Green/Homemade Cleaning Products

All-purpose disinfecting cleaner:
Mix 12 oz vinegar and 12 oz water.

Materials needed:
1 spray bottle $0.98
Vinegar (1 gallon, 128 oz costs $2.26)
Water
That's it! The vinegar is a disinfectant and has antibacterial properties.

Cost breakdown:
Vinegar 1.77 cents/ounce x 12 ounces = 21 cents
Water costs less than 1 cent per gallon
Total cost: $0.21

A couple of other notes:

• I purchased a new spray bottle rather than refill the empty spray bottles of my conventional cleaners to avoid any toxic residue mixing with the vinegar cleaner.
• I use this cleaner on all types of surfaces including the kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, glass doors, windows and mirrors.
• Do not use vinegar or vinegar solutions on marble.
• You can also add a squirt or two of dishwashing liquid like Dawn for cutting through grease.
• Another option is to add a drop or two of tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic.
• If you decide to add any other essential oil, I highly recommend you do further research as some of them are dangerous if applied incorrectly or without due care.

Homemade Soft Scrub alternative:
Combine 1 tablespoon Borax and 1 tablespoon baking soda with enough dish soap to make a frosting-like consistency. This scrub works very well to clean showers when used with a scouring pad. It also works well on sinks.

Materials needed:
Borax (20 Mule Team brand can be purchased at WalMart for around $3)
Baking soda (purchased in bulk at a warehouse store)
Dish soap liquid

Cost breakdown:
Borax cost me approximately 3.8 cents/ounce. A tablespoon weighs about 3/4 ounce. That comes to about 3 cents/tablespoon. Baking soda cost me 3.3 cents/ounce. A tablespoon weighs about 2/3 ounce. That comes to about 2 cents/tablespoon. My scale is not that precise so I had to approximate both weights. The cost of dish soap will vary depending on what brand you purchase. I estimate that the amount of dish soap I use costs me pennies at most.

1 T. Borax ($0.03) + 1 T. Baking soda ($0.02) + less than 1 T. dish soap ($0.02) = $0.07

Total cost: $0.07


Homemade dishwasher powder:
Use 1 T. Borax and 1 T. baking soda per load. Use a commercial rinse agent or vinegar to rinse.

Materials needed:
Borax (20 Mule Team brand can be purchased at WalMart for around $3)
Baking soda (purchased in bulk at a warehouse store)

Cost breakdown:
Borax cost me approximately 3.8 cents/ounce. A tablespoon weighs about 3/4 ounce. That comes to about 3 cents/tablespoon. Baking soda cost me 3.3 cents/ounce. A tablespoon weighs about 2/3 ounce. That comes to about 2 cents/tablespoon. My scale is not that precise so I had to approximate both weights.

1 T. Borax ($0.03) + 1 T. Baking soda ($0.02) = $0.05

Total cost: $0.05 per load

A couple of other notes:

• The whole point of a green cleaner is to get rid of the toxic chemicals which means this powder does not contain bleach as many commercial dishwasher detergents do. Bleach is a disinfectant. I have read that the water temperature reached in a dishwasher is not sufficient for disinfecting dishes. I do not have any hard facts one way or the other. I have, however, read some hard facts about the dangers of chlorine vapors. I encourage you to do your own research. I will also admit that when washing dishes that have had raw meat on them I use commercial dishwashing detergent. I just need to know they're germ-free.
  
• Some people report that this recipe does not work for them because it leaves a powdery residue on their dishes. We have relatively hard water but have not had a residue problem. I suggest using a rinse agent of some kind and also not using more than 2 T. total of powder as excess powder may end up on the dishes. Personally, I would rather have a borax/baking soda residue on my dishes to rinse off than a bleach/toxic residue. But, like I said, we haven't had a residue problem.
  
• Borax is an eco-friendly ingredient, but it is still a hazard. Please keep away from your eyes and out of the reach of children and pets.