Various recipes for green cleaning

 

HOMEMADE CLEANING RECIPES

LAUNDRY

Laundry LiquidMakes 10 litres
You may add any essential oil of your choice to these homemade cleaners. Oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, lavender or rose are ideal but are not an essential ingredient. They are not necessary to the recipe but do not detract from the effectiveness by adding them. Use essential oil and not a fragrant oil.

Ingredients
1½ litres water

1 bar Sunlight or generic laundry soap or any similar pure laundry soap, grated on a cheese grater OR 1 cup of Lux flakes

½ cup washing soda – NOT baking or bicarb soda

½ cup borax

Tools

Saucepan
10 litre bucket
Slotted spoon or wooden spoon for mixing
Into a medium sized saucepan add 1½ litres of water and the soap. Over a medium heat, stir this until it is completely dissolved. Make sure the soap dissolves properly or the mixture will separate when cold.

Add the washing soda and borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat.

Pour this mixture into your 9-10 litre bucket then fill the bucket with hot water from the tap. Stir to combine all the ingredients. The laundry liquid will thicken up more as it cools. When cool, store in a plastic container. I use one of those 10 litre flat plastic box containers with a lid. Use ¼ cup of mixture per load or monitor to see what works well for you. I keep a ¼ cup measuring scoop in the box to measure the mixture into the washing machine.

This detergent will not make suds when you wash as it does not contain the chemicals that supermarket detergents add to make suds. You do not need suds to wash your clothes or for the detergent to be effective. The agitation of the washing machine does most of the washing. Additives loosen the dirt and grease. If you use the greywater from your laundry on your garden, leave out the borax.

All these washing aids are suitable for top loaders AND front loaders. I have been using them in my front loader machines for years with no ill effects.

So, lets do a costing on this first recipe of 10 litres of laundry liquid.
These prices are a bit old, I'd say today in Australia it would cost about $2

Lux Flakes - $5.50
Sunlight soap 4 pack - $2.47
Homebrand laundry soap 4 pack - $1.39
Borax 500 grams - $2.55
Washing Soda 750 grams - $1.65
I’ll use the median soap price (Sunlight) for my calculations.
1 bar of Sunlight soap = 61 cents
½ cup borax = 63 cents
½ cup washing soda = 55 cents
Total comes to $1.79 for 10 litres of laundry liquid. The equivalent amount of national brand, TV advertised detergent is currently $4.30 for a litre in a refill pack. So, $4.30 x 10 = $43.00 for the same amount.
And it works too!
There is also a powdered version of this recipe. I like the liquid because you can use it for stain removal too, but the powder is much easier to make up. I am now using the powder for my washing and the I usually have about a litre of the liquid made up for general cleaning.

CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY POWDER - this is the powder I use in my front loader
4 cups grated laundry or homemade soap or soap flakes (Lux)
2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a plastic container with a lid. Use 2 tablespoons per wash. Again, this powder will not make suds and again, this is perfectly okay.

HEAVY DUTY WASHING POWDERFor use on worker’s greasy or dirty overalls, football and sports uniforms or fabric that has food spills.
2 cups grated Napisan soap
2 cups grated laundry or homemade soap
2 cups borax
2 cups washing soda
Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and store in a plastic container with a lid. Use two tablespoons per wash. The powder will not make suds.

For a very heavily stained load of washing or tradesperson’s clothes, if you have a top loader turn the machine off when the powder is completely dissolved. In a front loader, operate the machine to dissolve the powder and then stop the machine for an hour to soak the clothes. Leave to soak for an hour, or overnight, and then turn the machine on and continue washing as normal.

NEVER EVER mix ammonia and bleach together. It will form a gas that could kill you.

STAIN REMOVER #1
½ cup ammonia

½ cup homemade laundry liquid

½ cup water

Mix all these ingredients well, and store in marked spray bottle.
Make sure you mark all your bottles so you know what they contain. If you reuse a bottle that previously contained other cleansers, make sure the bottle is completely clean and marked before you fill it with your homemade cleanser.

