I have! Commercial varieties usually contain toxic chemicals which are bad for our health and bad for the environment. There are "green" cleaners available but one has to be careful about them because they aren't always as green as the label implies and, they tend to be expensive. Making my own just makes sense.
But here's my problem: The Internet is full of recipes and I don't always have the time to search out the "tried and true". When I do find ones that work well with minimal ingredients, and bookmark them, I have to turn on the computer to read them whenever I want to clean (yeah, there are important things going on in my brain and I don't have room to "store" recipes). Printing them out seems like a waste of paper and ink, and then there's the problem of where to put all these pieces of paper. So, you can see my dilemma. But there is a terrific solution!
I received a copy of Homemade Cleaners, written by Mandy O'Brien and Dionna Ford, from Ulysses Press. It is a wonderful book!
It starts out with a discussion about the safety of products you'll find at your grocery store, even so-called "green" products. This is an important section because, contrary to what we might have been told, items in our stores have not necessarily been tested for safety.
Next, the authors tell us about the ingredients necessary to thoroughly clean our homes. The list isn't long and contains items which I am familiar with (and can pronounce).
I must admit, however, that when I received this book, I first browsed the recipes. And WOW ... there are recipes for cleaning anything and everything in your home. Is the upholstery on your favorite chair dirty? No problem! Have some serious soap scum in your shower? Got you covered! There's even a section for cleaning the air. I found one recipe which came in very handy.
Last summer we got hit with a lot of rain, along with extremely high humidity. Since I avoid using air conditioning, we developed mildew around the windows. I tried cleaning it without much success. This recipe, from the book, worked well:
RECIPE
MOLD AND MILDEW CLEANER2 tablespoons borax
2 cups warm water
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
Add borax to warm water, and shake until borax is dissolved. Add vinegar. Spray on surfaces affected by mold or mildew. Let sit for a few minutes, and then scrub mold or mildew away with a sponge or scrub brush.
The book has a few more surprises; tips on composting, grilling, and keeping a healthy yard. And if you've ever been bothered by bugs in the summer, you'll love the section entitled "Bugging Out".
I highly recommend this book. It's packed with pertinent information, is well written and easy to read, and one can refer to it without turning on the computer.
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Recipe and Book Cover Image Courtesy of Ulysses Press
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I received a copy of "Homemade Cleaners" in order to write this review. I received no other compensation. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and reflect my honest opinion of the material reviewed.