Frugal Home-made Household Products Guide

Home-made Kitchen Cleaners

Home-made Spray Disinfectant Cleaner

½ cup borax, 1 gallon hot water
Dissolve borax in hot water. Wipe down areas to be disinfected.

Isopropyl alcohol is also a cheap and excellent disinfectant - be sure to use gloves and keep it away from children.

Homemade Abrasive Cleaner

Sprinkle baking soda or borax, add juice of ½ lemon and scrub.

Home-made Brass/Copper Tarnish Remover

Salt, Flour, and White vinegar. Mix together equal parts salt and flour, then add white vinegar to make a paste. Rub into the stain. Repeat if necessary.

Brass may also be polished by dipping a soft cloth in a solution made with baking soda and lemon or salt and vinegar.

Home-made Copper Polish

To clean tarnished Copper items try placing the item in a pot of boiling water to which has been added 1 cup white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt.

Or try a paste made with cream of tartar, lemon juice, baking soda, salt, and vinegar.

All Purpose Metal Cleaner

Fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons a cup baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 6 tablespoons clay powder Mix all ingredients together until pasty. Add water or more clay if needed. Rub paste onto metal with extremely fine steel wool and allow to sit for fifteen minutes. Wash off with a sponge and clear water. Polish metal with a soft cloth. Do not use on aluminum.

Homemade Aluminum Polish

Aluminum can be cleaned with a paste made from cream of tartar and water.

Home-made Silver Polish

Rub with paste of baking soda and water.

Silver can also be polished by boiling it in a pan lined with aluminum foil, filled with water with one teaspoon each of baking soda and salt.

Homemade Chrome/Stainless Steel Polish

Chrome can be polished using aluminum foil (shiny side out), vinegar, and baby oil.

Polish Stainless Steel with undiluted white vinegar.

Homemade Gold/Pewter Polish

Polish Gold with toothpaste

Polish Pewter by making a paste of fluor, vinegar, and salt.

Glassware/Crystal Spot Removal

Dip spotted glassware into water to which a splash of vinegar has been added, dry with lint-free dishcloth.

Dishwasher Detergent

2 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons borax Mix baking soda and borax and put mixture in dishwasher.

Home-made Window Cleaner

Option 1:

Juice from one fresh lemon 2 cups water or club soda ½ teaspoon peppermint essential oil (optional) 1 teaspoon cornstarch Mix all ingredients and pour into plastic spray bottle. Shake well.

Option 2:

8 parts water 1 part vinegar Mix ingredients, scrub and wipe with newspaper.

Drain Cleaner/Opener

AVOID COMMERCIAL DRAIN CLEANERS!!! - they usually contain highly caustic Sodium Hydroxide, a very strong base that will damage tissues.
Never combine any of the below ingredients (especially vinegar) with commercial drain cleaners because deadly gases may result!!!

¼ cup vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda
Mix ingredients and pour mixture down drain. Let stand for a few minutes and rinse with boiling water. The resultant chemical reaction will break down fatty acids into harmless soap and glycerine that can be washed down drain.

Home-made Oven Cleaner

AVOID COMMERCIAL OVEN CLEANERS!!! - they usually contain highly corrosive Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) which binds calcium and can be fatal or in the least can severely damage tissues!!!

Arm & Hammer makes a good Oven Cleaner which Consumers' Union has deemed non-toxic, or just sprinkle baking soda on the moist oven surface and scrub with steel wool.

Or mix equal parts of castille soap, borax and water.
Apply mixture, let set for 20 minutes. Scrub with mixture of baking soda and salt.

Home-made Air Freshener and Deodorizers

Home-made Bathroom Cleaners

Bathtub/Sink Stains

Scrub with paste made from cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide.

Home-made Soap Film Remover for Fiberglass Surfaces

Apply baking soda with damp cloth, rub and rinse off residue well.

Soap Film/Mildew on Shower Curtains

Pour full-strength vinegar on the shower curtain to remove soap film and mildew.

Homemade Shower-Door Track Cleaner

Pour full-strength vinegar into the track, let soak for a few minutes, rinse.

Home-made Toilet Lime Deposit Remover

Pour full strength white vinegar in the bowl, let sit for several hours. Scrub with sturdy brush.

