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Recipes for natural cleaning products to clean your everyday messes as well as those really tough jobs around the house. All recipes made using common, inexpensive, products you probably already have in your cabinets or on your counter top.
A couple of tips for truly clean and sanitized surfaces :::
- Remember ... you can not get anything clean using something dirty so always use a clean towel or scrubber.
- Always use a soap of some kind to remove dirt and oil and then follow with a sanitizer, when desired or necessary. The sanitizer will not do a good job of bonding to and removing dirt and oil.
- Finish any cleaning job with a clean cloth using a back and forth motion starting at one end and working to the other without overlapping from dirty surface to the clean surface
OR
- Finish your cleaning job with a clean cloth using a circular motion starting at the outer edge of the soiled area and working inward to the center without overlapping from the dirty surface to the clean surface
- Always ensure safety when using any alcohol based cleaners
- do not spray in the vicinity of heat or ignition sources
- do not get into eyes
- do not swallow or breath mist directly
- allow to dry completely before using any sprayed surface for food preparation
Common Ingredients / terms used in formulas / recipes ...
Extra Strength Vinegar is vinegar which has 10% acetic acid instead of the usual 5% acetic acid in regular vinegar. Both are commonly available at your local grocery store. Vinegar serves as a mild anti-microbial due to it's acidic nature. Vinegar is one of the best natural deodorizers on the market. Vinegar is also one of the best tools for breaking down and removing mineral deposits and oxidized debris on almost any surface. In any recipe which calls for Extra Strength Vinegar it will not work to use regular vinegar because it would take twice as much to get the same acid concentration and that would leave your solution to thin to "stick" to your soiled surface.
Except where specifically noted otherwise, alcohol is intended to be either common Isopropyl Alcohol at 70% v/v or Ethyl Alcohol which has been denatured, at 70% v/v. Alcohol serves as a sanitizer, when prepared in a solution containing a minimum of 70% v/v
(v/v (volume per volume) indicates measurement by volume of total solution instead of the usual scientific / formulation practice of w/w which is measured by weight of total solution)
denatured is something which has had something added to it which makes it non-consumable (toxic by ingestion)
Sodium Percarbonate is simply OxiClean if purchasing from your local grocery store.
Decyl Glucoside is a food grade surfactant (cleansing agent). In any case where a recipe calls for Decyl Glucoside, except when specifically noted otherwise, you may use any commercial dish soap, just make sure that it is dish soap and intended for food preparation surfaces. This can be found at almost any natural supplier, we've included the link to ours, above.
A part is simply a generic and universal reference to the overall ratio of the recipe / formula. A part can be determined using any unit of measure you choose so it's a useful way to give the developer control over the size of the recipe as well as the measurement system so ... to determine the part you will take the total volume that you plan to make and divide it by the total number of parts which will tell you how the recipe breaks down ... if you wanted to use ounces as your unit of measure then you would use the total ounces of your container (spray bottle, squeeze bottle, bucket ...) so: if you had a 10 ounce container and the recipe called for a total of 3 parts then you would divide the 10 ounces by the 3 parts and it tells you that each part is 3.33 ounces and if the recipe called for 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar then it would mean 2 x 3.33 or 6.66 ounces of water and 1 x 3.33 or 3.33 ounces of vinegar; if you had a recipe which called for 1 part water and 1 part vinegar then you would divide your total ounces of 10 by 2 which tells you that each part is 5 ounces and you would use 5 ounces of water and 5 ounces of vinegar; by the same rationale, if you wanted to use percentage then you would divide the total percentage (which will always be 100) by the number of parts and that will tell you that if the recipe calls for a total of 4 parts then you divide 100 by 4 and you know that each part is equal to 25 percent so if it called for 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar and 1 part alcohol then it would be 2 x 25 or 50% water and 1 x 25 or 25% vinegar and 1 x 25 or 25% alcohol; and you would do the same math if you wanted to measure in pounds, liters, or any other unit of measure.
Emergency Disinfectant Wipes for Hands on the go ... frustrated because stores are out of stock of wipes and you can't get them anywhere? No worries ...
Just take any brand of regular cleansing wipes intended for the skin (baby wipes, hand wipes, facial wipes ...) and saturate with alcohol.
VOILA! Disinfectant Wipes!
Hand Sanitizer ...
