Simplifying and cleaning…homemade cleaning products

I started with homemade deodorant! post here, I’ve made more, I’m so crazy about it. Now I’m in the middle of cleaning my house and trying to simplify and de-clutter.
In the process I started experimenting with homemade cleaning products.
Supplies I used: Tea Tree Oil, Baking soda, Vinegar, Lemons, Oil of Clove, and Lavender Oil. Just Google any of the essential oils and you will find an incredible list of uses for them. Oh and a couple of squirt bottles, I reused old ones. You can find them for about a dollar if you need to get some, try the dollar store!
I did try the homemade laundry detergent and returned to using Tide, it didn’t clean as well as I had hoped and was a bit icky http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/09/making-your-own-laundry-detergent-a-detailed-visual-guide/
If anyone out there has a good one, let me know!
Want to start super simple with just one bottle of all purpose cleaner? Try watching this! Really just one bottle, give it try. I have totally given up on the plug in smelly things, or any air fresheners.

EASY Homemade cleaning products

I’ll list the ones I’m using and the ones I’ll be trying soon. I’ll rate them on price/effectiveness/and versatility.
-Baking soda and vinegar- Love this! Super cheap, easy to make, very effective, and replaces so many cleaning supplies. I keep a spray bottle with straight vinegar in it, and my box of baking soda. Sprinkle your soda and spray with vinegar, it fizzes and take you sponge or rag, and you are a cleaning machine. Takes away any smell. Cleans as well as comet. Want to use it on vertical surfaces? No problem, sprinkle some baking soda on a sponge, take another sponge and spray it thoroughly with vinegar, now put the baking soda sponge on your surface (like a shower wall) and then the vinegar one on top of it. When you press they combine and it starts fizzing away. No harm to surfaces, and it is excellent for soap scum! Good for everything from ovens to showers, sinks and endless areas. I even add a few drops of Tea Tree oil to it for the bottom of my shower, as a natural Tea tree oil is a natural antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-infection oil. It is effective against nail fungus, ringworm, athlete's foot, dandruff, acne and many types of infestations including lice, mites and scabies.
-Tea Tree Oil,
Ok now I wasn’t too crazy about the scent at first, now I’m addicted to it. Cost, the cheapest I found was at Wal-Mart, 2 oz. for around $6.00. That will last you a very long time.
1. All Purpose Cleaner: Add (?start with a few, you can always add more) drops of tea tree oil to 2 Tbs. of vinegar. Put solution in a 12 ounce spray bottle, then fill bottle with warn distilled or purified water. Shake and use.
2. Dishwashers: Add (?) drops of tea tree oil to dishwasher dispenser, then fill with dishwashing soap.
3. Humidifier: Add (?) drops of tea tree oil to the humidifier. This will clean. disinfect and refresh the air.
4. Vaporizer: Add (?) drops of tea tree oil to a cup of water; leave in room to help alleviate stuffiness, allergies, headaches and flu symptoms. Or heat a pot of water and drop 3-5 drops of tea tree oil, after removing pot from burner.
5. Washing Machine: To Kill Germs. Add (?) drops of tea tree oil to each load of laundry. This will disinfect and leave laundry smelling clean and fresh.
-Lavender Oil
. I like to take 1 Tablespoon of this into a 16 oz. spray bottle, fill with water. This is great cleaner! I couldn’t believe it. Smells great and cuts grease, I use this on my facets, and they end up gleaming. Kitchen counters, and fridge. Great smell! One little bottle cost me approx. $9,00, and will make many bottles of spray.
Also a good room deodorizer! Place a small amount on a cotton ball and wipe on a light bulb. Now you room smells divine!
-Oil of cloves (this does appear to have some safety issues) but smells heavenly, please read warning below, if in doubt, I would not use this.
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As with all essential oils, you must heed the safety warnings before use. Clove oil can irritate the skin and mucous membranes (especially in its pure form) so always take precautions when using it in your house such as wearing rubber gloves. Pregnant women should not use it as it is a uterine stimulant. Also do not use if you are taking any blood-thinning medications. Keep it away from children, and if swallowed or an allergic reaction occurs, seek immediate medical attention.
Put about one tablespoon of this in a spray bottle and fill with water. Oil of cloves is a natural mold spore killer.Great for the shower, and basement.  Lightly mist it over the fabric, and you can store away umbrellas etc. for months without the worry of mold taking over by the following summer. it will also kill flies and ants.
• For moldy surfaces that don’t like water (like leather shoes etc.), add a 1/4 teaspoon of oil of cloves to 16 oz. baby oil, give it a good shake and wipe a few drops of it over the shoes using a soft cloth. The mold will lift off straight away and won’t come back.
I have heard that Tea Tree oil used in the same manner works also, although I have not tried it.
This smells great, I put some on a cotton ball, then I take tin foil and fold into a small cup shape, pour about 1/4 cup baking soda in it then put the clove cotton ball on top. I place on of these in each room, well out of reach of any animals or children. No more plug ins for me, The smell is great, I found I like to place it on the top of my door frame.
Lemon juice, if you dislike the smell of vinegar, this can be substituted. Lemon juice can bleach fabric.

I like to cut one in half and place in the fridge Run one through the garbage disposal! When cleaning with lemons always rinse with warm soapy water and dry with a clean cloth afterwards. One of the very few things you can’t clean with lemon juice is anything that is brass plated as the juice will damage the item
More Lemon info here!! and here!
Below are some links to more ideas for less toxic cleaning:
http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/clean-and-green-natural-cleaning-formulas
http://eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

I want to try:

Homemade Furniture cleaner: Two parts olive oil or cooking oil mixed with 1 part lemon juice makes for an excellent furniture polish!

Concentrated cleaner, this looks like the super concentrated cleaner I have bought before: Take a jar and fill with citrus peels (lemon, orange, grapefruit), fill to the top with vinegar and let sit for a few weeks, then use the infused vinegar to clean, dilute this mixture in a spray bottle with water, (how much I’m not sure)

Enjoy!

May your needles fly as fast as Dragonflies.