Want to Save Money on Cleaning Supplies?

Household cleaning products can be expensive - but you can save a lot of your hard-earned money on basic cleaning supplies by using staples you probably have in your home's cupboards right now! My favorites are vinegar, baking soda, salt, lemon juice, bleach, dishwashing liquid, rubbing alcohol and others. Here are my Heloise recipes for making simple cheap, home-style cleaning solutions, which do the job well and cost much less! Remember, when mixing homemade solutions:

1. Read ingredient labels before combining them for warnings.

2. NEVER mix ammonia or anything containing ammonia with bleach or bleach-based products.

3. Pour solutions into containers with clear and easy-to-read labels, and list ingredients, date mixed, instructions for how to use, and all warnings on the label.

4. Store all homemade, and any store-bought for that matter - well away from the reach of children and pets.

5. Wear rubber gloves when using cleaning products, and make sure there's plenty of air and ventilation around you.

Drain Freshener

Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down a smelly drain, and follow that with 1 cup of vinegar. Let this just sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then pour boiling hot water down the drain to wash it all out. Run cold water from the tap for about a minute, and your drain should be nice and fresh!

Natural Cleaning Abrasive

Put 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of Borax into a spray bottle. Shake to mix really well, and then use it to scrub stained surfaces, like rust spots on sinks.

Sanitizing Spray

Combine 1 tablespoon of household bleach with 1 quart of tap water, to dilute well. Spray on areas in the kitchen that you think need to be sanitized. Make this in smaller batches and use on the day you clean - it will NOT keep for the next day!