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner

½ teaspoon sodium lauryl sulfate 2 tablespoons baking soda 2 tablespoons vinegar 1 teaspoon orange essential oil or 1 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil (optional) 2 cups water Mix all ingredients. Vinegar and baking soda will foam when mixed. Let mixture stand for 10 minutes before pouring into a spray bottle.

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Home-made Furniture Polish

Lemon Scented Polish

1 teaspoon lemon oil 2 cups mineral oil Mix and apply with soft cloth.

Home-made Dark Wood Polish

1 teaspoon olive oil Juice of one lemon 1 teaspoon brandy or whiskey 1 teaspoon water Mix and apply with soft cloth. Must be made fresh each time.

Homemade Unscented Polish

3 parts olive oil 1 part vinegar Mix and apply with soft cloth.

Home-made Oak Furniture Polish

1 quart of beer 1 tablespoon sugar 2 tablespoons beeswax Boil beer with sugar and beeswax. When cool, wipe mixture on wood, allow to dry and polish with soft cloth.

Home-made Scratch Remover / Heat Blemish Remover

Rub in mayonnaise and wipe off. Buff with clean cloth.

Water Spot Treatment Polish

• Toothpaste (not gel)
• Baking soda
• Pecan

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Home-made Paint and Paint Remover

Enamel Paint Drips/Spill Remover

Wipe up spills and drips with a soft wet towel lathered with pumice soap (the sooner the better).

Removing Paint from Skin

Rub with mineral oil. Wash with soap and water.

Home-made Arts and Crafts Paint

½ cup cornstarch 2 cups cold water

Homemade Food coloring

Mix cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to boil and continue to boil until it thickens. Let cool slightly. Pour into jars and color each with food coloring.

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Home-made Spot Removers

Home-made All-purpose Spot Remover

¼ cup borax 2 cups cold water Dissolve borax in cold water. Sponge it on and let it sit until dry. Wash with soap and water to completely remove spot. Works well on blood, chocolate, coffee, mildew, mud and urine.

Club Soda

Pour club soda on fresh spots and stains to remove wine and foods from clothing, carpets and linens.

Homemade Ink Spot Remover

Cream of tartar Lemon juice Warm water Put cream of tartar on the stain and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice on top. Rub into the stain for a minute, brush off the powder with a clean brush and sponge immediately with warm water. Repeat if needed.

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Home-made Pet Products

Pet Stains

Soak stained area in warm soapy water. Sponge with equal parts of water and white vinegar. Blot dry.

Home-made Dog House Flea Repellant

Wash dog houses with salt water. Scatter fresh pine needles or cedar shavings under your pet’s sleeping pad. Keep bedding clean.

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Home-made Pest Repellant / Bug Spray

Home-made Mouse or Rat Repellant

For rats and mice: Again, prevention may be the best cure. Holes in exterior or interior walls should be closed off and storage spaces kept orderly. Garbage should be kept tightly covered. To catch rodents, the most efficient system is the oldest: a cat. Next best are mouse and rat traps.

Stuff all cracks around gas and water pipes with steel wool to keep mice out.

Homemade Ant Repellant

Sprinkle red chili powder, paprika, cream of tartar powder, dried peppermint, salt, borax, or sage near ant infestations.

Home-made Roach Repellant

Home-made Garden Products

Home-made Chili-Vinegar Spray for Fruit Trees

4 jalapenos, habaneros or other hot chiles, seeded and chopped 2 cloves garlic 1½ quarts water 2 oz. Beer ½ cup vinegar Mix chopped chiles, garlic, water and beer. Cover and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then let the mixture steep in the pot for 24 hours. Add the vinegar, strain well and pour into a sprayer. Spray leaves (but not blossoms). Will help keep birds away.

Home-made Insecticide

Pyrethrin a natural insecticide found in some plants is relatively nontoxic to humans and only slightly toxic to aquatic life, so it may be the best choice for home gardens. A natural source of Pyrethrin is the Crysanthemum plant. To make a home-made garden bug spray soak crushed or cut up chrysanthemum flowers or leaves in a bucket of water for 1 day, filter through cheese cloth or an old pillow case, then pour in a spray bottle or hose end sprayer. To make it even stronger add basil, rosemary, peppermint, garlic, marigold leaves and flowers, or sage leaves to the above bucket of water to soak.

