DIY Natural Cleaners: The Basics

I've heard it time and time again: "Making my own cleaners sounds great, but I don't even know where to start.  I don't have alot of time, and honestly, I don't want to have to buy a bunch of special stuff."  Does this sound familiar?  If so, good news; I can show you how to simply and quickly make your own cleaners, using ingredients many of us already have.

Here are some basic ingredients you'll need:

• Baking soda
• Borax
• Castile soap
• Cream of tartar
• Essential Oils
• Glycerin
• Murphy's Oil Soap
• Soap flakes
• Washing soda
• White distilled vinegar
• Water (I recommend using distilled for longer shelf life, but you can use tap water as well.)
• Spray/squirt bottles, shaker top containers, jars with lids (will depend on the product you're making)
• Rags, mops, buckets, etc

As you can see, many of these things are items you will already have in your home.  (If you do not currently have essential oils in your home, be sure to check back, because my next post will give you a list of essential oils that are helpful to have, in the order of importance/usefulness, so you know which you should consider buying first.)  You most likely already have a mop and bucket and such items.  If you don't have alot of spray bottles and other jars or containers, start saving your spray bottles from your chemical cleaners as they run out.  Also, save food containers, such as salsa jars & coffee cans, to store your products in.  You don't have to go out and buy brand new containers to put your cleaners in. 

Keep in mind also that not everyone will need all of the items above; your personalized list will depend on your home & your needs.  For example, we don't all have a garage or outdoor area to keep clean.

If you are planning to start making your own all-natural cleaners, go ahead and check your cabinets for some of the items above, because my next post will discuss using essential oils in cleaning and how to choose those that are most useful, so you don't have to go and spend a bunch of money.  After that, we'll start with some actual formulas that I use in my own home.  See you soon!

Namaste -

Candace

RedSunflower Designs

DIY Natural Cleaners: An Intro

Sorry I've been away from this blog for so long. At the beginning of September, I moved across the country, from Seattle back to the East Coast.  It's a decision I'm very happy about and and finally getting settled enough to recommit to blogging more regularly.  But enough about that; let's get to the good stuff!

At a time when the economy is still a concern, and we're trying to be more eco-friendly, one area many people ignore is in our cleaners.  Many people who want to just don't know where to start.  Well, I'm here to help you figure that out!

First, let's go over some of the reasons you should consider making your own natural cleaners, from basic ingredients you likely already have in your home:

1. Show that piggy bank some love.  Making your own cleaners at home can be done for pennies on the dollar.  We all know how expensive cleaning supplies can be, and why not go ahead and save that money to buy a new pair of shoes? 
2. 'Cause time is money, honey.  You'll be saving TONS of time by making your own cleaners.  Time spent searching for coupons to save you the money, time spent going to and from the store for ONE bottle of cleaner (because, let's be honest, you never run out of all at the same time), time spent searching the shelves for your brand when they move them every other week, etc.
3. Declutter.  You really don't need 10 different cleaners to get everything done, and it just takes up room that so many of us don't have, especially as we're all downsizing.
4. Put your health first.  You're breathing in chemicals as you lean over the shower or scrub that sink.  Many have been shown to cause health problems, and you have to be abit careful sometimes as to which of those you use together to avoid total catastrophe.
5. Be a tree hugger.  Regardless of whether we readily see the effects or not, these chemicals get washed down our drains, thrown into landfills, and destroy our environment.  This is a simple step you can take to help Mamma Earth!

Hopefully, I've given you a bit of think about in regards to why you should consider going to natural cleaners in your home.  Be sure to check back, because my next post will go over some of the basics you need in your arsenal to begin making these yourself.  See you there!

Namaste -

Candace

RedSunflower Designs