Simple and Safe Household Cleaners

With all the talk of toxins in our household cleaners and our indoor air, I wanted to explore my other cleaning options. A quick Internet search brought me to “homemade cleaners.” Hmm, am I that crafty? Will they really clean my home?

I found a great list of recipes at Eco-Cycle.org for a nontoxic all-purpose cleaner; window, kitchen and bathroom cleaners; air freshener; furniture polish; silver polish; laundry detergent; and more.

Most of the recipes are mixtures of the same ingredients, such as baking soda, borax, all-natural soap, water, washing soda and white vinegar or lemon juice.

I grabbed my reusable bag and skipped to the Publix a few blocks away. Since I was unsure of what cleaner I was going to make, I bought three typical ingredients — borax ($3.79), baking soda ($2.69) and white vinegar ($1.99).

When I got back home, I did a quick inventory of the dirtiest thing in my house — bathroom mirror wins! To make the glass cleaner, I mixed two tablespoons of borax in three cups of warm water. After I stirred my mixture and the borax dissolved, I poured it into an empty plastic spray bottle that I usually use to water my plants. Then I labeled the bottle “homemade window cleaner” for easy identification.

I read a tip to wipe glass and mirrors with newspaper to avoid streaking. I did this, although it still seemed streaky to me. The mixture didn’t wipe away as quickly as glass cleaners that I’ve bought in the past, but once I buffed it out longer, it was beautiful and streak-free.

The box of borax I purchased is 4 lbs. 12 oz., so I can definitely say making your own cleaners is more economical. I only used two tablespoons for the window cleaner! Plus, I know exactly what is in my household air from that cleaning.

I think I’ll be trying the drain cleaner soon — half-a-cup of borax down the drain, followed by two cups of boiling water.

Happy cleaning!