MAKE YOUR OWN

Make Your Own!

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We try very hard to make sure that all recipes are 100% accurate but typos and other errors may occur, therefore, you use the recipes and information provided within this site at your own risk, we bear no responsibility for the results of possible errors.

When following a recipe, always try it on a small area first to test for colorfastness and material durability. Always wear gloves! We tried to provide you with safer alternatives than traditional products, however, some individuals may suffer from allergies or sensitivities, so please exercise personal care when making or using items listed.

Air Freshener

Bleach

Car Wash Concentrate

Car Wax

Drain Cleaner

Dry Carpet Cleaner

Furniture Polish

General Cleaning

Insecticides/Pesticides

Mildew

Oven cleaner

Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Window/Glass Cleaner

Click here for links to additional recipes

Air Freshener-Mix herbs of choice, such as rosemary and sage, simmer on stove. Use this mixture, to mist with a spray bottle.

Bleach- Use hydrogen peroxide-based bleaches. Hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and oxygen in wastewater. (Source: EPA)

Car Wash Concentrate: Cleans and shines.

1-cup natural, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, non-petroleum based liquid dishwashing detergent
3/4 cup natural, chlorine-free, phosphate-free, non-petroleum based powdered laundry detergent
3 gallons water

1) Mix in a bottle; 2) To use, combine 1/2 cup of the concentrate with the water. If a stronger solution is desired, slightly reduce the amount of water.

Car Wax:

To avoid over drying, wax your car one section at a time.

½ cup melted ceresin wax
2 tbsp. melted yellow beeswax
2 cups turpentine
1 tbsp. pine oil

1) In a double boiler, heat the ceresin wax and beeswax. Stir, and then allow to cool until the mixture starts to harden. Stir in the turpentine and pine oil.

2) To use, apply with a rag; polish with a soft cloth.

Drain Cleaner- Use one of the following methods:

Pour one or two handfuls of baking soda followed by ½ cup white vinegar down the drain pipe and cover tightly for one minute. The chemical reaction between the two substances will create pressure in the drain and dislodge the obstruction. Rinse with hot water.
Pour ½ cup salt and ½ cup baking soda followed by lots of hot water.
Plunge the sink.

4. Use a drain snake -- also called a sink auger -- to unclog stubborn drains. Drain snakes can be purchased at hardware stores or ordered online, sometimes for less than the cost of a bottle of chemical drain cleaner. More expensive heavy-duty drain snakes can be rented for less than the cost of a chemical drain cleaner. (Source: EPA)

Dry Carpet Cleaner:

Brightens rugs and adds a fresh scent.

2 cups baking soda
½ cup cornstarch
5 bay leaves, crumbled
1 tsp ground cloves

1) In a covered container, mix all the ingredients

2) To use, shake well and sprinkle generously on the carpet.

3) Leave for several hours. Vacuum thoroughly.

Furniture Polish -Use one part white distilled vinegar and three parts olive oil. Add a little natural lemon oil for a shiny polish.

General Cleaning-Dilute vinegar or lemon juice in water or mix baking soda with water

Insecticides/ Pesticides

· (source: http://mama.essortment.com/homemadeinsecti_rvxg.htm:

o Combine one teaspoon of hot pepper or Tabasco sauce, 4 cloves of garlic and a quart of water. Blend well in a blender and strain, with cheesecloth or nylon mesh before placing in your sprayer. This will repel many insects including whiteflies, aphids, spider mites and caterpillars.

o Mix 1/8-1/4 cup of hydrated lime with one quart of water. This creates an effective spray against many insects, especially spider mites. Add a drop of non-detergent soap to act as a sticking agent and insecticide. Lime can cause serious harm to plants if you use too much, so always spray a test plant first and watch it for a few days, to check for any adverse effects on plants.

o Take one ounce of tomato leaves and add to one quart of water and blend thoroughly. Strain the resulting liquid and use to repel insects. This works well on white cabbage butterflies too.

o Take a copious amount (as many as you can collect) of the insect you wish to repel and grind their corpses up into a powder. Mix the resulting powder with one quart of water and, spray as a repellent for the insect that you ground up for the powder.

Mildew-Make a paste of vinegar and salt

Oven cleaner- Use one of the following methods: (Source: EPA)

Mix 1 part vinegar to about 4 parts water. Put into a spray bottle. Spray onto cool oven surface. Scrub the oven clean. Use baking soda or a citrus-based cleaner on stubborn spots.
Mix together in a spray bottle 2 Tbsp liquid soap (not detergent), 2 tsp borax, and warm water to fill the bottle. Make sure the salts are completely dissolved to avoid clogging the squirting mechanism. Spray on mixture, holding the bottle very close to the oven surface. Leave the solution on for 20 minutes, then scrub with steel wool and a non-chlorine scouring powder.

Or,

Use a baking soda, salt, and water paste and a razor blade or spatula for tough spots.

· Notes: Avoid aerosol oven cleaners and cleaners containing lye (sodium hydroxide). Avoid chlorinated scouring powders such as Comet® and Ajax®. Don't use abrasive cleaning materials on self-cleaning ovens. For preventative cleaning, use baking soda dissolved in water.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner- Pour in 1 cup borax, 1/2 cup white vinegar and leave overnight. Flush to wet the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle the borax around the toilet bowl, then drizzle with vinegar. Leave for several hours before scrubbing with a toilet brush. (Source: NaturalLand.com) For stains in toilet bowl- try a paste of lemon juice and borax. Let sit about 20 min. and scrub with bowl brush.

· Notes: Avoid solid toilet bowl deodorizers that contain paradichlorobenzene -- there is evidence that it causes cancer in laboratory animals. Some toilet bowl-cleaning products contain acids (read labels). If acids are mixed with a cleaner containing chlorine, toxic chlorine gas is released.
(Source: EPA)

Window/Glass Cleaner- Fill a spray bottle with 1 quart of water, mix in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. This can be stored for later use.