Observe which herbs and plants have leaves that are seldom if ever eaten by bugs. The above listed garden herbs are excellant examples. These plants often contain volatile oils and alkaloid compounds which garden pests and even animals like deer find distasteful.

Aphids on Rose Bushes

Mulch banana peels into the soil at the base of the rose bushes. This will strengthen them and ward off disease-bearing aphids.

Cucumber Beetles

Make beetle traps from open cans or milk cartons baited with melon or other garden targets. Place the traps around the garden and check them early in the morning and discard.

Home-made Earwig Repellant

Option 1:

Make rolls out of newspaper, soak them in water then set them out overnight. First thing in the morning the rolls will be full earwigs. Put the rolls in a tightly sealed bag and out with the trash. Keep at this for a while and you will be rid of your problem.

Option 2:

Fill old tuna or petfood cans with ½ inch of vegetable oil; place several cans around the infested area. When full- just dump bodies in trash and refill.

Fungus and Mildew

1 bulb of garlic (about 20 cloves), chopped 1 quart of hot water Place chopped garlic in the water and let steep for at least 24 hours. Strain and spray on plants to eliminate fungus and mildew.

Home-made Pest Spray

1 cup grated castile soap 1 cup coarsely chopped tobacco leaves, fresh or cured 3 cups boiling water, divided 1 entire bulb garlic, peeled and crushed or chopped 1 cup of chopped fresh tansy (optional) In a bowl, dissolve soap in 1 cup boiling water and set aside. In a blender, pour remainder of boiling water over tobacco leaves and let set for ten minutes or so. Add garlic and tansy (if available) and whirl until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth and discard solid materials. Add herbal liquid soap to mixture and stir; pour into a spray bottle. To use, spray the herbal liquid on insects and their environs at early morning and dusk for three days in a row. Because this mix drives most bugs away, but does not kill them, apply as needed.

Homemade Deer Repellant for Fruit Trees

To repel deer, roll several pounds of soft, scented herbal soap into balls. Tie the balls into small bundles, using cloth or net and string. Hang several bundles from each fruit tree. The deer won't come near the trees. As a bonus, rain will eventually melt the soap bundles and lend a bit of alkalinity to the soil below.

Home-made Snail Repellants

Bury a small bowl or can flush with the ground and fill it with beer to atract and trap snails.

Homemade Fertilizer for Organic Gardening

Frugal Gardening Tip: Use compost to return needed bacteria, enzymes and nutrients to the soil. Include clover or other nitrogenfixing plants in the lawn to make it self-fertilizing.

Dry Out Lawn Fungus

Dethatch; add soil bacteria and re-seed. Fungus grows only in wet, thatchy, overfertilized lawns.

Beneficial Bugs in Your Frugal Garden

Lady Bugs (Ladybird Beetles) – eats Psyllids, aphids and eggs of the Colorado Potato Beetle.

Green Lacewings – eats aphids, mites, mealybugs and other small insects.

Ground Beetles (Carabid Beetles) – eats cutworms, grubs, root maggots and other soft-bodied pests.

Parasitic Wasps – kills whiteflies, moths and Mexican bean beetles.

Beneficial Plants

Basil – planted alongside tomato plants helps control tomato hornworms.

Thyme – planted with cabbage helps control flea beetles, cabbage worm and white cabbage butterflies.

Marigold – planted in vegetable gardens produces a scent that repels many garden pests.

Mint – repels mosquitoes and produces an odor that aphids and cabbage pests dislike.

Garlic – planted close to roses it can protect bushes from black spot, a fungus disease; can be grown in rings around a crop to repel aphids; spray garlic tea (see above) on plants to eliminate fungus and mildew.

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Home-made Beauty Products

Home-made Hair Dye Alternatives

Lighten hair:

1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 gallon warm water Rinse hair with mixture.

Red tones:

Rinse with strong tea of rosehips or cloves, or use strong black coffee.

Cover gray:

½ cup dried sage 2 cups water Boil sage for thirty minutes, then steep for several hours. Apply tea to hair after it cools. Allow to dry, then rinse and dry hair again. Apply weekly until you have the shade you want and then monthly to maintain color.

