This is my follow-up to last month’s blog on homemade cleaners. As promised, here are a few more formulas and tips.
This is a basic formula I use as a floor cleaner: simply combine one gallon of warm water and 1 cup of white vinegar. I made a label with this formula and attached it to my mop handle so I don’t have to hunt for it when it comes time to wash the floors.
I keep a spray bottle filled with this formula for spot cleaning my floors – 15 oz. water and 1 oz. white vinegar.
I’ve had good luck with this glass cleaner – I even notice that my mirrors stay cleaner longer. Glass Cleaner: 3 cups water, 2 Tbs rubbing alcohol, ¼ cup vinegar, ½ Tbs Castile soap, 5 drops of essential oil. If you are using a scented Castile soap, still add essential oil, but try 3 drops and add more if you like. Some people swear by cleaning windows with newspaper. Newspaper is very absorbent and can easily be tossed away. A word of caution when using newspaper to clean your windows – ink can rub off the newspaper onto molding and trim. It’s easily cleaned but who wants to add another step to the cleaning process! :)
Here are a couple of suggestions for wood cleaning and polishing. The first formula: ½ cup of water, ½ cup distilled vinegar, 1/8 tsp of olive or, 1 tsp dish soap, six drops of essential oil. Or perhaps you would prefer this second formula: ¼ cup olive oil, 4 Tbsps. distilled vinegar, 2 tsp of lemon juice. You should keep this formula in the refrigerator, as the lemon juice may sour.
I mentioned microfiber cloths in Part 1 – I consider them to be an essential part of my cleaning supplies. Last month I discovered Vibrawipes. They are by far the best microfiber cloths I have come across. I ordered mine from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CFALFXY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Do you have a favorite homemade cleaning formula? Please share it and post it here.