Keeping it Frugal: Super Easy Recipes for Home Cleaners & Detergents

Easy & natural cleaners. An added bonus: they are good for the environment! 

The average American family spends $57 a month on household supplies. That would include all cleaners, paper goods, etc. Who wants to spend that much on cleaners (I haven't learned how to make my own kleenex yet, so...that number is probably around $40-45 a month. Seriously, you can make your own for PENNIES - with hardly any time investment (quicker than running to the store!) and it is super satisfying. I love that I am teaching my kids to be wise with their money...and there is money left over to share with people in need, or purchase school clothes or go on a vacation. :) $40 dollars a month adds up to $480 dollars a year! Yep, that makes a difference in our budget. 


All these recipes I use in my home, they work & are tested daily! :)

My little sweeties helping mom make the cleaners :) They love these projects!

Super-quick, super-easy, super-cheap Recipes for Home Cleaners: 

Liquid Laundry Detergent: 
Active time - 10-15 minutes   Inactive time - 24 hours
(all these items are located in the laundry detergent aisle at Wal-Mart - once you purchase these supplies, you will be set for a very long time!)
Ingredients:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha (Ivory, or home made natural soap - use entire bar) 
1/2 cup Washing Soda (not Baking Soda!) 
1/2 cup Borax 
Small bucket (2 gallon size)


Directions:
Grate the soap (on your cheese grater) 
Put it into a medium or large sauce pan
Add 6 cups of water, heating until soap melts.


Add the washing soda & the borax and stir until dissolved.


Remove from heat.
Pour 4 cups of hot water into the bucket.
Add the soap mixture to the bucket and stir.
Add 1 gallon (16 cups), plus 6 cups of water and stir. (a total of 22 cups of water on this last step)
Add fragrance if desired - 1/2 to 1 oz essential oil. (any essential oil that you enjoy!)


Cover bucket and let sit for 24 hours before using. It will not turn into a gel. It will look more like "egg noodle soup". :) But, it works GREAT! And smells delicious! If your clothes are extra grimy, you may want to add a scoop of borax into the washer or pretreat them with your home made Oxy Clean (see recipe below).


Usage - 1 cup. I just saved my old Tide bottle and pour the detergent into there. Though I would rather use something with a ball jar...just haven't come up with the right thing yet! :)
Recipe from: Crystal Miller


Fabric Softener: Active prep time - 5 minutes
This is so easy & cheap, it is criminal what we pay for Fabric Softener in the store!!
This recipe will fill one 67 fl. oz, fabric softener container.
Ingredients:
4 cups hot water
2 cups baking soda
Mix two ingredients together in a medium to large bowl that has a pouring lip.
Add 2 cups white vinegar
Add fragrance if desired.


Instructions:
Combine hot water and baking soda. Add white vinegar and fragrance. Give it a good stir, then use a funnel and pour your softener into the empty fabric softener bottle. Easy! Ready to use immediately.


Usage - I use the max line on the cap.  

Not my picture, but this is a great idea. I would also add the recipe to the containers so you don't have to hunt it down. Make it easy for yourself!

Powdered Dishwasher Detergent: Active prep time - 2 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups of baking soda (I just bought an enormous box for $11! I use it for everything!)
2 cups of borax


Instructions:
Mix together & store in glass ball jar. Fill dishwasher compartment as normal.
I also use white vinegar in the drying agent portion. Gets the glasses nice and sparkling. 


Glass Cleaner: Active prep time - 2 minutes
Ingredients:
1/4 c. rubbing alcohol
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 c. warm water
Essential oil, if desired.

Instructions:

Stir and pour into your spray bottle. Shake before using. Use newspapers to wipe the glass. Perfection achieved at .50 cents a bottle! whoo-hoo!! 

Recipe from: www.crunchybetty.com

Home Made Oxy Clean: Active prep time - 5 minutes
Ingredients:1 cup water
1/2 cup peroxide
1/2 cup baking soda

Instructions:

Combine ingredients then place directly onto stained laundry.
Let it soak on the stain for at least 20 minutes (or overnight if you prefer). Then launder clothes as usual.

Btw...we need to go beyond teaching our children how to add and subtract. Teaching them how to build a household budget is so important! When they realize you get a SET amount of money, and the less you spend, the more you are able to pay down debt, save for the future, give to others and enjoy - the better off they will be. But, the problem is, I don't think WE realize that...or we just don't want to think about it. I have talked to many people who say, they don't want to bother with making their own things. And, I know, it might not be everyone's cup of tea...but, if you are looking for ways to cut expenses, this is a great place to start!! 

God bless, 

Kristen