Best Homemade Cleaners That Actually Work (Part 2)

A house takes a lot of wear and tear, but you don’t always have to turn to harsh chemicals to get it clean and spotless. Trust me, there are several homemade cleaner recipes that can be included in your regular home cleaning routine.

DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent

Materials you’ll need:

• A measuring spoon
• A wooden spoon
• A pair of rubber gloves
• A measuring cup
• A box grater
• A sealable container (be it plastic or glass)
• Borax
• Washing soda (sodium carbonate)
• One castile soap/ pure bar soap (you can also opt for soap flakes)
• One label

Instructions to make the DIY Powdered Laundry Detergent:

Step 1: Using the box grater, start by grating the pure bar soap or castile soap into tiny flakes. Keep in mind that you’ll need only one cup of flakes –not more than that.

Note: If you don’t have any bar soap, you can use soap flakes.

Step 2: Now, take your sealable container and add around two cups of borax, one cup of soap flakes and at least two cups of washing soda. Using the wooden spoon, stir well and then seal the container. Don’t forget to add a label and the proper directions on how to use this homemade detergent.

Note: It’s important to choose a container that has a tightly fitting lid. It can either be a plastic or glass container, but most importantly, it should be big enough for you to add and combine all the necessary ingredients.

Step 3: We’ll start with the standard washer and for that, it’s recommended to use only three tablespoons of this DIY laundry detergent per wash load. If it’s for small loads, better use only one or two and if it’s for extra large loads, you may add a fourth cup.

A tablespoon per load is recommended for both top load and front load washers. And, remember to increase to two-three tablespoons for large or extra large loads.

Additional Tips:

• The detergent must be added directly to the washer drum before you load the dirty laundry.
• Remember not to use this detergent in an automatic dispenser as the flakes can cause clumping.
• The detergent must be stored properly in an airtight container and should be kept out of reach of children and pets.
• The detergent container must be labeled properly so that everyone will know what is inside.
• If you want to increase the cleaning power of your detergent, you can add one cup of baking soda to the recipe and if you want a homemade detergent with fragrance, make sure you use essential oils while making the detergent.
• As soon as the laundry detergent becomes hard or starts developing clumps, it’s better to discard it or else it might leave soap residue on all your clothes.

Homemade Carpet Cleaner

Materials you’ll need:

• Baking Soda
• Vinegar
• A bowl
• A teaspoon

Instructions to make the Homemade Carpet Cleaner:

Step 1: You start by taking a bowl and adding some baking soda. Then, pour a small amount of vinegar (around one tablespoon)–it could be distilled white or red vinegar –on the baking soda. Instead of pouring the vinegar all at once, try adding it little by little to make the baking soda fizz.

Step 2: Once you’ve got the solution ready, using a pair of gloves or a hard-bristle brush, apply some of the solution to the stained area of the carpet and massage it properly for a few seconds. Then, let it aside. Give the solution at least 4-6 hours to be absorbed properly onto the stain..

Step 3: Once the spot becomes dry, vacuum up the solution residue.

Note: If the stain is not completely gone, you may repeat the process for a second time.