Pantry Cleaners: Recipes for Homemade

Cleaning Products
White Vinegar

Mildly acidic white vinegar dissolves dirt, soap scum, and hard water deposits from
smooth surfaces, yet is gentle enough to use in solution to clean hardwood flooring.

White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, absorbing odors instead of covering them up. (And
no, your bathroom won't smell like a salad! Any vinegar aroma disappears when dry.)
With no coloring agents, white vinegar won't stain grout on tiled surfaces. Because it cuts
detergent residue, white vinegar makes a great fabric softener substitute for families with
sensitive skin.

Try these recipes to harness the cleaning power of white vinegar:

Homemade Spray Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup white vinegar

1 cup water

In the kitchen, use vinegar-and-water spray to clean countertops, lightly soiled range
surfaces and backsplash areas.

In the bathroom, use vinegar spray cleaner to clean countertops, floors, and exterior
surfaces of the toilet.

For really tough bathroom surfaces such as shower walls, pump up the cleaning power by
removing the sprayer element and heating the solution in the microwave until barely hot.
Spray shower walls with the warmed generously, allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes,
then scrub and rinse. The heat helps soften stubborn soap scum and loosens hard water
deposits.

Undiluted White Vinegar

Undiluted white vinegar straight from the jug makes quick work of tougher cleaning
problems involving hard water deposits or soap scum.

Use undiluted white vinegar to scrub the inside of the toilet bowl. Before you begin,
dump a bucket of water into the toilet to force water out of the bowl and allow access to
the sides. Pour undiluted white vinegar around the bowl and scrub with a toilet brush to
remove stains and odor. Use a pumice stone to remove any remaining hard water rings.

Clean shower heads that have been clogged with mineral deposits with undiluted white
vinegar. Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar in a plastic food storage bag, and secure the bag to
the shower head with a rubber band. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then rinse and
buff the fixture to a shiny finish.

Add one cup of undiluted white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle instead of commercial
fabric softener. White vinegar softens clothes and cuts detergent residue--a plus for
family members with sensitive skin.

Baking Soda

Baking soda's mild abrasive action and natural deodorizing properties make it a powerful
replacement for harsh commercial scouring powders. Put baking soda to work in your
organized home:

Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp sponge to tackle grimy bathtub rings, scour vanities, or
remove food deposits from the kitchen sink. For tougher grime, make a paste of baking
soda and water, apply to the tub or sink, and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt,
soap scum and deposits soften and are easier to remove.

Slow-running drains? Keep bathroom drains running freely by pouring 1/2 to 3/4 cup
baking soda into the drain, and dribbling just enough hot water to wash the solution
down. Let stand for 2 hours to overnight, then flush thoroughly with hot water. The
deodorizing effect is an added bonus! [Do not use this method on blocked drains.]

Everyone has a messy looking cookie sheet in their kitchen. Rather than replacing it,
clean it. Sprinkle baking soda over the stained part, then drizzle hydrogen peroxide over
top to make a paste. Lightly rub it in and let it sit for a few minutes (or hours, depending
on how bad the stain). Wipe it clean with a cloth and marvel at the shine.

Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol provides the base for an evaporating cleaner to rival
commercial window and glass cleaning solutions. Use this glass cleaning spray recipe for
windows, mirrors, chrome fixtures and for a shiny finish on hard-surface ceramic tiles:

Homemade Glass Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Ammonia

A strong alkaline solution, clear, non-sudsing ammonia creates stronger window and all-
purpose cleaning recipes than acidic vinegar.

Choose non-sudsing varieties of household ammonia for these cleaning recipes. Suds
may look like they're working, but they're tough to rinse and remove.

Try these formulations for spring cleaning or tough chores:

Strong Glass Cleaner Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol

1 cup water
1 tablespoon clear, non-sudsing ammonia

Strong All-Purpose Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 T clear, non-sudsing ammonia

1 T clear laundry detergent
2 cups water

Furniture Polish

Most of us no longer use hard-to-apply furniture wax, but rely on oil-based polish to keep
furniture protected and shiny.