Darken hair:

Rinse hair with a strong black tea or black coffee.

Homemade Hair Shampoo Alternatives

Everyday shampoo:

Home-made Castille Soap Shampoo Recipe #1

Castille bar soap Water ¼ cup olive oil, almond oil or avocado oil ½ cup distilled water Grate castille bar soap and mix it with water in a blender or food processor. Blend 1 cup of castille liquid with olive oil, avocado or almond oil and distilled water.

Home-made Castille Soap Shampoo Recipe #2

Mix 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup of liquid castille soap (Nature Clean is one brand). To make an herbal shampoo, heat water before adding soap and steep herbs, then strain and add soap. Castille will leave a film on hair which can be removed by rinsing hair with 3 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice mixed with 1 cup of water.

Homemade Egg Shampoo

Beat 2 large eggs and massage into scalp. Leave on a few minutes, then rinse with warm water. To cut film left by the eggs, rinse with vinegar (dark hair), or lemon Juice (light hair). Mix 3 tablespoons of vinegar or juice with 1 cup of water and pour through hair.

Baking soda mixed with water to a consistency that can be massaged through hair.

Home-made Conditioner Alternatives

• Pour 1 cup of warm beer over hair, then rinse with water.
• Mayonnaise Conditioner: massage mayonnaise into hair, coating every strand. Cover hair with plastic bag for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
• Dry-Scalp Conditioner: Massage plain yoghourt into hair, especially the scalp. Cover with a plastic bag for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
• Henna Treatment: Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over 1/4 cup of colourless henna and 2 teaspoons of honey. Let sit a few minutes to thicken. Coat each strand of hair, cover with a plastic bag and wrap with a warm towel. Shampoo after 1 hour.
• Conditioner: Mix 1 egg yolk, 1 small container of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply to hair, wrap in towel for 15 minutes, then rinse.
• Alternative Moisturizers and conditioners: egg yolk, milk, yogurt, safflower oil (for light moisturizing), olive oil (for dry skin or hair), water, oatmeal, jojoba oil.

Home-made Depilatories for Hair Removal

Melt a small amount of beeswax in a small pan until very warm but still cool enough to touch. After dusting skin with body powder or cornstarch, apply warm wax with a wooden spatula. Allow mixture to cool for a few seconds, then remove quickly with a light tapping. Sooth with cream or aloe vera gel.

Home-made Hot Oil Hair Treatment

Combine 1 teaspoon soybean oil and 2 teaspoons castor oil. Warm on low heat. Massage mixture into scalp and hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel for 15 minutes. Shampoo & rinse.

Home-made Hair Styling Alternatives

• Mix together 2 cups boiling water, and 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin in 1 teaspoon vinegar. Strain through coffee filter and put in sprayer bottle.

• Home-made Lemon Hair Spray

  - Squeeze juice of 1 medium lemon into 2 cups of water. Slice up lemon peel and add. Boil slowly until reduced to 1 cup. Strain and pour into spray bottle. Keep in fridge. For extra hold use 1 1/2 lemons.

• Home-made Flax Seed Gel

  - Boil 2 tablespoons of flax seed in 1/3 cup water for 10 minutes. Rub through hair, sparingly.

Home-made Acrylic Nails

Sally Hansen Nail Buffer and Groomer

This can be used instead of nail polish - your nails look very shiny and smooth, like you have a coat of clear polish on them.

Home-made Dandruff Remedy

Wet hair and rub in a handful of dry baking soda, then rinse.

Hair Spray

1 chopped lemon (or 1 orange for dry hair) 2 cups pure hot water 1 ounce vodka Place lemon and hot water in a pot, and boil until only half remains. Cool and strain. Place in a fine spray bottle and test on hair. If too sticky, add more water. Store in the refrigerator, or add 1 ounce vodka per cup of hair spray as a preservative (with vodka, hair spray may be stored unrefrigerated for up to two weeks).

Homemade Jewelry Cleaning

Rub a small amount of toothpaste on jewelry with finger, rinse well and polish with a soft cloth.

Home-made Eye Makeup Remover Alternative

1Tbs castor oil 1Tbs light olive oil 1 tsp vegetable oil (sunflower, safflower etc) Blend ingredients, Use to remove makeup around the eyes.

