DIY Household Cleaners

Make your own cleaning products with ingredients straight from your pantry. You'll be shocked at the savings:

Instead of: Powdered laundry detergent

Finely grate one 14-ounce bar of Zote soap and one 5-ounce bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap; mix well with 4 cups borax and 4 cups washing soda. Store in a lidded plastic container.

Instead of: Toilet bowl cleaner 

Fill a small empty dish-soap bottle with half water and half bulk dish soap and use it to squirt around the bowl. Scrub and you're done.

Instead of: Hand soap

Wash out an old hand-soap bottle and add about 1 tablespoon of Dr. Bronner's castile soap. Fill the rest of the container with water.

Instead of: Disinfecting surface spray

Mix 1½ teaspoons bleach and 22 ounces water in an empty spray bottle.

Instead of: Microfiber cloths on glass surfaces 

Try coffee filters. They’re lint-free.

Instead of: Eraser pads

Try whitening toothpaste on a toothbrush to scrub away crayon and scuff marks.

Instead of: Glass cleaner

Try a mixture of equal parts rubbing alcohol and water to clean mirrors. Spray the homemade solution onto a cloth and wipe.

Instead of: Silver cleaner

Try filling a spray bottle with inexpensive vodka. Spritz, let sit for 15 minutes, then rub with a cotton cloth. Buff to a shine.