Save Money on Homemade Cleaners

Looking for an alternative to the expensive cleansers found in stores, I began experimenting with my own inventions. Enlisting the helpful knowledge of my husband, a microbiology/chemistry student, I came up with the following homemade cleansers...

Window/Glass Cleaner: Simply mix equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. (Make sure no bleach has been in the bottle.) You'll be amazed at how well it works. If needed, a little extra vinegar can be added. Oh, try wiping the mirror with newspaper for a completely streak-free shine. (The Air Force's basic training taught me that one. It works great!)

Bleach Uses: Cutting cleaning costs is easy with bleach. The off brand kind sells for well under a dollar where we live. I have found it especially useful for replacing expensive bathroom cleaning products. Below, you'll find two cleaning uses for this inexpensive alternative.

Mold/Mildew Remover: Put bleach into a spray bottle and spray directly on shower curtain or other mildewed surface. In a few minutes, the mold/mildew will be gone with no scrubbing! We use this on our shower curtain, and it works great. One caution, however, straight bleach is strong. Before using, be sure to test a small area. You may want to dilute the bleach with a little water. It still works well.

Toilet Bowl Cleanser: Pour one cup of bleach into bowl and scrub with toilet bowl brush. Let the bleach sit for 10 minutes. Flush. That's it! Pretty simple, huh? And much cheaper than the alternatives. If you choose, you can get the new scented bleaches to add that nice "clean" smell to your bathroom.

Bathroom/Kitchen Cleanser: As far as general cleaning, it is not necessary to pay high prices to get a great clean. I have switched to the "Comet" and "Ajax" cleansers. They work better than those other ones, and you can get a long lasting container for about $0.75. (Be sure to read directions about delicate surfaces, though.)

Dawn is a stay-at-home mom of three children, ages 5, 3, and 8 months. She believes the sacrifices needed to stay home pale in comparison to the benefits received by the children (and Mom and Dad.)

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