Why I Like Homemade Cleaners

If you have spent any time at all here at Household Cents, you know that I have a thing for homemade cleaners.  Why do I like them?  Oh, let me count the ways:

1. I enjoy trying them and seeing them actually work.  There is just something about making something from scratch and having it work even better than its store-bought counterpart that makes me feel empowered.  Self-sustainability is like a drug, I tell ya.
2. I enjoy all the money that I save.  Some of those cleaning products in the store are outrageously expensive!  I have much better things to spend my hard-earned money on, thank.you.very.much.
3. The convenience.  I love being able to whip up another batch of my favorite cleaner out of the products that I keep on hand.  No need to get all fancied up and run down to the store for more.
4. Homemade cleaners are generally better on our environment.
5. Homemade cleaners are also generally better on our health.  The chemicals being used in the homemade cleaners aren't nearly as harsh as some of the junk that companies put into commercial cleaners.

I am continually asked by friends, family and blog readers about the cleaners I make.  One of the most commonly asked questions is, "What do you keep on hand at all times?"

Vinegar, baking soda, borax, washing soda and rubbing alcohol (along with the occasional essential oil) are the basics that I have in my cleaning closet at all times.  In the laundry room, you'll also find a nice stash of Zote soap bars (for making laundry detergent).  These are all I need to make the majority of the cleaning products that I use on a regular basis.

I recently found a web page at the Reader's Digest - Canada website which lists some great recipes for homemade cleaning products.  A couple of them were even new to me, and I am one of those people who is forever researching ways to make everyday things at home.  My mother-in-law will be very excited when I tell her about the Moth Repellent recipe they have listed.  Their Fabric Softener recipe is very simple and yet gets wonderful results.  Their Basic Kitchen Cleaner recipe looks like it might just become one of my favorites!