Now, make your own green cleaning recipes for mere pennies! (Excerpted from The Naturally Clean Home (c) 2008 by Karyn Siegel-Maier, with permission from Storey Books, www.storeybooks.com.)
Simple All-Purpose Cleaner
Here's Siegel-Maier's go-to cleaner:
Mix equal amounts of water and white vinegar, a few squirts of castile soap, and about 20 drops of basil oil in a 16-ounce spray bottle. "This formula is great for surfaces in the kitchen and bath, spills on tile flooring, and even for minor carpet stains, she says.
Super-Easy Automatic Dishwasher Powder
2 cups washing soda
1 cup borax
1 cup baking soda
Combine all ingredients and store in a plastic container. To use, add about 2 tablespoons to the soap compartment of your dishwasher. If you find your glasses are getting a residue buildup, reduce to 1½ tablespoons.
Minty-Fresh Fabric Softener
1 gallon vinegar
10 drops peppermint essential oil
Combine the ingredients in a glass or heavy-duty plastic container. Add 1 cup to the rinse cycle for each load.
Tough Dirt & Grease Formula
1 gallon hot water
2 Tablespoons liquid castile soap
¼ cup washing soda
1 cup vinegar
20 drops eucalyptus, peppermint, or tea tree essential oil
Combine all ingredients in a large bucket. Dip a mop into the bucket and squeeze out excess liquid. Clean the floor by working in sections, using short strokes and dipping the mop as needed. Rinsing is not necessary.
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