STAIN REMOVER #2
¼ cup borax or washing soda

2 cups cold water

Sponge on and let dry, or soak the fabric in borax mixture before washing in soap and cold water.

STAIN REMOVER #3
¼ cup hydrogen peroxide
¼ cup water

Mix together and dab onto stain. Leave two hours and repeat if necessary. Good on white clothes.

FABRIC SOFTENER

½ cup white vinegar in final rinse

NAPPY SOAKER and WHITENER (DIAPERS)Bicarb soda is a good pre-soaker for soiled nappies. Dissolve ¼ cup of bicarb soda in a bucket of warm water, soak for at least an hour or overnight, then wash the nappies in hot water with homemade laundry liquid. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the final rinse and let them dry in the sun.

KITCHEN

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER #1 - do not use on aluminium
1 tablespoon ammonia

1 tablespoon liquid soap or homemade laundry detergent

2 cups hot water
Combine in a spray bottle. Pour in hot water, screw on the spray bottle top and shake until completely dissolved. This cleaner can be stored in this spray bottle, so mark it “HOMEMADE ALL PURPOSE CLEANER” with a permanent marker.
Spray the cleaner on surfaces you wish to clean. Use your terry cloth to rub on as you go. For hard to move grease or dirt, leave the cleanser on for a few minutes before wiping it off.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER #2
½ cup washing soda

2 litres warm water
Mix together and store in a sealed plastic container that is marked with the name.
Can be used as a floor cleaner – tiles, laminate or vinyl or for general cleaning of walls, counter tops or sinks.

SINK CLEANER

Combine equal parts of bicarb soda and course salt to scrub hard to move dirt and grease. This is an abrasive but it will make the sink shine. Finish off with a litre of water in the sink, add a cap full of liquid bleach and remove the plug. You’ll sanitise and clean the pipes at the same time. Wipe with a dry terry cloth.

OVEN CLEANER

¼ cup ammonia

2 cups of warm water

Be careful of the ammonia fumes.

Turn on the oven and leave to heat up for 5 minutes. Pour ammonia and warm water in a baking dish and leave in the warmed oven overnight. This will loosen the grime in the oven, which you can then clean with an ammonia-based cleaner or soap and water. You can also scour with a paste of bicarb soda and water.

CLEANING SILVER

This method works by a chemical reaction of the aluminium, salt and bicarb soda. Put the plug in the kitchen sink. Lay a piece of aluminium foil on the base of the sink and add your silverware. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the silver.
Add one teaspoon of bicarb soda and one teaspoon of salt to the water. Let it sit for about ten minutes. The tarnish will disappear without you touching it.

CREAMY SOFT SCRUBBER

Simply pour about ½ cup of bicarb into a bowl, and add enough liquid soap to make a texture like very thick cream. Scoop the mixture onto a sponge, and start scrubbing. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bath and shower because it rinses easily and doesn’t leave grit.
Note: Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to the mixture and store in a sealed glass jar, to keep the product moist. Otherwise just make as much as you need at a time.

WINDOW CLEANER # 1

¼ - ½ teaspoon liquid or grated soap

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 cups water

spray bottle
Put all the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake it up a bit, and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past.

WINDOW CLEANER # 2

Vinegar and newspapers

Pour a little vinegar onto a sheet of newspaper and wipe windows. Remove all the grime and polish the window with a clean sheet of newspaper.

FURNITURE (WOOD) POLISH

½ teaspoon olive oil

¼ cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wooden surfaces. Seal in the glass jar and store indefinitely.

FLOOR CLEANER – tiles, vinyl or laminate
½ cup white vinegar plus 2 litres hot water in a bucket and a clean mop will clean up all but the worst floor. If you have a really dirty floor to deal with, add a squirt of homemade laundry liquid to this mix.

