Yet Another Use for Baking Soda

I have posted quite a bit about my fondness for using baking soda around the house.  A friend of mine recently showed me another way to use it - cleaning ovens.  Now, I have to admit, I'm not one to clean my oven......ever.  I have never purchased an oven cleaner, nor would I know what to do with it if I had it.  Maybe I'm not a sloppy baker....I don't know.  My oven just never seems to get that dirty.  Once in awhile I'll spill something, but I just wipe it up right away.  No biggie.  Now my stoveTOP....uuhhh....that's a different story.  I don't think that poor thing has ever been scrubbed good and clean.

Anyway, this tip is super simple.  All you do is dump some baking soda on the bottom of your oven and let it sit for several days.  Do any baking as you normally would.  The baking soda sticks to whatever goo may be on the bottom of your oven and then hardens and comes right off while baking.  After a few days, get your vacuum, pull out the hose attachment, and suck the stuff up.  I watched my friend vacuum up her baking soda chunks and it was so simple and easy!  She did have to wipe down the extra fine bits of baking soda "dust" that the vacuum didn't pick up, but that was easy, too.

I'll definitely be doing this the next time I get some nasty gunk stuck on the bottom of my oven.  I won't even bother with those expensive chemical-laden oven cleaners.

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!

Spring Cleaning

The temperatures are actually above freezing.  Crocuses, daffodils and tulips are starting to peak out of the ground.  Robins are fluttering around outside.  Woohoo.....it's time for spring!  And along with spring comes spring cleaning!

Are you one who likes to do deep cleaning in the spring time?

If you are, or even if you aren't, here are some great homemade and frugal cleaners that I use around the house.

• A homemade all-purpose cleaner that works kind of like Soft Scrub.  I use it in the bathroom and on tough to clean areas.
• A couple of different homemade mirror and window cleaners.
• Mold problems?  Try the homemade mold killing spray.
• A basic homemade all-purpose spray.

These, along with baking soda and vinegar, are pretty much all I use to clean around the house.  How about you?  Do you use any homemade cleaners?

Homemade Laundry Detergent - Revisited

Over a year ago, I posted a recipe for homemade laundry detergent.  It's the recipe that I have been using on a regular basis for years.  It's extremely frugal, works great and is quick and easy to make. 

A good friend of mine, Kat, has taken this laundry detergent one step further.  Her and her daughter did a science experiment which compared the homemade stuff to Tide.  What a fun experiment!  I just wanted to share the results with all of you because I thought it was interesting.  So, head on over to Kat's blog and see the experiment.   :)

Quick Tip

There is very little need to wash your clothes in anything but cold water.  I actually thought that most people used cold until someone told me they use warm and hot almost all of the time.  With the exception of cloth diapers, I use cold water for every load of laundry.  Everything comes out clean and I don't need special detergent, either.  I just use my homemade laundry detergent.  So, cut down on those monthly utility bills by washing with cold water whenever you can!

Spring Cleaning!

What is it about spring time and having all the windows open that makes me want to clean?  Ahh....fresh air.  Well, if you are like me and are wanting to do some spring cleaning, here is my list of homemade cleaners that are great to use.

This cleaner is one of my favorites.  It's a lot like Soft Scrub.

Are you going to be cleaning those windows?  Try this cleaner.

Need to kill some mold?  Use this homemade spray.

Wanting to just do some basic cleaning?  This spray is good stuff.

These homemade cleaners are much more eco-friendly and have less dangerous chemicals than some of the store-bought cleaners.  They are also much more frugal.

Money $aving Monday - Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

I have been wanting to try to make my own dishwasher detergent for quite some time, but it has always ended up at the bottom of my "to-do" list. After one reader asked specifically for a recipe and another shared her recipe with me, I thought it was high time I move it to the top of my "to-do" list. So, I did some research and experimenting over the weekend.