Skin Freshener/Soother

Add pulp-free aloe vera juice to water in a spray bottle and spritz arms, legs, back and face.

Astringents/After Shaves

Try Witch Hazel diluted in Isopropyl Alcohol (keep out of reach of children).

Home-made Skin Astringents and Toners

Option 1:

Lettuce leaves Water Boil green lettuce leaves for 10 minutes in enough water to cover. Let cool and strain.

Option 2:

Vodka Strong chamomile or mint tea Mix 1 part vodka with 9 parts strong chamomile or mint tea.

Option 3:

b cup pure water 2 tablespoons vodka ¾ cup borax Combine ingredients in a blender until borax is dissolved.

Option 4:

¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup lime juice ¼ cup pure water c cup vodka Blend ingredients. Strain to remove pulp.

Option: 5

Mix equal amounts of water and organic apple cider vinegar.

Option: 6 Home-made Herbal Toner for Dry Skin

• 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
• 1/4 cup rose hydrosol (rose water)
• 6 drops rose geranium essential oil
• 1 drop chamomile essential oil
• 1 drop jasmine essential oil

Option: 7

Homemade Healing Toner for Sensitive Skin

• 1/4 cup rose hydrosol
• 2 tablespoons witch hazel
• 4 drops rose essential oil
• 2 drops yarrow essential oil

Option: 8

Homemade Chamomile Astringent for Acne

• 1 cup witch hazel
• 20 drops tea tree oil
• 1/2 cup chamomile tea

Homemade Bath Products

• Epsom Salts - follow package directions
• Milk Bath - Add one quart of milk to tub, or 2 cups of instant powdered milk.
• Soothing Bath - Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to bath water.
• Bath Oils - any of the following
  • 1/2 tsp. coconut oil
  • 1 –2 tsp. purified castor oil
  • 1-2 tsp. almond oil or other oil of your choice

Homemade Body and Massage Oil Alternatives

Any plain vegetable or nut oil can be used.

In a glass jar, combine 30 grams of fresh or dried herbs with 2 cups of oil (almond, jojoba, avocado, safflower, etc). Set out in sun on a warm day or warm on low heat for several hours. Strain. Or, add 4 to 8 drops of essential oil to 1 litre of oil. Let stand for 2 weeks, shaking daily.

Home-made Body Powder Alternatives

Home-made Skin Cleansers

Homemade Oatmeal Skin Cleanser

Home-made Citrus Skin Cleansing Milk

• 1/2 cup plain yoghourt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon jojoba oil (or other oil)

Homemade Deodorizing Powder

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cornstarch
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
• 8 drops peppermint essential oil

Homemade Lavender Bath Powder

• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup lavender flowers, finely crushed
• 4 drops lavender essential oil

Homemade Spice Bath Powder

• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg

Home-made Deodorant and Anti-Perspirant Alternatives

Home-made Dental and Oral Hygiene Alternatives

Home-made Denture Cleaners

Option 1:

Soak in 3 percent hydrogen peroxide and water, mixed half and half.

Option 2:

Soak in a mixture of a quarter teaspoon of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and a half glass of water. Rinse well.

Home-made Mouthwash Alternatives

• 1 tsp of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide in 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda in 1/4 cup water
• Salted warm water

Homemade Mouthwash Recipe:

Add to emulsifier jar, then add essential oils. Blend well. Add one litre or purified or distilled water to bottle.

Home-made Toothpaste Alternative

• Brush with plain baking soda or salt.
• Brush with 2 parts baking soda and 1 part salt mixed to a fine powder in a blender.

• Herbal toothpaste:

  Soak 1 teaspoon of dried Irish moss in 1 cup of spring water for 15 minutes. Bring to a boil and boil 15 minutes. Strain gel through cheesecloth and add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon soda, a few drops of chlorophyll.

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Home-made Feminine Hygiene Alternatives

Douches

• One teaspoon baking soda in 2 cups of water.
• One and one-half teaspoons of vinegar mixed in 1 quart of water.

