A Ton of DIY Safe Recipes You Can't Pass On

Has anyone ever been concerned about the chemicals used in everyday household cleaning supplies? What's in that Swiffer bottle? What are my children inhaling as they run their hands over the table as they eat? What chemicals are they bathing with in the bathtub? I have and I do. I hate looking at the back of bottles that are supposedly safe and they say rinse afterwards. If it's safe to use, then why should I rinse the surfaces down after? 

I've been on a hunt to find DIY safe inexpensive recipes that clean well and can disinfect.

I'm going to go through quite a number of recipes with links to the original sites so you can gather more helpful and useful information. Some of the recipes I've doctored to my taste.

Allen's Homemade Powered Laundry Detergent:

 Serving size 1 tbsp for regular load, 2 tbsp for large loads

2c Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

2c Borax

1 bar Fels-Naptha Laundering Soap

First measure out the washing soda and borax into a mixing bowl. 

Then grate all of the Fels-Naptha laundering bar into the bowl. You can buy a simple hand held grater at any store. Or if impatient cut into chunks and grate it in a food processor.

 Mix all the ingredients fully until you have a nice powder consistency. I use a wooden spoon when mixing all of these products. My preference. It's easier to handle and harder to break. 

For my personal touch I add two capfuls of Lavender Vanilla fragrance and mix thoroughly. It gives the detergent a light fresh scent once absorbed. 

I've been using this recipe for months now and I absolutely love it. I love opening the jar to draw some out. I always take a few deep breaths lol. 

Allen's Homemade Liquid Handsoap

1 Bar unscented soap(Ivory will work)

10 c water

1 tbsp glycerin

Stock pot

Old milk jug for storage

First grate one cup of soap.

Measure your 10 c of water, pour into water into stock pot and heat to a slight boil.

Add in grated soap. Mix until fully dissolved. 

When dissolved add 1 tbsp glycerin. This helps keep the soap in liquid form. 

Mix the soap with a whisk or hand mixer.

Cover the stock pot and let soap sit overnight for best results. 

In the morning re-mix and the distribute into soap containers. Store the rest in old milk jug or soda bottle.

DIY Homemade Powdered Dishwasher Detergent

1 c Borax

1 c Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda or baking soda

1/2 Citric Acid

1/2 Salt (optional)

White Vinegar

Serving size: 2 tbsp per load

In a mixing bowl combine Borax, Super Washing Soda and Citric Acid.

If using baking soda you'll need to add the salt for cleaning purposes. 

Pour mixture into soap compartment and add vinegar as a rinse aid.

DIY Homemade Liquid Dish Soap

1 1/2 c Warm Water

1/2c Castile Soap(Dr. Bronner's)

1 tbsp White Vinegar

1 tbsp Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

1/8 tsp Tea Tree Oil(optional)

Whisk all ingredients together until blended. Store in an old soap dispenser or old dish soap bottle.

DIY Febreze

Hot water

2 tbsp Baking Soda

1/8 c favorite fabric softener

Empty spray bottle

Measure and pour baking soda into empty spray bottle.

Measure and pour fabric softener to spray bottle. 

Fill with hot tap water.

Shake to mix and use! It's as simple as that!

DIY Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner

1/2c White Vinegar

2tbsp Baking Soda 

1/2 gal water

1 gal airtight container 

Combine Vinegar and Baking Soda in container. It will fizz. 

Add water. 

Distribute into spray bottle.

Alternative DIY All-Purpose Cleaner

1/2 gal warm water

1/4 c White Vinegar

1/2 c Ammonia

1/8 c Baking Soda

DIY Vinyl and Linoleum Floor Cleaner

1c Vinegar

Few Drops Baby Oil

1 gal Warm Water

Mix all of the above and mop your floors.

DIY Wall Cleaner

Baking Soda 

Sponge

Bowl of warm water

Dampen your sponge with warm water.

Apply baking soda to wall with dampened sponge and scrub. 

Wipe off with damp clean rag or sponge.

DIY Homemade Baby Wipes(Disposable and Cloth)

Empty Container

1 Roll Paper Towels 

Serrated knife

2 1/4c water

2 tbsp baby soap

1 tbsp baby oil

Cut paper towels in half with knife

Pour water, baby soap and baby oil into container. Mix gently.

Put paper towels in container. Once the solution is absorbed remove cardboard roll. 

And you're done!

DIY Homemade Cloth Diaper Detergent

1 tbsp per load

Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda

Sun Oxygen or OxiClean Free

note* using soap on cloth diapers can lead to build up and can be harsh on baby's bottom areas.

Mix equal parts of the baking soda, washing soda and oxy cleaners.

Seal in an airtight container.

DIY Homemade Anti-Bacterial Wipes

Cloth Method

Squares of Cloth (old white t-shirts, microfiber cloths or white washcloths)

Castile Soap (Dr. Bronner's can be purchased at Target or online at Amazon)

Tea Tree Oil

White Vinegar

Sealable container for storage

In the container: place cut up shirts or half of the paper towel roll.

Pour 1 c of water, a squirt of Castile Soap, 3-4 drops of tea tree oil and a 1/4 c of vinegar over the shirts. 

Let the solution absorb.

Then use!!

Disposable Method

Roll of Paper Towels

Castile Soap

Tea Tree Oil

White Vinegar 

Old Clean Clorox or Lysol Container.

Cut paper towels in half horizontally. Remove inside tube. Place paper towels in tube.

Pour 2 1/4 c water, 2 squirts Castile Soap, 5-6 drops Tea Tree Oil and 1/3 c Vinegar over paper towels and let absorb.

DIY Homemade Bathroom Cleaners:

Below is a variety of bathroom cleaners that are sure to get your bathrooms sparkling clean!

Homemade Softscrub

3/4 cup baking soda (slightly heaped)
1/4 cup castile soap (I use Dr. Bronners Peppermint)
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon vinegar

In a bowl, combine the baking soda and castile soap. Add the water and stir with a fork.
Lastly, stir in the vinegar. The mixture will fizz a little. Stir to make a nice soft, paste-like, consistency. (This is important – the vinegar must go in last or else the scrub will be like sludge instead of a creamy paste.)
Scoop out the scrub with a sponge and start cleaning.
This scrub can also be used to clean the toilet.

Tub and Shower Magic

12 ounces white vinegar

12 ounces liquid , blue dawn detergent

Heat vinegar in microwave until hot and pour into squirt bottle.

Add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on and gently shake to incorporate.

You now have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum and tub and shower buildup, clean sinks, appliances and just about anything. Just spray it on, scrub, rinse and be amazed. For tough soap scum build-up, spray the mixture on and allow it to sit as long as overnight. Then, scrub and rinse.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

1/2c Baking Soda

10 Drops Tea Tree Oil

1/4c Vinegar

For extra tough cleaning, pour the baking soda into the toilet bowl, add the tea tree oil.

Next add the vinegar. As it fizzes scrub the toilet and then flush.

There is no storing this solution because of the reactive nature of the vinegar and baking soda. But keep pre-measured amounts of each ingredient nearby for easy use. Or store each individually in jars with a measuring tool nearby.

UPDATE!!!!

DIY Window Cleaner

1/8C Ammonia

1/4C White Rubbing Alcohol

Warm H2O

Mix the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Pour into spray bottle and fill the rest with warm water. There you have. Super simple super effective!

All of these recipes have been provided by other wonderful people, who have taken their time to figure out what is safe for all of us and what actually works. A big thank you to all of them. Please as you're scrolling through take the time to visit their sites and offer a thank you.