MOP CLEANING
A clean mop is a necessity when cleaning floors. If you start with a dirty mop you’ll just loosen the dirt on the mop by making it wet again and then spread that on the floor. When you finished your cleaning jobs, rinse the mop out to get rid of the loose dirt then let it soak in the bucket half filled with water and a ¼ cup of bleach. Let the mop soak for 30 minutes, rinse the bleach out and dry the mop in the sun.

WOODEN FLOOR CLEANER - Ammonia will strip floor wax (one cup to a bucket of hot water)
2 tablespoons homemade vegetable soap - grated

½ cup vinegar

500 mls strong black tea

bucket warm water
Combine all the ingredients in the bucket and apply with a cotton mop.

REMOVING CRAYONS FROM A PAINTED WALL

Add a few drops of water to some bicarb and make a thick paste. Wipe over the crayon marks and scrub off with a terry cloth.

HOMEMADE OLIVE OIL AND COCONUT OIL SOAPThis is the recipe for another soap I use. It's a very simple soap that is nourishing and free of harmful additives. It is basically a castile soap with coconut oil added for its good lathering qualities.

Here is the recipe:

800mls of cheap olive oil - the low grade stuff is fine for this.

200mls coconut oil - you can get it from health food stores and Asian supermarkets.

130g caustic soda - from hardware stores or supermarket

400mls rain water

Make the soap up according to the instructions in the soap making tutorial post.

HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE
¼ cup Olssons cooking salt or any natural sea salt.
¼ cup bicarb soda

Make up ½ cup at a time and store it in a sealed jar. Just sprinkle some of the powder onto your toothbrush and clean your teeth in the normal way. This powder is bitter and takes a little while to get used to but it works well. I don't notice the taste now. You could add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to mask the taste.

HOMEMADE SHAMPOO - I also wash my hair with my homemade soap
This works very well. Say goodbye to all those expense hairdresser shampoos. It’s great for dandruff too.
Dissolve a tablespoon of bicarb soda in a cup of water. If you’ve got children, it might be better doing this in a squirt bottle.
Wet hair thoroughly and apply the mixture to the hair, massaging it in well.
To rinse, just run water through your hair, or you could use a splash of vinegar. The vinegar smell will go when your hair is dry.
You’ll be amazed at how good your hair feels. It will be clean and healthy.
This is an excellent shampoo for long and frizzy hair or short hair.

HOMEMADE DEODORANT

Add some bicarb to a shaker and use that. Dabbing a bit of bicarb under your arms is very effective as long as you wash every day.

HOMEMAKER’S LOG BOOK
It’s a great organisational tool and safety measure to keep a record of all the cleansers you use. If you ever have an accident with the cleansers, you’ll need to tell the doctor what the ingredients are so I recommend you keep your recipes together in a Homemaker’s Log Book. You can also keep food recipes in it as well as printed information you need in your home. I have made a Home Log from a three-ringed binder. That way I can add and remove pages when necessary. There is more about the Homemaker’s Log here.

Most of the ingredients for these recipes will be found in supermarkets in Australia. If you're in another country, I'd really appreciate you letting us know where you find your ingredients. Thank you ladies. : )
  http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/2007/08/various-recipes-for-green-cleaning.html

Home Ec: 7 Homemade Cleaning Products

Corbis Images

A few years ago I became overwhelmed by all the information about toxins in household cleaners. Determined to make healthy choices for my family and the environment, I switched to natural cleaners.
Like many organic products, I found the premium price almost prohibitive. Since then, I've moved almost exclusively to homemade products. First, I used mostly vinegar and baking soda solutions. They did something, but could hardly manage an intense clean. Now, I've found a handful of tested recipes that really get the job done.

Here are some great homemade cleaning products.

ROOM DEODORIZER

Commercial deodorizers can be harmful to your health. The American Lung Association cites them as a contributing factor to the spike in asthma cases. The Canadian Lung Association labels air fresheners as a hazardous product. It's no wonder that people are learning how to freshen their homes the natural way.

