Make Your Own: Cleaning Supplies #FreshAndClean

I’ve been the route of “homemade” cleaners, and I’ve found my cleaning needs for the most part, come down to some simple separate items!

Meet my arsenal. My dream team! I feel powerful when I’ve gone through and filled all my Dollar Tree Spray Bottles and my Dollar Tree Shaker with my dirt and grime-fighting favorites! They take all of a few seconds to fill, no mixing or waiting!

BAKING SODA

In the shaker I use plain baking soda. I make shampoo for our family, so I always have lots of baking soda on hand! It is a wonderful, natural, cleansing, scrubbing agent! Easy as that! Inexpensive and no harsh chemicals.

Ahh, my beloved spray bottles! (Ask my family – I have a thing for them.)

PEROXIDE

First, straight peroxide. It packs a punch as a bleach alternative. It’s a powerful bacteria fighting agent for counters and cutting boards!

BLEACH

Next, bleach mixed with water (ratio = about one part bleach to five parts water). Hey, I live on a farm so this baby gets used a lot. I like to use it to make sure my sinks stay germ free. Really anything plastic or stainless steel gets a dose quite regularly, and a rinse in hot water.

ALCOHOL

Thirdly – my all time favorite! My life wouldn’t be the same without my mix of rubbing alcohol and water (50/50). I’m serious here. My stainless steel refrigerator, oven, microwave and trash cans love this stuff! It cleans and cuts grime like a champ and delivers a fantastic shine. Mirrors? YES! Granite??? YES! Granite especially – the key is the alcohol evaporates quickly not leaving anything to dull your beautiful counters.

VINEGAR

I keep a bottle on hand of (50/50) white vinegar and water for washing vegetables and fruits. Vinegar wash removes pesticides and 98% of bacteria. I rinse in warm water, spray the solution on, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, and rinse well. If it’s a leafy food like kale or if it grows in clusters like broccoli, I often soak it in a bowl of the solution instead of spraying.

FLOOR CLEANER

Lastly, my wood floor cleaner. It’s important to use very small amounts of vinegar on your hardwoods, too much is harsh on them. This cleaner is simply 1/4 cup of white vinegar, peppermint essential oil (20-30 drops) and water. Easy! And I adore the smell. Works with my Swiffer nicely, but I must admit – I’m old school and I like to get on my hands and knees and use a cloth.

What about you? Any easy must-have cleaners in your home? Please share!