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Miscellaneous Home Maintenance

Home-made Glues

Option 1:

6 tablespoons gum arabic 1 cup water ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons natural glycerin Dissolve gum arabic in water, add glycerin, and mix well. Apply to both surfaces with a toothpick or tongue depressor. Hold together for 5 minutes. Make fresh batch each time.

Option 2:

4 tablespoons wheat flour 6 tablespoons cold water 1 ½ cups boiling water Blend flour into enough cold water to make a smooth paste. Boil water and stir into flour mixture until mixture is translucent. Use when cold.

Option 3:

3 tablespoons cornstarch 4 tablespoons cold water 2 cups boiling water Blend cornstarch and cold water to make a smooth paste. Stir paste into boiling water, continue to stir until mixture becomes translucent. Use when cold.

Home-made Bleach Alternatives

Use vinegar or baking soda as a substitute.

Homemade Air Freshener

Set potpourri or fresh oranges with cloves in a dish.

Homemade Car Wash Soap

3 cups grated castille soap ½ cup sodium lauryl sulfate 3 cups boiling water 1 tablespoon borax 1 tablespoon balsam fir essential oil (optional) Dissolve castille soap and sodium lauryl sulfate in boiling water; add borax and essential oil and mix well.

Upholstery Cleaner and Rug Shampoo

4 cups water 1 cup white vinegar 3 tablespoons sodium lauryl sulfate 2 teaspoons baking soda c teaspoon lavender essential oil (optional) c teaspoon ginger essential oil (optional) Mix all ingredients together and fill a handheld rug/upholstery shampoo bottle half full. Shake the bottle vigorously and shampoo furniture using small circular motions. Scrub sudsy area well.

Home-made Laundry Soap

¼ cup clay powder 2-3 tablespoons essential oil of choice (optional) 13 cups borax 12 cups baking soda 4 cups sodium lauryl sulfate Mix clay powder and essential oil. Add remaining ingredients and mix well in a 2-3 gallon pail. Use c cup of laundry powder per load.

Home-made Spray Starch

1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 pint cold water Dissolve cornstarch in cold water. Pour mixture into a spray bottle and squirt to apply (shake before each use).

Carpet Deodorizer

Baking soda Sprinkle baking soda liberally on area for treatment. Wait fifteen minutes or longer, then vacuum. Repeat if necessary. Carpet should be completely dry before application. Please note: several pounds of baking soda are needed for a nine-by-twelve-foot room.

Removing Grease Spots from Walls

Make a paste of baking soda and water. Apply thick paste to the grease stain and let it dry. Brush the residue off with a soft brush or cloth.

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Home-made Automotive Products

Home-made Windshield Cleaner

Club soda Spray on the windshield and wipe dry. Not recommended for use in the vehicle's windshield-spray reservoir because it could freeze.

Homemade Battery Cleaner (Removes built-up acid)

Baking soda Water Sprinkle baking soda onto battery terminals. Spritz with water to dampen. Let set for about one hour. Sponge off with water. Air dry.

Home-made Cleaning Polish (shiny, protective finish similar to wax)

½ cup flakes of grated hand soap ½ cup water ½ ounce beeswax ½ cup jojoba Mix soap flakes and water in a bowl or jar and allow the soap to dissolve over night. Combine the beeswax and jojoba in a double boiler over medium heat until the wax is melted. Remove from the heat and add the soapy water. Mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Dab some onto a soft cloth, then buff to a shine with a soft cloth. Excess polish can be stored in a container for future use.

Home-made Vinyl Smell Reducer and Natural Home-made Engine Degreaser

¼ cup washing soda 1 gallon warm water Dissolve washing soda in warm water. Saturate a sponge with the mixture and wash the vinyl or pour on engine areas that need degreasing. Rinse thoroughly. Excess should not be stored -- discard all leftovers.

Homemade Leather Wash

¼ cup vodka ¼ cup distilled vinegar 3-4 drops of jojoba or olive oil Combine all ingredients in container. Shake to blend. Pour mixture onto a soft rag and rub into leather. Do not rinse.

Home-made Bug Remover

½ cup baking soda

Home-made Liquid soap

Combine baking soda with enough liquid soap to make a paste. Scoop the paste onto a sponge and scrub over splattered bugs until they are loosened. Rinse well. Safe to use on painted surfaces and chrome.

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