All Purpose Cleaner Receipe

[hiker]

I like to clean with vineger and water, but don't like the smell. Is there a receipe out there that cleans well, but won't smell like I have been pickling. I love the smell of lavender and rosemary so I would like to add EO to make things smell good.

Any thoughts?

 

[OrganicKale]

All-purpose cleaner: 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart water. Shake well.


According to the Organic Authority website, this is all you need.

 

[hiker]

Thanks!- that couldn't be easier.

Does it cut through grease? Can I add some EO to it?

 

[OrganicKale]

I have never tried it!

I just went to the Organic Authority website because I know they have cool recipes for personal products.

I am going to try it though; and I cant' imagine that you couldn't put EO in it. Lavender smells so much better than vinegar!

Cleaning products are so expensive, toxic, and unnecessary. I would love to see what other people use as well.

 

[freemotion]

I think someone here said to put a half a lemon, skin and all, into the blender with water and pulverize it well. Then strain into a spray bottle and use it up as it will spoil. Half a lemon doesn't cost too much.....I've meant to try that, thanks for bringing it to mind! If I like it, I'll make up a concentrate and freeze it when lemons are on sale, maybe in ice cube trays to make up small batches by thawing one in warm water. Hmmmm......

 

[Emerald]

I use jsut a good sprinkle of baking soda on my stove to clean up greasy messes..
Some times I will put a wash cloth over the spot and put boiling water on it if it has been there overnight and then let it cool to the touch and then scrub with baking soda.
Lemon oil/citrus oil based cleans do ok on the floor too.
When my gran was alive I can remember her cleaning the brass on her boat(just a little lake boat but it was all wood with brass railing and fixtures) with lemon wedges dipped in salt or if it didn't want to clean well lemon wedges dipped into baking soda. She would rub it all over the brass and then she would rinse with a clean rag in just plain water and dry it well and then I think that she would rub an oil of some kind on it.. (can't remember the bottle, but probably mineral oil from the shape I do remember).
I have used vinegar in a spray bottle on the water residue build up on my shower.. I just go in after everyone is done showering and just spraying it on lightly every 15 minutes or so as I work on the other parts of the house and after a couple hours you can go in and just wipe down that whitish/yellow/orange build up we get from the hard water.
I do not care if they don't like the smell, I like pickles!

 

[savingdogs]

I wouldn't call it an "all purpose" cleaner, but the laundry soap that we make described on several threads here, I make the liquid form, and I use it on just about anything in a pinch. I've used it to wash dishes, in the dishwasher, cleaning carpets, floors, etc.

I've actually gone to using just borax and baking soda in the dishwasher and good ol' dawn detergent for dishes, but when I'm all out......

It worked especially well diluted in water for washing carpeting and floors. It did not leave any nice shine but cleans well. I did rinse with water on the hard floors. But we mainly make it as a laundry detergent.

 

[Neko-chan]

I'm pleased to find this, because the last cleaner hubby bought is some kind of thick goopy spray with an almost overpowering smell of lavendar. A simple cleaner that's cheap is all I want.

 

[Savvy Farmgirl]

I keep several things on hand that are cheaper to buy and easy to mix up depending on what I need at the moment. These include gallons of vinegar, gallons of generic household bleach, boxes of store brand baking soda, bottles of the plain old fashion original Dawn (that are still .99 cents at walmart), rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and I always have washing soda and borax for making laundry detergent.
1) I use a little Dawn mixed with a little Bleach and hot water in a bucket to clean all through the house (all winter and amazing with 6 people here... NOT ONE Cold last year). Also makes a great floor cleaner for mopping. Does smell of bleach while cleaning but soon after it just smells "clean".
2) I have found that some Dawn and some washing soda does wonders in the bathroom, sinks, toilets, tub all shine. I use it out of a bucket, you can put it in a spray bottle but be sure to dissolve the washing soda really well first. Also it does a nice job spring cleaning the walls and ceilings.
3) Baking soda with a few drops of Dawn mixed into a paste works great as a "soft scrub" type cleaner.
4) For a window cleaner I mix 1/2 tsp Dawn, 3 TBS Vinegar, 3TBS plain (non-sudsy) ammonia, and about 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and gently swish it til mixed.

Just some suggestions .... Happy cleaning

 

[jdopler]

I keep small spray bottles around one with tea tree oil and water, one with vinegar (lately adding geranium EO for better smell) and one with a mix of Essential oils from the Green Witch Herbal book that works as an air freshener and disinfectant.
the vinegar and geranium makes an awesome window/mirror cleaner and all purpose cleaner, if I need to scrub I spray the vinegar and sprinkle baking soda and clean away. Also works great for puppy carpet accidents!