Home Made Cleaners

Brian Irwin — Tue, 04 May 2010 02:31:36 +0000

One thing you might want to consider is making your own household cleaners! I have to admit I initially balked at the idea — but I am now a believer. Take this mold I found in my spare Jeep. Initially I thought of purchasing a caustic chemical, but after research I discovered that borax (the granular soap that used to be in your school bathrooms) is a great mold killer. So I heated up some water, dissolved the borax in the solution, sprayed it on the fabric, and wiped up the mold. Due to it being mildly abrasive, it was great at removing the mold from fabric. I did not have to wear any protection, and the borax even has deodorizing properties! By letting some of this solution dry on the fabric, a mold inhibitor was created for possible future growth. Who knew? Apparently this guy.

Bottom line — I like the idea of cost effective cleaners where you are familiar with the ingredients, and their potential impact on your body and home. The math clearly supports this option:

Lysol Mold Remover = $6.59 for 32 Ounces of Cleaner (a gallon = 128 ounces)

Reusable 1 QT Spray Bottle $2.50 + 72 ounces of Borax $3.99 + Free Water = $6.49 for up to 9 gallons of cleaner!!

Here’s a link to some home recipes from the Bastyr Center in Seattle – and another Naturopath website.

Brian Irwin || Windermere Real Estate Co. || » household

Home Made Cleaners