Our "salad dressing" version avoids the danger of silicone oil, found in most commercial
polishes and sprays. Silicone oil can penetrate tiny cracks in furniture finish and enter the
wood, causing problems in the event refinishing is needed. Lemon juice dissolves dirt
and smudges, while olive oil shines and protects the wood:

Furniture Polish Recipe

Mix in a sprayer bottle:

1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice

Shake well and apply a small amount to a flannel cleaning rag or cleaning cloth. Spread
evenly over furniture surface. Turn cloth to a dry side and polish dry.

Un nettoyant multi-surfaces

Cette recette à base de vinaigre blanc permet à la fois de dégraisser, de désinfecter, de

désodoriser et de détartrer :
- 2 c. à soupe (=à table) de bicarbonate de soude
- 1,5 l d’eau chaude
- 1 verre de vinaigre blanc
- 3 c. à soupe (= à table) de jus de citron
- quelques gouttes d’huile essentielle de citron.
Mélangez le tout pour obtenir une solution nettoyante très efficace pour toutes les
surfaces (salle de bain, cuisine, sols, etc…).

Hard water and calcium remover

Fill a spray bottle with the following:

A little less than half fill the bottle with white vinegar
Lemon concentrate
Generously add any dish detergent you use.

Then:
Shake…
Spray.
Let it sit for about a half hour.
Scrub, rinse, and voila!

Produit nettoyant pour la douche

2 tasses de vinaigre
3 cuillères à soupe de liquide vaisselle

Verser dans un flacon pulvérisateur.

Secouez vigoureusement avant l’utilisation et laissez le mélange agir quelques minutes
sur la surface avant de l’essuyer. Vous pouvez utiliser une petite brosse si vous préférez.
Crème à récurer maison

Très efficace pour dégraisser les surfaces les plus salissantes comme la plaque d’un four,
de ta cuisinière, de ta douche…

Un bocal en verre d’environ 50cl ;

100g de bicarbonate de soude ménager ;
10cl de savon noir liquide.

Verser 100g du bicarbonate de soude dans le pot en verre ;

Ajouter 10cl de savon noir et mélange jusqu’à obtenir une texture type crème.
Ta crème à récurer est prête ! Tu n’auras plus qu’à mettre une cuillère à soupe de ta
préparation sur une éponge et frotter.

Produit multi-usage
Pour remplacer l’eau de Javel et qui désinfecte efficacement sans nuire à ta santé.

1/4 de vinaigre blanc ;

2/4 d’eau ;
1/4 d'écorce d’agrumes (citron, orange, pamplemousse…).
Et 2 ustensiles : un bocal en verre et d’un économe.

Le vinaigre blanc désinfecte, nettoie et désodorise et les agrumes sont des antiseptiques
naturels très efficaces.

Remplie ton bocal à moitié d’eau ;

Verse un 1/4 du bocal de vinaigre blanc ;
Puis ajoute l’équivalent de 2 citrons en écorces ;
Referme ton bocal et laisse macérer ta préparation pendant une bonne semaine.
Une fois la macération terminée, verse ta préparation dans un contenant type
vaporisateur. Et le tour est joué !

C’est un très bon anti-calcaire (grâce aux propriétés du vinaigre et des agrumes),
un désinfectant et un anti-dégraissant. Tu peux même l’utiliser pour laver tes vitres !

Nettoyer rapidement les chandeliers

Une façon relativement aisée de faire cela est d’utiliser un spray nettoyant.
1 part d’alcool isopropylique
4 parts d’eau distillée
Protéger vos sols et vos tapis avec une bâche. Ensuite, vous devez monter sur une échelle
et pulvériser généreusement le chandelier jusqu’à ce que le liquide commence à couler.
La saleté sera emportée avec lui et la solution s’évaporera rapidement par la suite.