• Scented All-Purpose Cleaner

What you’ll need:

  • One-part white vinegar
  • One-art water
  • Lemon rind
  • Rosemary sprigs

Combine the above ingredients together, pour into a spray bottle, shake, and then let infuse for a week before using.

Caution: Do not use acidic cleaners on granite, as they will etch the stone.

 Kitchen Cleaner and Deodorizer

What you’ll need:

  • 4 tablespoons baking soda
  • 1-quart warm water

To clean kitchen counters, appliances, and the inside of your refrigerator, all you need is baking soda.

  • DIY Glass Cleaner

 What you’ll need:

  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup white or cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup rubbing alcohol 70% concentration
  • 1 to 2 drops of orange essential oil for smell (optional)

The next time you need to wash your windows and mirrors, combine these ingredients and pour them in a spray bottle to make a homemade cleaner with vinegar.

  • Homemade Brass Cleaner

 What you’ll need:

  • White vinegar or lemon juice
  • Table salt

To clean non-lacquered cabinet pulls, bathroom appointments, and more, dampen a sponge with vinegar or lemon juice

  • Natural Heavy-Duty Scrub

What you’ll need:

  • ½ lemon
  • ½ cup borax

Rust stains on porcelain or enamel sinks and tubs are no match for this cleaner. Dip the lemon into the borax and scrub the surface, then rinse.

  • DIY Grease Cleaner

What you’ll need:

  • ½ cup sudsy ammonia
  • Scant 1 gallon of water

Sudsy ammonia contains detergent that helps remove tough grime. Mix ½ cup with enough water to fill a one-gallon container. Then clean your oven racks, stove hood, and grill by dipping a sponge into the solution and wiping over the surface before rinsing with water.

  • Last-Resort Clothing Stain Remover

What you’ll need:

  • 1-gallon hot water
  • 1 cup powdered dishwasher detergent
  • 1 cup regular liquid chlorine bleach, not ultra or concentrate

Treat badly stained but washable white clothing by mixing the above ingredients into a stainless steel, plastic, or enamel bowl.

  • Natural Marble Cleaner

 What you’ll need:

  • 2 drops mild dishwashing liquid
  • 2 cups warm water

Mix dishwashing detergent and water the next time you want to clean natural stone countertops.

  • Carpet Deodorizer

What you’ll need:

  • 1 cup baking soda
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 5 drops of any essential oil

Mix a homemade carpet deodorizer to freshen up area rugs and floors. This DIY natural cleaning recipe works with any essential oils, so choose one that smells best for you

  • Homemade Air Freshener

 What you’ll need:

  • 2-3 oranges, lemons, and/or limes, sliced
  • Handful fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary, or lavender
  • 2-4 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves

Place ingredients in a medium saucepan. Fill about three-fourths full of water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer to infuse the house with a naturally fresh aroma. (Do not leave unattended.) The mixture can be stored once overnight: Place it in an airtight jar or container and refrigerate, then boil and simmer again the next day.

  • Homemade Laundry Detergent and Rinse Aid

 What you’ll need:

  • 1 bar laundry soap (Recommended Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap.)
  • 1 cup borax
  • 1 cup washing soda ($4.00 at Wal-Mart)
  • 1 cup oxygen bleach

Grate bar of laundry soap; you should have about two cups of grated soap (You can also order large soap flakes online.) Mix all ingredients in a large container. Store in a lidded jar. Use two tablespoons for a light load and 4 tablespoons for a large or dirty load. Wash as normal.

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