I would love to hear suggestions on inexpensive household cleaners that WORK! I am tired of paying the outrageous prices for the general-purpose and bathroom cleaners that even the discount stores want to charge. I have already switched from regular glass cleaner to a straight ammonia/water mixture. Please let me know of any homemade or home-mixed formulas you have. I am not very self-reliant as of yet, but I figure if I can conquer one area at a time, I will be well on my way!

-- Christine in Oklahoma (cljford@aol.com), August 29, 2001

Answers

I find that the best cleaners are baking soda (good for scrubbing shower stalls, sinks, walls) bleach and water for floors (non-wood) and cider vinegar for wood floors. The stuff you buy in the stores is nothing but water and smelly stuff. If you want the smell just light a scented candle in the room after your done cleaning. After all you are trying to clean!

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), August 29, 2001.

I have found the book "Clean House, Clean Planet" by Karen Logan to be very good. It has very useful formulas you can make yourself.

-- Cindy Johnson (johnson337@hotmail.com), August 29, 2001.

Go into the Misc. category and do a Control and F key at the same time. Then have it search on Homemade Cleaners.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), August 29, 2001.

Just got done cleaning the oven with baking soda. Just sprinkle on and scrub with a wet rag. And no toxic fumes!!!!

I, too, like the book CLEAN PLANET, CLEAN HOME.

-- Sandy Davis (smd2@netzero.net), August 29, 2001.

Two books by Annie Berthold-Bond come to mind:'

Clean and Green--just cleaning formulas and safe commercial alternatives

Better Basics for the Home--this book also has formulas for milk paint, cosmetics, as well as making better choices (for chemically sensitive) when building or remodeling your home. This is a much better book, although the first one is very good too.

I agree with others on Clean House, Clean Planet--only thing is, I have not been able to get to the website she supposedly has--I wanted some of the labels. Irritating!

-- GT (nospam@nospam.com), August 29, 2001.

Don't forget your homemade soap as a cleaner.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), August 29, 2001.

You might want to try this if you have tiled showers-

The next time you clean your shower, after you are finished try applying paste wax to your tiles. Put it on just as if you were waxing your car. It really cuts down on the amount of scrubbing and cleansers required to get the shower clean. I do this about twice a year. DO NOT APPLY TO FLOORS OR TUBS!!!!!! Walls and ceiling only.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), August 30, 2001.

This one is a homemade cleanser, only this one cleans what you can't see (and would rather keep it that way).

This one is for keeping the sanitary sewer line clean. If you notice your sink / lavatory / toilet / shower / tub starting to slowly drain the water into the sewer, this one will probably work; I used it this weekend with total success.

First the ingredients: 1 cup salt, 1 cup baking soda, 1 1/2 oz. cream of tartar (look for in the store spice rack). Mix these three ingredients thoroughly. Removing drain stop if possible, apply three or four tablespoons of mixture into drain pipe. Pour one cup of water, let set for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly.

You should notice a dramatic improvement. It is non caustic and pretty cheap to make; the cream of tartar cost me $4.80 for 6 oz., and I have enough of the mixture for four more applications if I choose.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), August 30, 2001.

Another simple drain openner is baking soda and vinegar. Pour baking soda into sluggish drain and then follow ith boiling vinegar ( I get mine hot in the microwave and the condensation it causes is great for cleaning the microwave! two birds with one stone, eh?). After all fizzing is gone follow with a kettle of boiling water. For disinfecting you can't beat bleach and water. For stubborn cleaning that vinegar and water can't seem to work on , ammonia and water usually does the trick. Scuffs on the floor come off with a paste of baking soda and water (works on crayon too!). Lemon oil is nice for wood furniture and smells rather nice too.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), August 30, 2001.

Thank you! I look forward to putting these all to use very soon; I also look forward to passing the cleaning products aisle without stopping!

-- Christine in Oklahoma (cljford@aol.com), August 31, 2001.

Check out this website for homemade cleaners: frugal-moms.com Haven't tried any of these yet so I can't say how well they work.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), August 31, 2001.