There are a variety of reasons that you may want to create your own household cleaners. Sometimes you have emergency spills and messes that and do not permit you the time required to rush to the store and back; sometimes homemade household cleaners are gentler on upholstery, carpet and leather than store bought products; natural cleaning products can be safer for the environment; and sometimes they are simply better at removing stains, odors, dirt and debris and liquids than store bought products.
Homemade cleaners can be used as both spot cleaners and deep cleaners for large areas. Below are 7 homemade household cleaners to keep in mind for the next time you have the need for a household cleaning product, three for spot cleaning and four for area cleaning.
Removing Stains and Bringing Out Shine
1) Rubbing Alcohol/Vinegar and Rubbing Alcohol/Water
A mixture of 1 part alcohol to 3 parts vinegar makes an excellent surface cleaner — particularly for kitchens, counters and bathrooms. Both do a great deal to remove odors and sanitize.
Additionally, a 1-to-1 alcohol to water mixture is one of the best solutions there is for cleaning both stains out of carpets and performing large area deep cleans. Dirt, dust, debris and mud can all be removed quickly and effortlessly with this combination. It also works very well on sugar-based stains such as soda, chewing tobacco and junk food.
An alcohol and water is also good for delicates matters like cleaning draperies. As both the water and alcohol evaporate, neither leave behind a residue that can discolor the draperies or attract lint and dust.
2) Liquid Dish Detergent and Water
For a shaggy carpet or a spot cleaner of very porous upholstery, mix liquid dish soap with water at a 1-to-1 ratio. Dip a cloth towel in the cleaner and rub it over the affected area thoroughly. Once you have sufficiently dampened the area, work straight water in over the area with a fresh towel. Continue rubbing fresh water onto the area until suds and bubbles no longer appear and the stain is gone.
3) Liquid Dish Detergent, Water & Vinegar
For upholstery that does not absorb liquids quickly, this combination works well as a deep cleaner. Mix the ingredients in a spray bottle and liberally saturate the upholstery. Follow-up by wiping it down thoroughly with a wet rag. Again, clean the upholstery with the wet rag until there suds and bubbles from the detergent no longer appear.
Vinegar can leave an odor if not removed completely, so be careful about using it on furniture, rugs and carpet that does not dry quickly.
4) White Wine and Alcohol
Surprisingly, white wine works well to remove red wine stains. In a 1-to-1 part mixture, alcohol and white wine do an incredible job of removing them!
Homemade Steam Cleaning Solutions
5) Alcohol, Un-scented Dish Soap and Essential Oil
Most people assume that steam cleaning solutions require complex mixtures of chemicals that can only be store bought. The fact is, one of the best combinations there is for steam cleaners is rubbing alcohol, dish soap and whatever fragrance of essential oil you would like to scent your house with. Mix water 3:1 with alcohol, the dish soap at 3:1 with the alcohol and the essential oil at 3:1 with the unscented dish soap.
6) Baking Soda and Water
If you have a stain you have been fighting and you can rough the upholstery a little — if you are doing draperies cleaning for example, — mix baking soda and water and thoroughly scrub the stain. Afterwards, clean the baking soda off with a heavy amount of water.
7) Pre-Clean Stain Treatment
If you are concerned about a stain that has dried and set-in, mix hydrogen peroxide with dish soap at a 2:1 ratio. Mix the ingredients well, then pour the mixture over the stain. Allow the hydrogen peroxide/dish soap mixture to react with the stain, then use whatever cleaning agent you would typically use to finish the job.
+Jodi Call ll has spent the last 12 years taking on home remodel and decorating projects. She blogs regularly offering tips and advice for your home decorating needs at bedbathstore.com