How to Make Your Own Kitchen Cleaners

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes about insurance and other topics for the Home Insurance Blog.

 If you are concerned about the health of your family, the environment and your budget, why not make your own kitchen cleaners? We all have a cupboard full of dangerous toxins and wasted money. It only takes a few simple non-toxic items and a couple of empty spray bottles to make your own cleaners. Not only will you be making your household eco-friendly, you will also save a considerable amount of money. There are six basic ingredients needed to make all of these cleaners, and you probably have most of them in your household already.

Floor Cleaners

There are many different recipes for homemade floor cleaners. I will give you directions for a basic all purpose floor cleaner. All you need for this all-purpose floor cleaner is a 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 2 gallons of hot water, mix these in pail or bucket well, mop once with the solution and once with water to rinse. Add essential oils such as orange, lemon, or lavender for a great scent and to help to cut the grease.

Oven Cleaner

All you need to remove those stubborn grease stains from your oven is three simple ingredients and a little time. Mix 3/4 cup of baking soda with 1/4 cup salt and a 1/4 cup of water in a bowl to form a thick paste. Dampen the inside of the oven with a wet cloth and apply the paste. Let it sit overnight. In the morning wipe clean with a damp sponge. You can use a steel wool pad for hard to clean spots.

Clogged Drains

The first step of getting a drain unclogged is to remove as much water as possible and plug the drain on the opposite side. Pour  a 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain followed by a 1/2 cup of vinegar, let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then pour a pot of boiling water down the drain. You should not try this if you have already used commercial cleaners; it is possible that they will have a bad reaction.

Microwave Ovens

Cleaning your microwave oven can be extremely easy and low cost. You will need to mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave 3 minutes or until boiling. Let it sit in there a couple minutes, and then wipe clean with a sponge or paper towel. Not only will this clean your microwave, it will also deodorize it.

All Purpose Spray

This all purpose spray can be used on just about any surface in your kitchen. You will need 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 quart of warm water, and a clean spray bottle. Put the ingredients in the bottle and mix it up. Although this is a great cleaner it is not a disinfectant.

Disinfectant All Purpose Spray

This is a great spray cleaner to use on kitchen surfaces such as cutting boards, garbage cans, counters, and walls. This spray does not work well on glass, the oil causes striking. Mix 3-5 drops of natural dish soap with 15-30 drops of tea tree oil and 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Clean away. This spray also works to destroy mold and mildew.