Spray Air Freshener
I LOVE making my own scent combinations with essential oils.
This is a rosemary mint blend in my new amber spray bottle. (Dark glass is preferred to extend the life of the essential oils). What scents do you prefer?
A small spray bottle
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup rubbing alcohol (80-90% alcohol-I could only find 70% so I used that)
essential oils of your choice, 15-25 drops
Combine water with rubbing alcohol.
Add 15-25 drops of essential oil of your choice (depending on how strong you want the scent)
Shake the mixture before spraying.
Store in an amber or darker color glass spray bottle.