In this article, you will learn:
- A range of different recipes to deal with just about any household cleaning
need
While the kitchen and the bathroom are the most complex rooms to clean the rest of the house needs attention as well. These recipes will ensure that you don’t need to resort to expensive chemical mixtures to keep your home looking its best.
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Laundry Soap
Boil 4 cups of water with 1 cup of liquid castile soap, stir it until the ingredients are mixed and remove it from the heat.
In a large bucket add 1 cup of baking soda to 2 gallons of warm water.
Add in 2 tablespoons of grapefruit seed extract and 1 tablespoon of the essential oil of your choice. Add the soap mixture and stir well before transferring to a clean, dry opaque bottle. Use ½ cup of this mixture per wash if you have a European style front loading machine and ¾ cup if you have a traditional top loader.
Furniture Polish
In a spray bottle mix 4 tablespoons of olive oil with 4 of lemon juice. Add 2
tablespoons of the essential oil of your choice (citrus works best). Use this in
place of your shop bought polish.
Nonborax floor cleaner
If you prefer not to use borax mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of
liquid castile soap with 1 teaspoon of the essential oil of your choice and 2 gallons
of warm water. Mop as usual, no rinsing is required.
Home Scents
In a previous chapter you learned how to use vinegar to clear nasty smells from your home.
Sometimes, however, it is nice to add some good smells. If you have bought essential oils to make your homemade products smell great then consider investing in an essential oil burner.
Add a few drops of the oil to some water and warm with a tea light and you will have the most beautifully scented home.
If you do not want a naked flame in your home (or you are pregnant and wanting to avoid essential oils) you can place some bunches of dried herbs in your rooms to keep them smelling sweet lavender is particularly good for this!
If you live in a dry area it can be useful to add some humidity to your home.
Shallow bowls of water with a few drops of essential oil placed on top of the (not electric) heaters will evaporate slowly over the course of the day adding some humidity to your air and leaving a pleasant smell in the room.
Leather treatment
Whether you have a leather couch that gets a battering from the kids and pets or you want to keep your car interior looking its best this leather cleaning and conditioning solution is for you.
In a spray bottle 1 ½ cups of white vinegar with a cup of olive oil and a few drops of the essential oil of your choice.
Shaking the bottle before each use spray a small area and use a lint-free cloth to buff and polish the leather (NB test a small area before use just in case)
All-purpose stain remover
This stain remover is safe to use on most clothing and carpets (but always do a spot test first just in case). In a small bowl mix ¼ cup of baking soda with ½ cup of dishwashing soap and 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide.
Apply it to clothing stains with a toothbrush, work it in, rinse and then wash as normal.
If you are using the mixture to clean a carpet stain then transfer it to a spray bottle, spray the stain and rub it into the area to be cleaned working from the outside in. Blot dry then rinse with water until the area comes out clean.
Hydrogen peroxide becomes less effective with time so make up the mixture as and when you need it.
