Homemade Cleaners

I personally love to make my own household cleaners.  There is literally a recipe for almost anything.  This helps to cut down on the amount of harmful chemicals in your home and helps you to save lots of money!  Here are the recipes that I use in my own home!   


Laundry Detergent:
Click here for my recipe!

Not my photo but this is what my finished product looks like :)  Photo is from here 

Dishwasher Detergent:

• 2 c borax

• 2 c Arm & Hammer washing soda

• 2 c lemi shine*

• 1 c kosher salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until mixed.
2. The citric acid in the lemi shine will make the mixture get a bit hard.   I suggest letting this mixture sit out in a bowl for a couple of days, stirring often.  You will still get a few little clumps of detergent, but that is ok.  
3. Fill your rinse aid spot with white vinegar.  (This is sooo much cheaper then Jet Dry or other rinse aids and makes a big difference in how your dishes will turn out!)
4. Use 1 tbs of detergent per load of dishes.  

*You can experiment with the lemi shine amount.  The original recipe I found and modified called for only 1 cup but said to add more if you have hard water.  

Dishwasher Rinse Aid

Fill the rinse aid spot on your dishwasher with white vinegar as needed.  Works just as good as Jet Dry at a fraction of the cost.

Glass Cleaner:

Most recipes call for vinegar and water.  However that doesn't really give a streak free shine.  Here is a recipe that gives a streak free shine!

• 1 c. Water

• 2 Tbsp White Vinegar

• 2 Tbsp. Rubbing Alcohol

• 1 1/2 tsp. corn starch

Mix all the ingredients in a spray bottle.  Be sure to shake up the contents well before using since the cornstarch will settle!

All Purpose Cleaner:

• 2 tsp Castile Soap

• 5 Tbsp White Vinegar

• 2 tsp Borax

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 4 c. Water

Mix all the ingredients together in a spray bottle.  Use on everything except glass.  If you wish you can also add a tsp of essential oils in your favorite fragrance to make it smell good!

I hope you enjoy these recipes and Happy Crafting (and cleaning)!