The Northwoods White Trash Princess

Want to save money on cleaning supplies?  Read on.

When I was pregnant with my son, I loved the smell of cleaning agents. I would walk down the cleaning isles at the store for fun and smell  the different scents, especially the laundry detergent. What wonderful sounding names, "Mountain Breeze," " Lavender Fields," "Clean Linen," "Spring Rain."  They all sounded so beautiful, and they all smelled great.  

After my son was born, I started to think about all the chemicals in those cleaning agents. Did I really want all those unpronounceable concoctions near my new baby? No, I didn't. So I stopped buying them.  I  don't buy many cleaning supplies anymore.

For windows, I  use a bucket of soapy water and a rag. Some times, I use vinegar, but I don't like the smell.  Some essential oil can be added to the vinegar for a different scent.

For cleaning the bathroom or kitchen sink, I use a mixture of dish soap and baking soda.

For cleaning the hood above the stove, I again use baking soda.

For general dusting, I either use dish soap in a bucket of hot water or I substitute the dish soap for Murphy's Oil.  I have read that olive oil can substituted for Murphy's Oil, but I have never been happy with the results.

I do still buy dish soap and laundry detergent. I would like to make my own, but so I have not been happy with any of my results. (I use "soap" and "detergent" inter-changably even though I know better.)  For my dishes, I make sure the soap is not anti-bacterial. For laundry, I go for a scent free. I have been experimenting with essential oils, but so far I have not found a combination I like. I also keep a small bottle of bleach on hand for things that MUST be bleached.

For cutting boards, I wash them as usual then  I spray peroxide on them followed by a vinegar spray.

What does that leave me with? Dish and laundry detergent, bleach, vinegar, baking soda, and some Murphy's Oil.