If you have an odor issue, first get rid of it. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet, and leave it out overnight in dishes around the problem areas. Baking soda has an amazing ability to suck up odor. Once you're odor neutral, it's time to add some pleasant scents to the home. Many people still choose to make potpourri, while gelatin room deodorizers and reed diffusers are more modern solutions. For myself, I like this simple spray solution:

Getty Images

Baking Soda
Water
Essential oil
Combine 4 cups of hot water with 1/4 cup baking soda and mix well. Add real lemon juice or your favorite essential oil. I like to alternate between lavender and grapefruit. When choosing oils, make sure you select pure essential oils, and not synthetic ones.

The options are endless. Natural cleaning solutions that can be made easily and inexpensively are becoming more popular. People are eagerly abandoning commercial cleaners and sharing their homemade secrets. Here are a few more tips I've gathered from friends. Share yours in the comments.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons borax
4-5 drop orange or lemon essential oil (citrus cuts grease)
2 cups hot water

Combine all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake well. If you need a little extra cleaning action, replace the baking soda with washing soda. Washing soda is twice as strong as baking soda. It's recommended that you wear gloves and a mask when cleaning with washing soda, but don't worry, it still passes the natural ingredient test, and will cut through your toughest dirt and grime.

SINK CLEANER
This sink cleaner is so simple you can whip up a paste for each use.

3 tsp Lemon juice
3 tbs Cream of Tartar (you'll find it in the spice isle)

Combine the lemon juice and cream or tartar to make a paste. The proportions don't need to be exact, but the paste should be smooth and thick. Simply scrub it in gently and thoroughly then rinse it off to uncover your clean sink.


OVEN CLEANER
Chemical oven cleaner is one if the harshest household solutions, one many of us would happily avoid. This organic solution is a great alternative, but it still requires that you practice some precaution; see the oven cleaner instructions for some other important tips.

1/2 cup of salt
1/2 cup of baking soda
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of vinegar

Corbis

Mix the ingredients together forming a thick paste. Cover any holes or openings with tin foil. Apply the mixture to the bottom and side walls of the oven. Leave overnigh. Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup vinegar in a spray bottle. Use this solution to wash off the paste.

TOILET BOWL CLEANER

Chemical based bathroom cleaners are the hardest to part with. Somehow we feel like cleaning the bathroom needs to induce a toxic headache or it's not really working. Trying out recipes like this one for natural toilet bowl cleaner is a great way to see just how well homemade solutions really clean.

2 tbs baking soda
1 tbs olive oil
3-4 drops essential oil (optional)

Pour the baking soda and olive oil into your toilet bowl and scrub it with a toilet brush. Add in a few drops of scented oil as a deodorizer.

WINDOW CLEANER

With six homemade window cleaners, Tip Nut has you covered. Their cleaners range from your standard vinegar solution to some more creative black tea concoctions, and I've had the most luck with this simple recipe:

1 gallon water
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tbs lemon juice
Approx. 1 tbs dish detergent (liquid)

Getty Images

Mix all ingredients together and store in a container, ready to refill your spray bottle. The lemon juice and dish detergent will cut through those greasy hand-prints. Spray the cleaner on your window and wipe it with a microfiber cloth, newspaper, or squeegee.

HAND SANITIZER

A pump in the bathroom, one in the kitchen, one in the playroom, three or four floating around the car and one in my purse; while it's true that nothing beats a good scrub with soap and hot water, for a family on the go hand sanitizers are essential. Here's how to make your own alcohol-free hand sanitizer:

1 cup pure aloe vera gel
1-2 tsp of witch hazel
8 drops of essential oils of your choice

Combine all ingredients, adjusting until you have your desired consistency and stir well. Tea tree oil is the best disinfectant, but isn't safe for pregnant women, children or pets. Other recommended oils include orange, lemon and basil. This recipe, along with some alcohol-based solutions and additional tips are all available from No Ordinary Homestead.


