Frugal cleaning: Make your own car-care products
Posted
Mar 26 2008, 04:25 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
We've been amazed lately about how you can easily make cleaning products that work as well as the store-bought ones. Inspired by this as well, "Gibble" at Gather Little by Little has compiled recipes for car-cleaning products that you can make on the cheap.
We cannot wait to try this one on our crusty vehicle: Wash your car with a cup of liquid dish detergent and 12 tablespoons of powdered laundry detergent added to a large bucket of water. Gibble, in response to a reader's comment, says you have to use a low pH dish soap like Dawn or Ivory. Otherwise it could strip the wax off your car.
His post also gives instructions for making car wax, tire cleaner, carpet stain remover (club soda or cornstarch) and freshener. There's also "windshield wiper frost-free fluid," which is three parts vinegar and one part water (although we have to wonder how well that would work for those of us who live where 25-below in winter is not a shocking thing).
As a bonus for you, Lynnae at Being Frugal has posted more homemade household-cleaner recipes, including a nontoxic oven cleaner (a paste made of baking soda, salt and water) and homemade dishwasher detergent.
We've been thrilled so far with our transition to vinegar as our main household cleaner. We also have followed the example of Stephanie at Stop the Ride! She stopped using a mop on her floors because the mop head kept falling apart or wouldn't wring dry very well. Stephanie uses a rag. We use a large sponge with a solution of water and vinegar. Our floors have never been this clean.
