Homemade Tips and Tricks for Cleaning

I finally got all of my Homemade This and That typed up into one document! I've had these recipes in my head, online, and on papers all over my house that it is hard to be good at making them if you don't have them somewhere. So, now for those of you that would like to, I am putting them on here to share what I have learned so far.

Homemade "Shout" Stain Pre-Treater

2/3 cups Dawn Dishwashing Liquid (I had Palmolive on hand, so that's what I used)
2/3 cups ammonia
6 Tblsp baking soda
2 cups warm water

Mix everything together then use a funnel to pour into an old Shout bottle or other spray bottle.

To use: shake bottle then spray on stains as you normally would.  I usually let mine "soak in" for a few minutes at least.  Then launder as usual.

Homemade “Oxy-Clean”

Make only enough for 1 individual load as the solution will lose its efficacy after 6 hours. Simply throw in ½ cup of WASHING Soda and ½ cup of Hydrogen peroxide. Allow to soak for maximum effect-can be used on coloreds and whites. You may just add the ingredients separately when you add the detergent to the load and get the same results.

Homemade Laundry Soap

1 Cup Borax

1 Cup WASHING Soda

1 bar Fels Naptha

Grate bar soap into a large pot. Add 6 cups of water and melt soap. Add Washing soda and Borax until dissolved. In a 5-gallon bucket add 3 ½ gallons of hot water, pour in the soap mixture, then finish filling up the bucket. I stir my soap periodically to keep it from congealing into one big block of gel. I use about ½ a cup of detergent in each load. (I love liquid soap! With my hard well water powder laundry soap just ends up clumped in my clothes. For those of you that would rather do powders, allow me to refer you to my SIL with her powdered soap and uses for vinegar in laundry. Although, I may use powder soap in the future if I feel so inclined. Hers is such a great recipe that I'm tempted to give it a go.)

No More Static Sheets!

Instead of throwing in a static cling sheet, throw in a 3-4 inch wide crumpled sheet of aluminum foil. It works much better and the foil may be reused!

Homemade Dishwasher Soap

2 cups Borax

2 cups Washing Soda

2 cups Lemi Shine

1 cup Kosher salt

White vinegar as a rinse aid instead of Jet Dry

Homemade All-Purpose dish cleaner

I put about 1/4 cup of baking soda in a small glass bowl and squirt in hydrogen peroxide until it makes a nice paste.  Then I rub it on the offending dirt/stain/grease...whatever!  I usually just use my fingers...but I also use a small sponge at times as well. 

What other homemade things have you used to be healthier and save money? I'm always up for a good recipe or tip!