Polish silverware: Fill your sink with hot water, sprinkle in some baking soda and add a sheet of tin foil. Let the silver soak for an hour, rinse and wipe clean.
Clean a vase or bottom of a container by adding rice to your cleaning solution. The rice scrubs all those hard to reach places!
Get rid of the smell in your sink by crushing orange or grapefruit peel in the garborator.
Sprinkle borax anywhere you've had rodent problems. They won't come near it.
Mop your floor with vinegar and hot water. Add a touch of olive oil for polish.

 http://www.diylife.com/2010/05/04/home-ec-7-homemade-cleaning-products/

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

What’s the secret to effective green cleaning? Simple and effective cleaning solutions to save money and keep your home sparkling clean.

Although commercial products come with a list of potential risks, the use of essential oils to produce a natural cleaning is considered safe and environmentally non-toxic.
Essential oils are highly concentrated extractions of flowers, leaves, resins, barks, and the roots of plants. A good choice as an ingredient for an all natural cleaning agent, which makes sense considering essential oils traditionally have been used for thousands of years to improve human health.
Not only do they make tantalizing scents, but they’re known to have beneficial properties like relaxing the nerves and relieving anxiety. One of the reasons essential oils are ideal to use as natural cleaning ingredient is that they’re all natural antiseptics and they destroy harmful bacteria.
With that said we wanted an easy to make safe natural homemade cleaner that was effective at cleaning and saved us money.
Recipe for Natural Household Cleaner
Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
Preparation time less than 2 minutes.
Cost less than 0.25 cents for 16 ounces.

• ½ teaspoon of Shaklee Basic H2
• 7 drops of Chamomile Essential Oil
• 7 drops of Lemon Essential Oil
• Add Basic H2 and these essential oils to sixteen ounces of purified water in a spray bottle.
• Cleans appliances, counters, walls, stainless steel, windows and interiors

Basic H2 — super-safe, really powerful, all purpose cleaner.
Basic H2 is a naturally derived, nontoxic, concentrated, and biodegradable cleaner that is versatile and powerful – removes dirt, grease, and grime from any washable surface, inside and out.
Chamomile Essential Oil — refreshing, calming and soothing properties.
Chamomile oil is a great analgesic, with a fruity and sweet aroma, which is known for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Chamomile is a particularly safe essential oil and can be used with young children and sensitive individuals.
Lemon Essential Oil — enhances concentration, generic cialis forum mental awareness, and uplifting mood properties
Lemon oil is known for its antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties, with a citrus, sweet, fresh aroma.  http://www.natural-cleaners.com/homemade-cleaning-solutions/12

