DIY cleaners (that I've actually tried)!

So the only thing better than using than coupons and getting things really really cheap, is making them for practically NOTHING. 

First up: Floor cleaner! I found the recipe here. 

Mix 1 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 cup vinegar, and 1 cup of water with 2-3 squirts of blue dawn. Shake. This stuff is seriously amazing. I use it with my old swiffer floor cleaner stick (that no longer has the cleaner attached), and my shark pads (since my shark steam cleaner broke about a year ago). The shark washable pads work perfectly with the swiffer since they both have velcro on them. Of course you can half the recipe for less, or double it for more. We have laminate wood floors and vinyl and it gets up the dirt and paw prints that are usually left behind by a toddler and our dog. It is also great bathroom floor cleaner. Trust me... with a potty training toddler BOY I have quite the experience cleaning up bathroom floors!

Shower cleaner- this stuff is incredible at getting off soap scum (although the smell could just about knock you over).
12 oz. vinegar and 3 oz. blue dawn. The original recipe called for equal parts vinegar/dawn but after trying it, less dawn works just as well. Heat the vinegar in the microwave and dissolve the blue dawn in it. Put into spray bottle. I do have to shake it up each time I use it, but it works just as well if not better than any name brand shower cleaner I've ever tried!

Fabric Softener- I told you here how I prefer my laundry soap to not have any scent. Personally I don't like the smell of Downey or anything that gives clothes scent. I guess I have a really sensitive nose. We don't even use dryer sheets. Just my homemade laundry soap- that's it. BUT I live with someone who LOVES his clothes smelling "clean". So I decided to give this recipe a shot. 

6 cups hot water, 3 cups vinegar, 2 cups conditioner. Dissolve the conditioner in the hot water and then add vinegar. I fill a Downey ball about 1/2 way in each load with this formula. So far we really like it. The vinegar takes the "stiffness" out (although the stiffness doesn't bother me) and the conditioner softens/adds the scent. The first time I made this I cut the recipe in half because I didn't have enough conditioner.

So there you have it! Some tried and true recipes that we use almost daily!