Goodbye Aisle Seven!

Aisle seven is the cleaning supply aisle.  It’s the one that is filled from top to bottom with hundreds of bottles, sprays, and creams that promise to make your house sparkle, shine, and smell sensational. 

You can easily spend a small fortune on these products.  However, there is a different one.  It’s an old fashioned modern option called “Make Your Own”!  Step into the farm kitchen with me and see how easy it can be to make your own cleaning supplies!  Here are some of my favorite recipes for cleaning supplies.

Countertop Cleaner

I love hot, soapy, water for cleaning my countertops, but if you prefer a countertop spray, you can mix vinegar and water together in a spray bottle.  I mix one cup of vinegar with four cups of water.  You can make the cleaner stronger simply by adding more vinegar. 

Sink, Tub, and Shower Cleaner

Simply sprinkle baking soda on the sink, tub, or shower and scrub with a wet cloth.  Then, rinse.  For tough spots, I make a paste with baking soda and water.  Let it sit on the spot for a few minutes and scrub as usual.

Hardwood and Tile Floor Cleaner

A mixture of warm water and vinegar is all it takes to keep our floors looking clean and shiny.  You can wipe your floors with a cloth or a mop.  Of course, you have to sweep them first before you mop. This is the same as the countertop cleaner.  The more vinegar you add, the stronger the cleaner.  I usually use one part vinegar to four parts water.

Carpet and Trash Can Deodorizer
Sprinkle a little baking soda on your carpet and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.  Then, vacuum.  This will help neutralize any odors.  You can also sprinkle baking soda in your trash can to get rid of smells.  If you are able to compost food scraps instead of putting them in the trash can, this will really help your trash to not stink. 

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Drop two or three denture tablets in the toilet.  Let them dissolve, and then scrub as usual.  This will help your toilet bowl to be sparkly, shiny, and minty fresh!

Glass and Mirror Cleaner

Make a glass cleaning solution by mixing two tablespoons of cornstarch to one quart of warm water.  Wash your mirror or window with the solution.  Rinse out your cleaning cloth with clean water and wipe the window or mirror with the clean water.  Then, rub the window or mirror dry with a soft cloth. 

Laundry Soap

This literally comes out to cost pennies a load!
(This is for powdered detergent.) 
2 cups bar soap (finely grated)
1 cup washing soda (This is different than baking soda.)
1 cup borax
Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight plastic container.  Use ¼ cup per load of laundry.

Fabric Softener

Add ¼ cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of your washer.

Air Freshener

To make your house smell like freshly baked goodies, how about actually baking some?  Then, your house will smell great, and you’ll get a yummy treat after all your hard work!

Now that you see how easy and inexpensive it is to make your own cleaning supplies, you may never see aisle seven again!  So, goodbye aisle seven, hellooooooooo old fashioned, modern clean!   

  This story was inspired by my Grandma Dorothy, who is pictured above.  Grandma Dorothy is the best house keeper I have ever met.  She owns at least three vacuums (which have three different cleaning purposes) and dust screams at the mention of her name.