My Happy Homemade Cleaning Products **Added**

If you try any of them leave me a message and let me know if you like them.
I typed this up for a couple of moms so I decided to make a journal post out of it. I feel good when I use these cleaners because they are not hard on the environment and they don't have caustic fumes that give me migraines and cause my sons asthma to flare, they are cheap and easy to make, you don't need to spend a fortune to have a clean fresh house.
I love all of these cleaners, I am experimenting with essential oil and creating all kinds of fun scents. I buy vinegar by the gallon and the largest box of baking soda that I can find so that I never run out. some of the essential oils that I love are lemon, sweet orange, lavender, peppermint, bergamot & eucalyptus. All are on the inexpensive side as far a essential oils go.
I also use borax mixed with baking soda for carpet cleaning and tough bathtub rings, it is to be used with caution since it is toxic if swallowed. So if you use it keep it out of kids reach. I put it on pet stains, let dry and then vacuum, it works like a charm, but I don't have babies crawling around, if i did, I would use baking soda rinse with vinegar and then blot up.
Glass Cleaner:
Fill a 16 oz spray bottle with 1 cup white distilled vinegar, 1 cup distilled water*. That's it!
All Purpose Cleaner:
Fill 16 oz spray bottle with 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 cup distilled water* Add to that 1Tbsp of mild liquid detergent or soap. If you want it to disinfect, add 20 drops of tea tree oil (found in the vitamin/supplement section of Target or Wal-Mart).
Another All Purpose Cleaner:
Disolve 2 Tbsp of Borax in 1 cup very hot water. Add 1 cup cool water to a spray bottle, then pour in the borax/hot water mix. Add 1tsp liquid detergent and essential oils if desired.
Floor Cleaner:
Brew 2 cups strong peppermint tea (I know it sounds weird, but it smells good and the peppermint in the tea helps kill germs) Add the tea to a bucket of water along with 1/2cup of white vinegar and 1tsp of mild soap or detergent. Mop as usual, no need to rinse.
Instead of fabric softener in your laundry, use 1 cup of vinegar in the final rinse. I just add it to the softener dispenser in my washer and it works well.
Instead of scouring powder, use straight baking soda, just put it in a shaker bottle(an old Parmesan cheese shaker works great). Just shake it on the surface and scrub and rinse.
Making soft scrub is a little more tricky because the mixture can dry out and clog the squirt bottle (I use a 16oz sports bottle that I clearly label). In a small bowl mix 1 2/3 cup baking soda with 1/2cup liquid soap dilute with 1/2cup water. Add 2tbsp vinegar LAST. Stir till all lumps are gone. If it pours easily in the bottle you have the right consistency, if not add more water. Use like you would soft scrub.
I have been experimenting with homemade veggie wash spray (the kind that cost $5 a bottle at the store) I think I've come up with a pretty good approximation, so I thought I'd pass it on.

Homemade Veggie Wash Spray
1/2 cup vinegar
1-1/2 cup distilled water
1/2 tsp castile soap
1 tsp peroxide
10-15 drops grapefruit seed extract
Put all ingredients into a 16 oz spray bottle and shake to mix. spray your fruit and veggies with the spray, rub for 30 seconds then rinse.

Fabulous Fragrance Spray
Mix together in a 6 oz spray bottle 1 oz polysorbate 20 (optional) and 25 drops of your favorite essential oils, either alone or in combination shake to mix, then add 5 oz distilled water to the bottle and you have a fabulous fragrance spray that won't make you sneeze or have a headache. Shake before using. These are some great combos that I love:
Fresh Scent
clary sage, lemon, orange, rosemary and ylang ylang

Balancing Scent
lavender and peppermint

Autumn Spice Scent
orange, cinnamon, clove and ginger

Holiday Scent
fir, lemon, rosemary and eucalyptus


Laundry Soap Powder
Put one 4 oz bar of castile (olive oil) soap in the food processor and grind into a fairly fine powder. Add to that 1/2 cup borax and 1/2 cup washing soda. At this point you can add your favorite essential oils if you wish. Stir it all together and store in a closed container. Use 1-2 tablespoons per wash load, adding it to the water before you add your clothes.
This is my recipe for liquid detergent. It makes 2 gallons of thin liquid detergent I use 2-3 tablespoons per load. I have a front loader washing machine, but I am sure it will work in traditional machines too. It is low sudsing.

1 Cup Dr Bronner's Sal-Suds
1/2 Cup washing soda
1/2 Cup baking soda
1/2 Cup borax

On top of the stove in a large dutch oven, heat 6 cups water and Sal-Suds on med heat until it heats up but not to boiling. Add in the washing soda, baking soda and borax and heat until disolved. Take it off the heat and add essential oils and equal amounts of Polysorbate 20 if desired. Into a 3-4 gallon bucket pour 4 cups of hot water. Add to that your heated water Sal-Suds, sodas and borax mixture. Next add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of cool water and stir. Transfer into 2 clean 1 gallon containers and let sit for at least 24 hours before using.

