Oaken-Mist

Hi everyone today i'm writing about my personal top ten favorite homemade cleaning products. Not only are they cheaper but they can also be more eco-friendly .

1. Fabric freshener

I love the smell of fresh washing and sometimes I wish I could just throw my sofa into the wash but unfortunately they havent made a machine big enough YET! I had always used fabreeze fabric fresh but not only was it a bit of a pinch on the wallet it also made me cough terribly , im not sure why but it got to much to bear so i decided i would make my own . So i came up with a simple formula

What you will need....

Vodka
Fabric softener
Water

Simply mix a capful of fabric softener(approx 10-15ml) a top full of vodka (about 5ml ) and fill up with water(adjust for bottle size) i usually make a 750ml bottle with this amount, it's quite strong and last ages.You could also add a little baking soda to deodorize.

2.Room Perfume

If you don't want the fresh linen smell there is an alternative I like to use, room spray. We have all seen and know it can be expensive at times but here is my cheap alternative.

What you will need....

Vodka about 5ml
Water fill up last to the top
Fragrance oil or essential oil just a few drops (adjust for preference)

you can mix different oils together for a unique scent but this time of year is perfect for a little cinnamon spice for that winter warmth. But my all time favorite has to be musk and jasmine with a hint of geranium. alternatively you can use it as a perfume if you use a little amount of alcohol and natural oils.

3. Lemon Fresh Multi Purpose Cleaner

What you will need...

Lemon essence and/or juice about 15-20ml altogether
White vinegar about 15ml
Baking soda 1 tablespoon full
alcohol about 5ml
Top up with Water

should fill a 500ml or even a litre bottle, if you like it stronger just adjust the lemon scent till satisfied.

4.Carpet Fresh

Everyone's hear of things like shake n vac where you sprinkle on your carpet wait 10 to 15 minutes and hoover off and you left with a nice scented room. but here's a homeade cheap option...

What you will need...
Wash powder (it has to be powder)
Baking soda

mix equal parts into a cup and sprinkle lightly over you carpet, the baking soda will remove odors while the wash powder leaves behind a wonderful scent plus while you're vacumming all the powder goes into you hoover and gives off a nice smell for a couple of times after.

5.Glass cleaner

What you will need
White vinegar about 50ml
Lemon juice (20ml)
Perfume (optional) just a drop
water (fill last to the top)
Alcohol (5ml just to preserve everything)

mix the white vinegar, water, alcohol and lemon juice together and add perfume for a sweeter smell, even without the perfume the lemon smells fresh and clean.

If you would like some tips on cleaning i found this site to be quite useful...
http://www.channel4.com/4homes/how-to/cleaning

Also a great site to get you organised....
http://www.flylady.net/

Check them out!

Part 2 to follow stay tuned......

p.s picture from http://www.housecleaning-tips.com/ another great site for cleaning tips and techniques!