If you love the idea of an instant, on the go, hand sanitizer but want to make your own, you will love this more gentle but still effective sanitizer which may not dry your skin like the commercial products. The essential oils make it smell great so you can have a relaxing or pick me up feel with every use. Keep this in a small squeeze bottle so you can carry it in your purse and keep it handy.
Please do not confuse a sanitizer with a cleaner. Sanitizer is not a good substitute for soap and water, which should always be your first choice. However, life does get messy when we may not have access to soap and water and in those cases you can, at least, know that you've taken care of infectious, or contagious, microbial contaminants. If you have physical soil on your hands be sure to first use a wipe to remove soil.
- 7 parts (70%) rubbing alcohol (make sure to use 99% because it takes 70% alcohol by volume for instant sanitizing (instant meaning 30 seconds of wet time and due to the wet time requirement do not use pure 99% alcohol, which dries too quickly)
- 3 parts (30%) Aloe Vera Gel (make sure that the gelling agent is compatible with the alcohol otherwise it may thin it too much or cause it to separate)
- 15 drops of your favorite essential oils, per cup of solution (optional for scent purposes, lavender is a good choice and so is tea tree as both are skin friendly)
Mix the solution together in a clean squeeze bottle and shake well. When needed squeeze a quarter size drop into palm and rub hands together, making sure that you have enough for your hands to stay wet for 30 seconds.
Air Deodorizer ...
Pour onto the end of a hand towel and walk around the room spinning the towel over your head to leave a hint of vinegar while grabbing odor. This is very effective to remove foul odors and leaves your air clean and fresh.
Garbage Disposal Deodorizer / Cleaner ...
- 1 part sodium bicarbonate (super fine baking soda)
- 1 part vinegar
- ice (use twice as much as your combined soda and vinegar)
Run water into disposal (this is just to dampen the parts so that other ingredients can momentarily 'stick' to blades)
Pour baking soda into disposal then pour vinegar into disposal (be prepared as the chemical reaction will create a large amount of natural foam. Then add ice and your screen (or something else to make sure that ice isn't thrown out of disposal as it runs) and turn on disposal, using bursts (or pulses) at first. The amount to use depends on the size of your disposal. As a general rule you'll only need one quarter to one half cup of each.
The power of this cleaner comes from the natural reaction of the vinegar (acid) and the baking soda (alkaline) which creates natural carbon dioxide which serves as the natural 'foam' and the ice serves as a gentle abrasive. The result is an odor free and clean disposal.
Disinfectant Spray ...
- 1 part water
- 1 part rubbing alcohol
- 15 drops Thyme Essential Oil per one cup of solution (this is optional but also very effective, thyme essential oils contains the chemical compound thymol which is a laboratory proven anti-bacterial and is the most common active ingredient in many natural anti-bacterial products)
Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle. Apply by misting onto cleaned surfaces to sanitize and disinfect. There is no need to dry because rubbing alcohol dries quickly, without residue and is safe for surfaces. On any electrical surfaces (light switches, appliance cords, keyboards ...) where you must not spray directly for risk of electronic damage or danger, mist a cloth and wipe the surface instead of spraying.
Toilet Bowl Cleaner ... if you live in an area with hard water then you are probably dealing with mineral deposits and staining that will make your clean toilets look dirty and unsightly ... this is an easy solution that will keep your toilet bowls clean, fresh, and stain free!
- 1 part dishwashing liquid (we've found the best to be Dawn original)
- 1 part Extra Strength vinegar
Combine soap and vinegar in a small spray bottle and remove the spray tube (this will allow you to use the bottle upside down so that you can direct the spray up under the rim of the toilet). Turn the bottle over several times to combine the solution.
For de-scaling heavy mineral deposit build up or stains and monthly deep cleaning ...
Flush the toilet (this creates a damp surface). Line the entire inside surface of the toilet bowl with a single layer of tissue or paper towel (this provides something to allow the solution to really cling to the toilet bowl surface). Spray your solution to fully saturate the tissue, or paper towel. Allow this to sit for 15 minutes, or until the tissue is almost dry. Flush to remove tissue, or paper towel. Spray again with your solution and use your toilet scrub brush, or a small piece of heavy duty scrubber pad, to scrub the entire toilet bowl surface. Allow to sit for 10 minutes then flush several times to rinse. If your build up is severe it may take a few treatments.
For weekly cleaning ...