Another Laundry Soap Liquid (courtesy of my friends Saffy and Dest)

1/2 of a 4oz bar of soap (grated)

½ cup washing soda

½ cup borax powder

~You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size~

Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan. Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts. Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved and starts to thicken. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket. Now add your soap mixture and stir. If adding Essential oils, do so now. Then add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of room temp water and stir. Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel. It turns out best if you cover it and leave it alone. Waiting is the hardest part.

Homemade Toothpaste:
4 tbsp vegetable glycerin or unrefined coconut oil
1/4 tsp menthol crystals
1 cup baking soda
1200 mg soy lecithin
10 drops peppermint essential oil
1 tsp - 1 tbsp water as needed
In a glass bowl measure out vegetable glycerin. Add in the menthol crystals and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir to dissolve. To a small mixing bowl add baking soda, the glycerin mixture, peppermint oil and soy lecithin. Beat with a mixer on low speed until combined, adding extra water as needed to obtain the desired consistency. Once combined beat the whole mixture on high speed for 1-2 minutes to make sure everything is combined properly.

Storing the mixture in a glass container with a tight fitting lid is optimal, since it tends to dry out quickly. Use a pea sized amount to brush your teeth. I guarantee your teeth will never feel smoother with any commercial toothpaste.
I have tried, unsucessfully to develop a phosphate free dishwasher detergent. I just haven't been able to get quite the right proportions and combinations of ingredients. There are some great products out there though. I usually use Seventh Generation or Ecover but have recently found that Costco sells a good one under their Kirkland brand name. If you find they aren't cleaning well or are finding spots on your dishes, try using vinegar in the rinse agent compartment and putting a small amount of citric acid in with your detergent.

*use distilled water for these recipes so that the minerals in your water don't lessen the effectiveness of your cleaners. Alternately you can boil your water and then let it cool before mixing you cleaners.
*Essential oils can be added to any of these recipes to make whatever fragrance you like.

 http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/506699/My_Happy_Homemade_Cleaning_Products_Added

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here are some recipes for homemade laundry detergent:

Powdered Laundry Detergent

(thanks to modcottage.com)

1 Cup Grated Fels Naptha Soap

1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax

1/4 Cup Oxyclean (Optional)

*Mix all together and store in a sealed container.

For light load, use 1 tablespoon.
For heavy or heavily soiled load, use 2 tablespoons.

Liquid Laundry Detergent

3 Pints Water
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated
1/2 Cup Washing Soda
1/2 Cup Borax
2 Gallon Bucket
1 Quart Hot Water
Hot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

*If you are having trouble finding Washing Soda, you can substitute Oxyclean. Here is an alternate recipe for liquid detergent that my friend Abbigail shared with me a while back. It’s also on the Duggar Family website:

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4 Cups hot tap water
1 Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup Washing Soda/OxyClean
½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)
-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.
-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads  http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/02/homemade-laundry-detergent/

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner

Need a recipe for cleaning your toilet bowl using safe, non-toxic ingredients?
Baking Soda and Vinegar: Sprinkle some baking soda (about 1/4-1/2 c.) around the toilet bowl, then spray it with white vinegar in a spray bottle (uses less than just pouring it on). Scrub with toilet brush and flush to rinse.
A cheap and easy way to clean, deodorize and disinfect your toilet bowl!
Borax and Lemon Juice: In a container mix about 1/2 c. borax to 1/4 c. lemon juice (more or less as needed) to make a paste. Flush the toilet to get sides of bowl wet. Then, using a glove (or I like to use an old sock), rub the paste around the inside of the toilet bowl, especially glopping it over stains. Leave on for at least 2 hours (or overnight if possible), then scrub off with brush.
*I do this after a first cleaning with the baking soda/vinegar mix, so the bowl isn’t too grimy. I use this for slightly tougher stains, plus I like the lingering smell of the lemon juice!
But to remove those stains that you once deemed impossible to clean, you gotta try THIS ALL NATURAL METHOD. You won’t believe how white that porcelain bowl can be again!  http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2009/06/homemade-toilet-bowl-cleaner/