A Few Cleaning Recipes:

Frugal Household Recipes:

Laundry Soap:

1 bar Fels Naptha Soap, grated                            1 c. washing soda

1 c. borax                                                             1 c. baking soda

4 gallons of water

~Mix grated soap into 1 gallon hot water. Simmer mixture on stove till soap is dissolved.  Take off heat and stir in washing soda, borax, and baking soda. (In that order!!!)  Stir.  Pour into 5 gallon bucket, and add 3 gallons of water and stir.  Let stand 24 hours to thicken.  Pour through a funnel into used liquid detergent bottles, or leave in 5 gallon bucket.  Use 1 cup per load…more for bigger, dirtier loads, less for smaller loads.

**Optional: For extra greasy, muddy, dirty clothes, I sometimes add 4-5 cups of Tide liquid detergent to the bucket and stir.  Borax, washing soda, and baking soda are all laundry boosters, so for extra-soiled laundry, add ½ cup of either of them in place of Tide.  **Vinegar- in the fabric softener dispenser works just as well, but cheaper and healthier!

Household Cleaner Solution:

Spray Bottle: 3 pts. Vinegar + 1 pt water  (use on sinks, toilets, mirrors and glass)

Scouring Powder:

1.     Baking soda (a few shakes) + vinegar (a few splashes) for sinks and toilets (scrub away)

2.     1 c. baking soda

1 c. borax (dangerous if ingested)

¾ c. table salt

Mix together and store in a well-labeled shaker. 

 

Homemade Spray N’ Wash:

1 c. distilled water

1 c. rubbing alcohol

2 t. Dawn dishsoap

Mix together and store in well-labeled spray bottle

P.S.  I just discovered that this works GREAT on windows, appliances, bathroom fixtures, etc...

 

Shower Scrub:

Mix 1 c. baking soda in disposable bowl; add Dawn dishsoap till paste forms.  Using a scrubby or scrub-brush, scrub tub and shower down.  Rinse with water.  **For an organic alternative, use the baking soda + castile soap**