Creating Your Cleaning Arsenal-You Can Do It!

When I first embarked on my journey of becoming a natural frugalista, I was terrified of the amount of time, effort and money that it would take. Going organic and green is pricey! Political proclivities aside (and mine don't so much line up with most greenies), my transition was based in economics. That's right, the bottom line for me is the wallet. We are a single-income couple, and this adventure had to save us money for it to be worthwhile and feasible. I was also fearful that making my own green cleaning products would make me become a crazy recluse that cooked up potions on my stove while my friends and family secretly whispered that I was going batty. While the whispers and rumors may be flowing, I am happy to report that my experiences have been cheap and not very time consuming. I can whip up most of my things in 5 minutes or less. So rest assured, you can make the transition as well, even if you work full-time, or have kids clinging to your ankles, or are on a tight budget. I still spend less on my cleaning supplies than I did when I was couponing for them, and far less time than when I was dragging my coupon binder out daily to scour the internet/flyers/stores for deals. So today, you get my photo essay of the basic things you need to start, and a price point for all of these items. And the best part? This stuff makes ALL of the following: Laundry detergent, all-purpose spray, toilet cleanser, shower cleanser, soft scrub, floor wash, oven cleaner, microwave cleaner, window/glass cleaner, shampoo and body wash. Amazing, right? Don't believe me? I'll post all of these recipes over the next few weeks.

Vinegar

Amazing. Cheap. I am pretty sure I bought this baby at Wal-Mart for around $2. If you are super principled, you can definitely go organic and get it at Whole Foods. I have also heard that the unit pricing is better on this at Costco. I am checking that out this week. 

Baking Soda

I bought this huge bag of baking soda at Costco in June. 9 months ago. It is still half-full. I use it constantly. I don't remember exactly how much I paid for it, but it was no more than $8. Again, you can always go for an organic option, but this suits me and my budget just fine.

Borax

A large box of Borax is runs for about $3 at Wal-Mart. I have had this since September, and it is still half-full.

Washing Soda

Washing Soda is under $3 at Wal-Mart as well. My box is almost full! I use this as part of my liquid laundry detergent recipe, and I am still on the original five-gallon bucket of that recipe I made in January, with well over half left. Talk about bang for your buck!

Liquid Castile Soap

Castile soap is vegetable based, and you can buy it in bar or liquid form. This Dr. Bronner's liquid soap is the priciest thing in your arsenal. This bottle is about $16. You can get it at a store like Whole Foods or Sunflower Market or at Target. You can also get it on Amazon for a comparable price. It is a large bottle, and it is a fair-trade, organic product. It also goes pretty far. I have had this since September, and it is still 1/3 full. I like this stuff a lot, and will likely continue buying it in liquid form, but if $16 is too much for you, I have a great suggestion...get it as a bar, and turn it into a liquid. This is used in my cleansing sprays and my personal care products.

Solid Castile Soap

This solid castile soap is natural and made from coconut oil (oh and does it ever moisturize your skin!). I found this three-bar pack at Harmon's for just under $4. If you grate this bar up with a cheese grater, cook it with water, and store it in a covered container, you can make five times as much liquid castile soap as what you get in the Dr. Bronner's bottle. Seriously. It is amazing. I have heard from others that you can get this at Wal-Mart for less that $2, but my store does not have it. I'll show you how to do the grating and cooking soon. The second image on the right shows a bar of the soap in liquid form. When you use it, you add half soap, half water to your mixture, so you get twice the size of that large Tupperware container for just over $1. You can buy the Dr. Bronner's in bar form too, and that runs about $4 per bar.

Fels-Naptha Soap

Fels-Naptha soap is my other main ingredient in my laundry detergent. This baby is $.89 at Wal-Mart, right in the laundry aisle. So, for under a buck, you can make a 5 gallon bucket of laundry detergent using this and washing soda and water! Frugal and fantastic! 

Optional-Coconut Oil

I love coconut oil. We have used it to treat dry skin, to cook with, and in body wash. It is fabulous in every way. It is also sort of pricey. I paid about $10 for this jar. This is totally optional, but can be a nice additive.

The Bottom Line

If you were to purchase all of these items, and use them consistently, you would spend between $21-$37 (high end if you bought the coconut oil and Dr. Bronner's liquid soap). That covers all household cleaners, many personal care items, and laundry detergent. That is CRAZY. This supply should last you between 6 months and a year, depending on the size of your family and your consumption. When you consider that liquid Tide is over $20 at Costco, and that cleaners run between $5-$10 each, and that body wash and shampoo cost between $3-7 each, and that is each time that you buy them, your savings will be huge if you made these things yourself. So on top of the benefits of not having nasty chemicals all over you, your home and your kids, you also get to save a ton of money. The average American household spends over $700 a year on household and personal care products. I know when I would go to Wal-Mart and stock up on cleaners and personal care items, I couldn't walk out without spending $40-$50, and that was just for one person. With the DIY method, you can spend potentially under $60 a year, and protect yourself and your family in the meantime. Amazing!!! 

I'll be posting my recipes and methods that I have gathered from various sources and tweaked to suit my needs so you can make your own cleaning products. Stay tuned!

***Note! I am out of Hydrogen Peroxide, so I need to get more and get a picture for this post, but seriously, HP is $.89 at Target, and less on sale in other places. Easy peasy.