Spray the entire inside toilet bowl surface with solution and scrub with toilet bowl brush. Let sit for 10 minutes. Flush to remove solution.
For every day* sanitizing and maintenance ...
Spray over the entire inside toilet bowl surface and let sit for at least 10 minutes then just flush a couple of times to remove solution.
* If you no longer have any buildup then you can use a squeeze bottle with a angled tip to just squirt the solution under the entire rim and allow it to drip down the inside surface. If you have any build up then the spray bottle is best because it allows you to thoroughly coat the entire surface.
Surface Cleaner ... for everyday soil
- 8 parts water
- 2 parts vinegar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) Decyl Glucoside (or dish soap) per 8 ounces of solution
Combine water and vinegar in a small spray bottle and shake to combine. Add soap and shake, gently. Spray onto soiled surface and wipe clean with a microfiber, or other soft, cloth.
Degreaser ... for heavily soiled surfaces, pots / pans, grills and grilling tools, anything with burnt on crust
- 5 parts water
- 3 parts Decyl Glucoside (or dish soap)
- 2 parts Extra Strength Vinegar
- 10 - 20 drops lemon essential oil per 8 ounces of solution
Combine in a spray bottle and spray directly onto soiled surface. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes then use a scrub pad to loosen and remove burnt on soil. This is also great for a microwave splatter that has been baked onto the inside surfaces.
Soap Scum Buster ...
- 1 part Decyl Glucoside (or dish soap)
- 1 part baking soda
- lemon or orange essential oil (10 to 20 drops per cup of solution)
Combine in a small container or bucket, making a thin paste. Apply to scum areas with a sponge and let sit for about 5 minutes, then use a scrubbing pad to remove scum.
Miracle Grout Cleaner ...
- 1 part sodium bicarbonate (super fine baking soda)
- 2 parts Hydrogen Peroxide (applied using a squeeze bottle)
Combine soda and peroxide to make a paste. Apply the paste to your soiled grout and let sit for a few minutes, applying more as needed to saturate grout. Once it's saturated, scrub gently with a grout brush, or some other double angled scrubber which comes to a point at the ends. Allow to sit for another few minutes then scrub again and remove as it starts to dry. Once you've gotten most of the residue off then spray with water and rinse thoroughly. Be prepared because this will take some care, and several rinses, to thoroughly remove the solution, but it's worth the effort. Take note that all grout, no matter what color, will look dark when it's wet and will still have the appearance of being soiled until it's completely dry. Have never seen this method fail to clean grout.
Glass & Mirror Cleaner ...
- 1 part water
- 1 part vinegar
- lemon essential oil (20 drops per 2 cups of solution)
Combine in a spray bottle. Mist directly onto glass if there is no fragile surface around glass and wipe clean with a soft cloth. If overspray is a problem then spray onto a soft sponge and wipe with the wet side and wipe clean with the dry side or a soft cloth. Leaves glass and mirrors clean and streak free.
Eye Glass Cleaner ...
- 3 parts alcohol
- 1 part water
- 1 drop Decyl Glucoside (or dish soap) per one ounce of solution
Combine in a small spray bottle. Do not shake your mixture to avoid creating foam, just roll it gently between palms to combine. Spray onto lens and wipe with a soft cloth (never use microfiber for glasses because it may leave behind a residue due to the fibers).
Screen Cleaner ...
- 1 part rubbing alcohol
- 1 part distilled water (recommended to avoid traces of minerals found in tap water)
Combine in a small squirt or spray bottle and shake well. Apply solution to a soft cloth and wipe in a back and forth pattern starting at the top and working down.
Microwave Cleaner . Sanitizer ...
- 1 part vinegar
- 1 part water
Measure into a microwave safe container. Place in center of microwave, close the door, and microwave for 5 minutes. Do not open the door, just let it sit for several minutes to continue softening and loosening soil and grease. Once it's cool, just wipe it down with a dry cloth. Discard vinegar solution.
Proportions are only suggestions and you may alter them to suit your taste, or budget. Keep in mind that to maintain the efficacy of the blend you should keep the ratios similar.
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Note::
Product formulations are included as illustrative examples only. Ingredients To Die For makes no representation or
warranty concerning the efficacy, safety, or reliability of any product manufactured using such formulations. All
statements concerning the possible use of materials available from Ingredients To Die For are for research purposes
only. Ingredients To Die For is not responsible for the end use of materials sold.