The two basic ingredients that you need are Borax and Washing Soda (which is similar to my homemade laundry detergent recipe). I get mine from Alice.com. You can also add salt and citric acid (which can be found in the canning section of the grocery store). The salt helps, especially if you have hard water, and the citric acid helps to get your dishes sparkly. I didn't bother adding the salt, and if you use a rinse agent, you shouldn't need the citric acid. A great (and cheap) rinse agent is vinegar.

So here is my recipe:

1 Tablespoon Borax
1 Tablespoon Washing Soda
Mix and use!

Yes, it was that simple. And my black dishes came out sparkly clean and my clear glasses were shiny and clean. My regular (and expensive) dishwasher detergent usually left spots on my black dishes, so this was a definite improvement.

Today I will be making a larger batch (one cup of each) and storing it in a container with a lid. Then when it's time to start the dishwasher, I'll just add a tablespoon or two of the mixture.

Here is the recipe using salt and citric acid:

1 C Borax
1 C Washing Soda
1/4 C Salt
1/4 C Citric Acid
Mix together and add about 2 T to each dishwasher load.

Remember that white distilled vinegar is a wonderful rinse agent.

My Favorite Homemade Cleaner

It's a creamy scrub that I use to clean the tub, shower and sinks. It got out a stain in the shower that bleach couldn't even remove. And it's so simple and inexpensive to make!

1/2 Cup Baking Soda
Mix in just enough liquid detergent to make the consistency like frosting (usually about 1-2 Tablespoons).

Apply to surface and clean with a damp rag. So simple!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have been making my own laundry detergent for three years. Here is the recipe:

1/3 of a bar of Fels Naptha soap or Zote soap
1/2 cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Borax
A big bucket (a 2 gallon size works nice)




Grate the soap and mix it with 6 cups of water in a sauce pan. Heat to boiling until the soap melts completely. Add the Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until it has dissolved. Remove from heat. Now pour 4 cups of HOT water into the clean bucket. Add the soap mixture to the bucket. Give it a good stir. Now add 22 cups of HOT water into the bucket and stir.

Let the mixture sit for about a day and it will turn into a funky gel-like substance. It's now ready to use, I use about 1/2 cup per load.

This stuff cleans our clothes just as good as anything I have bought in the store. I've also used it to pre-treat stains and it works great. The thing I like best about it is that it doesn't leave that nasty chemical/fragrance smell on clothes like so many store-bought brands do.

Cost Break-down:

Borax - $3.50 for a 76 oz box at Alice.com
Washing Soda - $2.76 for a 55 oz box at Alice.com
Fels Naptha - $1.09 at my local grocery store

One batch lasts my family of 6 a little over a month (and we have TONS of laundry because of a baby and cloth diapers). One batch used to last 2-3 months before baby #4 came along. I can get about 18 batches from the box of Borax and about 14 batches from the box of Washing Soda. That's a huge savings!

Homemade Mirror and Window Cleaner

Here are a couple recipes for glass cleaner.

1 Cup water
1 Cup Rubbing Alcohol
1 Tablespoon Vinegar

Mix together in a clean spray bottle. Use to clean glass surfaces.


Another recipe for glass cleaner:

1/4 -1/2 Teaspoon liquid detergent
3 Tablespoons Vinegar
2 Cups water

Put these ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well.


I've also been told that straight vinegar is a great window cleaner as well.

Homemade Mold Killing Spray

Here is a recipe for a Mold Killing Spray.

2 Cups water
2 Teaspoons Tea Tree Oil

Mix ingredients into a clean spray bottle. Shake well and spray on problem areas. No need to rinse.

Homemade All-Purpose Spray Cleaner

Here is a recipe for All-Purpose Spray Cleaner.

1/2 Teaspoon Washing Soda
A drop of liquid soap (or use a drop or two of this stuff)
2 Cups hot water

Put all the ingredients into a clean spray bottle and cover. Shake it until soda has dissolved. Spray onto areas you are cleaning and then wipe clean with a sponge or rag.