6 D.I.Y. Homemade Cleansers

Small Changes, Big Difference

Keeping your home clean is important. Keeping your home safe and cancer-free is even more crucial. These homemade cleansers cost pennies to make, get your house gleaming and best of all, they're made from natural ingredients and don't contain any potentially toxic chemicals. So make them, use them, and feel good about your clean and healthy home.

Kitchen

Table salt is your best weapon when cleaning wooden kitchen areas, like counter tops and butcher blocks. Cover grease splatters with salt, wait an hour, and brush away the salt. To erase permanent-marker stains from finished wood floors or solid-surface counter tops, simply pour rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball and gently polish. For overall kitchen cleaning, mix one cup white vinegar with one cup water. Clean drains by pouring straight vinegar down the drain. Let sit for 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

Mirrors

Looking for an alternative streak-free mirror-cleaning solution? Mix in a spray bottle: one cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol, one cup water, and one tablespoon white vinegar. Or wipe mirrors with a soft, lint-free (microfiber) cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol, gel hand sanitizer, or antiseptic mouthwash.

Stove tops

One of the best ways to clean stove tops is with baking soda. Pour directly onto a damp sponge and scrub to remove food residue from stove tops and refrigerator.

To clean burners, soak them in one gallon warm water plus 1/2 cup baking soda for 30 minutes. Rinse and dry. Table salt also works wonders: If there’s a spill in a still-warm oven, pour salt on the spill to soak it up. When the oven cools off, wipe the spot with a damp sponge.

Bathrooms

Vinegar works wonders in bathrooms! To clean toilet bowls, mix one cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup baking soda, pour into the basin, and scrub with a brush. For moldy tiles, spray vinegar on the affected areas. Let stand for about 15 minutes, then rinse and let dry thoroughly. To tackle mineral deposits on showe rheads, pour vinegar into a plastic bag (grocery bags work best), and knot the handles over the neck of the shower head, securing with rubber bands. Let soak overnight and rinse with water in the morning.

Carpets

Even carpet stains don't require harsh chemicals to lift them. Simply mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a scrub brush or sponge socked in warm, soapy water. To get out (fresh) grease spots, sprinkle corn starch onto spot and wait 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming. For a heavy-duty carpet cleaning method, mix 1/4 cup each salt, borax, and vinegar. Mix into a paste and rub into carpet. Leave for a few hours and then vacuum up.

Credit: Read more: http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/your-life/your-health/article/homemade-cleaning-products.html#ixzz22lTmVDit