Saturday 11 May 2013

May You Be: Frugal

Hi everyone!

Himself and myself have spent the last hour or so cleaning and tidying the apartment. We seem to have fallen into this pattern every Saturday of having our dinner in the evening and then afterwards we catch up with the household chores that have piled up during the week. Anyway, that isn't the point of this post, the point is as I was busy spraying some kitchen cleaner around the counter tops and on to the dining table I inhaled a little and it really caught in my throat. It got me thinking (not for the first time) how harsh all these chemicals really are! As a fan of trying to live the "frugal life" it really is silly that I use all this rubbish in my humble abode for two reasons mainly, the aforementioned fact that it costs money (it all adds up) and I do find myself worrying "this can't be good for our health".
Luckily we don't have to use bleach, sprays, creams and whatever else is under the kitchen sink (isn't that a metaphor for poision? Just saying). There are tonnes and I mean tonnes of homemade household cleaner recipes out there that won't damage our health and are cheap as chips to make because the ingredients are items that would more than likely be found knocking around in our cupboards anyway. So, it's all good!


Here is a list of some household cleaners that you can make at home:


  • Glass Cleaner: Combine equal parts white distilled vinegar and water into an empty spray bottle. Add 2 to 3 drops of washing up liquid. Mix well. Use as you would normal window cleaner.
  • Dishwasher Detergent: Mix 1 tablespoon of Borax with 1 tablespoon of Baking Soda. Add it to your dishwasher's detergent compartment and run as normal. 
  • Bleach: Rub half a lemon or apply lemon juice from the bottle to the surface that needs to be sanitized. Rinse away with water. The lemon's citric acid acts as a natural sanitizer but also will lift stains in a similar fashion as bleach.
  • Furniture Polish: Combine 1 cup of olive oil with 1/4 cup of lemon juice in a bowl or an empty spray bottle. Use a clean cloth to rub a small amount of the polish over the furniture. Shine with a dry cloth.
  • Drain Cleaner: Pour some salt down the drain that is blocked. The water should be moving again in no time.
  • Chrome Polish: Dab Baby Oil on to chrome with a cotton cloth for a sparkling finish. Great idea for polishing the bathroom taps.
  • Iron Cleaner: Remove gunk from your iron by rubbing it over a used dryer sheet until the residue has  come away.
  • Stovetop Polish: Protect the stovetop by rubbing it with a small amount of car polish. Future spills will lift right off.
  • Vase Cleaner: Vases or tall glasses can often be hard to clean. If residue clings to the bottom, fill the vase with warm water and drop in 1-2 denture tablets and dissolve. Let it sit for the time specified on the box and rinse.
  • Glass Deodorizer: Deodorize smelly glass (such as jam jars) by washing them with a mixture of 1 teaspoon of powdered mustard to 1 teaspoon of water.
  • Pet Hair Remover: Slip on a pair of damp rubber washing up gloves and run your hands over the sofa or carpet which is covered in pet hair. The hair will stick to the damp gloves!

I think that is enough to get started with, don't you? 
I would love to know if you have any homemade cleaner recipes of your own. Let me know if you give any of these a try by leaving me a comment below or by email.

I hope you all had a beautiful + creative day

Ciara
xoxo

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