Great Cleaning Supply Recipes

Check out the great articles on the PYP blog page (http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/)! There are instructions for making your own laundry detergent, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, cleaning and baby wipes. I love making my own cleaning supplies! I write down the recipes on 3x5 cards and tape them to the inside of the kitchen cupboard by the sink. Whenever I need to make a new batch the recipes are easily accessible. Check out my older post http://tightwadmomsfrugalforum.blogspot.com/2009/12/homemade-disinfecting-cleaner.html for the recipe for multipurpose disinfecting spray. I swear by it. ( I use it to clean everything....except the kids and the dog!).

Homemade Disinfecting Cleaner

If your family is like mine; the winter crud is about to start! It never fails, I just get life back in order after the holidays, and someone will invariably come home with the stomach flu, a nasty head cold, hacking cough, or any combination of the above. Needless, to say, it will go through the whole family (one at a time, of course). I do try my best to keep most surfaces wiped down with disinfecting wipes and Lysol, but it gets expensive fast! I found this recipe for disinfecting wipes on the Living On A Dime blog (conveniently located to your right), and have been impressed with it.

Homemade All Purpose Disinfecting Cleaner

2 TB ammonia
1/2 cup alcohol
1/4 cup vinegar
3 1/4 cups water

I add the first three ingredients in a quart spray bottle then fill it up with water. I keep one in both bathrooms. It is great for cleaning sinks, hard water on tile, toilet seats, kitchen counters, most hard surfaces, and greasy fingerprints off of doors. I even use it as a mirror and window cleaner (no streaking). To make disinfecting wipes cut a small roll of Bounty paper towels (no substitutes) in half (with a serrated knife). Place each half roll in a plastic container (if you use the 110 count tubs of Lysol wipes save the empty ones. The rolls fit in them perfectly). Pour 1/2 of the solution over each of the rolls. Give the paper towels a few minutes to soak up the solution, and then pull the card board out of the center. Much cheaper than the commercially made ones, and as long as you keep a supply of the ingredients on hand, no having to run to the store to get more when you run out!