Evelyn Romans | 

11 Household Cleaning Products You Can Easily Make Yourself

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1. Laundry Detergent Pods

Grate half a bar of laundry soap like Fels-Naptha and mix the shavings in with 1 ½ cups of washing soda and 2 tablespoons of epsom salt. Add 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide to the mix, and give the ingredients a good stir.

Add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the bowl. Then, if you want your homemade pods to smell nice, add 15-20 drops of essential oil like lavender or jasmine to the mixture. Stir all the ingredients together. The mixture should resemble wet sand and should clump together when you press it.

Use a rounded 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop the mixture onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Then, spritz the pods with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Completely dry pods at room temperature for at least 8 hours before using.

One pod is good for 1 load of laundry. This recipe should make about 28 pods. Store in a resealable plastic bag or a container with a lid.

 

2. Dryer Sheets

Soak a towel in fabric softener and allow it to dry completely before tossing in the dryer with wet laundry.

 

3. Fabric Softener

Pour ¼ – ½ cup vinegar (depending on your washer type) in along with detergent for your wash cycle.

 

4. Swiffer WetJet Solution

Dunk the lid of a Swiffer WetJet bottle in hot water for about 30 seconds, put a towel over the cap, and pull the top off to refill the bottle with homemade solution. Use a funnel to refill the empty container. These three recipes always work for me:

 

Murphy Oil Soap

Fill a large pitcher with 2 quarts of water and stir in 2 tablespoons of Murphy Oil Soap.

Lemon Juice, Vinegar, and Dish Soap

Combine 1 cup of lemon juice, 3 cups of vinegar, 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap, and 4 cups of hot water in a large pitcher.

Alcohol, Vinegar, and Essential Oil

Mix 1 cup of hot water, 1 cup of vinegar, a couple drops of your favorite essential oil, and a splash of rubbing alcohol together.

RELATED: 16 Seriously Clever Tricks to Deep Clean Your Car

5. Swiffer Pads

Cut a microfiber cloth or bath towel into rectangles; use the Swiffer mop head as a guide to gauge the correct size. Give it about 1 ½ inches of overlap on the longer sides so you can tuck the ends of the cloth into the Swiffer mop cloth holder

After use, throw it in the washing machine with your other rags.

6. Glass Cleaner

Dip a clean, lint-free cloth into brewed black tea and wipe down your mirrors and windows. The tannic acid in the tea cuts through any grime.

 

 

7. Dishwasher Tabs

In a large bowl, mix 2 cups baking soda, 2 cups Borax, 1/2 cup kosher or epsom salt, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 15-20 drops of lemon essential oil. The ingredients should start clumping together once they’ve been well combined.

Firmly press the mixture into ice cube trays and let them rest for at least 24 hours in a sunny spot. Remove them and store in a lidded container.

To use, add one tab to your dishwasher’s detergent compartment. If you have hard water, add 1/2 to 1 cup of vinegar to the bottom of your dishwasher to help prevent cloudy glasses and dishes. This recipe should make 32 tabs.

 

8. Cookware Stain Remover

While wearing gloves, put about 1/4 cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and add just enough hydrogen peroxide to form a paste. Using steel wool or a sponge, rub the paste into your baking pan’s stains. Allow the paste to set for about 45 minutes before wiping and rinsing clean.

 

9. Kitchen Degreaser

This simple recipe works especially well on kitchen cabinets!

Mix 2 tablespoons of Dawn dish soap with 2 cups of warm water. Scrub cabinets and surfaces with a clean cloth. Then, with a clean sponge and warm water, wipe away any remaining soap, and dry with a fresh towel.

 

10. Bathtub Scrub

Dip half a grapefruit in coarse salt, and use it to scrub your tub. The lightly abrasive coarse salt and the citric acid found in grapefruit will help dissolve away stains.

 

11. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

There are a few alternatives to store-bought toilet bowl cleaner. Here are the ones that have worked for me in the past:

Citrus Kool-Aid

The citric acid will help freshen the bowl and get rid of stains.

 

WD-40

The solvents in WD-40 help dissolve gunk and lime.

 

Cola

Let the cola sit in your toilet bowl for a bit before scrubbing. The acids will slowly break down stains.

UP NEXT: 6 Easy Ways to Clean Your Glass Cooktop That Actually Work

 

 

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