Frugual ways....cleaning products

Have you ever thought about all the items you may buy in one months time that you actually turn around and throw right away?
 Well I have put a lot of thought into this. As I mentioned before here, we are a one income family. The great thing about that is all the time I get to spend with my kids! The not so great thing was cutting our income in half. So we had to adapt and make major changes. After spending hours scrutinizing every expense down to the penny looking for every possible way to save....I found a major flaw in our system. I was buying several things a month that I was literally throwing away right after I used or opened them.
 Disposable products....you know what I'm taking about...all those nifty items we purchase to make our daily lives much easier, but we've learned to "need" not even considering another option.
So I put an end to it.
One month I didn't buy these wasters...
paper towels
paper napkins
swiffer wet jets
swiffer cleaning solution
swiffer dusters
windex
disposable diapers and wipes (yeah cloth diapers...call me crazy - read more about that here.)

Basically I eliminated all disposable products (except toilet paper and some personal hygiene products for obvious reasons).

With these simple and mostly natural cleaning products I can make just about anything I need to clean my house for a fraction of the price. I never really run out of something because I can just mix more up!
Here is a list of natural and homemade cleaners:

Homemade Furniture Polish
1 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice

Drain Cleaner
1/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup vinegar
pour baking soda down drain, then pour vinegar cover drain for a few minutes then flush with hot water

Tough Scrubbing
borax
water
make a paste with borax and water
(good for tile, floors, shower and tubs, and walls)

Toilet Cleaner
vinegar
lemon juice
baking soda

Window and Glass Cleaner
one part vinegar
two parts water

Oven/Stove Top Cleaner
sprinkle with baking soda then pour vinegar over, let fizz then scrub with sponge

Counter top/ General Cleanser
2 cups hot water
1 teaspoon dish soap

Carpet Cleaner
one cup borax
one cup cornmeal
sprinkle over carpet let rest 30-60 min. then vacuum
carpet odor
sprinkle with baking soda let rest 8-12 hours (overnight) then vacuum

Baby Wipes
baby wash clothes
cup water
1 teaspoon baby wash
(use with cloth diapers)

Not only are these home remedies inexpensive and a natural way of cleaning but they are safer for the whole family, especially if you have little ones running around! Safe cleaning products! Go ask you grandma what she used to clean her house when she was your age...most likely the list is similar!

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