Homemade Laundry Cleaners


These green cleaners don’t work as quickly as commercial cleaners and you will have to add “elbow grease”! Green cleaners are nontoxic, kind to the environment and kind to humans.

Experiment with your cleaners – you might want to add more of one thing and less of another. You can add essential oils like tea-tree, eucalyptus, lavender or rose to give you cleaners a pleasant smell. They are not necessary to the recipe and don’t detract from their effectiveness.


LAUNDRY LIQUID – makes 10 litres

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ litres water
  • 1 cup of grated yellow laundry soap or soap flakes
  • ½ cup washing soda (not baking soda)
  • ½ cup borax

     

Method

Into a medium saucepan add water and the soap. Over medium heat stir until the soap is completely dissolved. Add the soda and borax and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Pour this liquid into a bucket then fill the bucket with cold water. Stir to combine all ingredients, it will thicken as it cools, the more you stir the smoother it will become. Pour the liquid into containers leaving a little space at the top so you can shake it before use.

 

Use ¼ to ½ cup per load - whatever works best in your machine. You can use it straight on stains, leave for 5 minutes then add the item to the wash.

 

GENERAL CLEANER

White vinegar can be used for cleaning fridges, bench tops, baths, showers and toilets. Just tip a small amount onto a cloth and wipe down the surface. For stubborn stains and stovetops add Bi-carb soda to the cloth.

If the oven is really dirty place an oven proof dish containing a cup of hot water and a cup of vinegar in the oven. Turn on the oven until the mixture starts to boil, turn off and leave for an hour then wipe out.

 

WOODEN FLOOR CLEANER

  • 2 tablespoons of grated yellow soap
  • ½ cup vinegar
  • 500 ml strong black tea (no leaves)
  • Bucket of warm water

Combine all ingredients and apply with a mop.

 

 WOODEN FURNITURE POLISH

  •  ½ teaspoon olive oil
  • ¼ cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice

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

 

WINDOW CLEANER

  • ½ cup methylated spirits
  • ½ bucket of hot water

Combine ingredients. Using a soft cloth dipped in the solution, wipe down windows and, while wet, scrunch up newspaper and use it to polish the window until dry. Leaves a streak-free finish.