Frugal Home-made Household Products Guide
Make a Frugal Living By Making Your Own!
The following simple and easy Home-made household products will help you save hundreds or thousands of dollars per year and will give you the satisfaction of becoming more self-sufficient - which is one of the corner stones of making a frugal living. You'll also find many of these simple home-made alternatives to be much safer and more effective than their store-bought toxic alternatives. Choose a product category or use the search box below.
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
Open windows or doors for a short period.
Use Potpourri in bowls to scent air - rosemary, sage, peppermint, lemon verbeena, lavender, orange peels, cloves, and bay leaves make excellant natural ingredients from the garden for home-made potpourri.
Vinegar is helpful in removing many odors like from onion odor on hands/cutting boards.
Place dishes of vinegar around the Kitchen to help neutralize cooking odors.
Sprinkle Borax (~half a cup) in garbage cans/diaper pails, ect to inhibit odor causing bacteria and mold growth.
For Homemade Aroma Therapy boil a pan of water containing cloves and cinnamon.
Baking Soda is an excellant deodorizer all around the kitchen such as in refrigerator. It is also an excellant addition to cat litter pans - it's a good clumping agent, neutralizes the odor of ammonia in cat urine, helps kill bacteria, and reduces many other unpleasant pet odors.
Homemade Floor Cleaner/Polish
For an All-Purpose Home-made Floor Cleaner simply combine a few drops of vinegar in water.
For Brick and Stone Tile Cleaner mix 1 cup vinegar in 1 gallon of water, rinse with clear water after applying solution.
For Painted Wood Floors mix 1 teaspoon washing soda with 1 gallon of hot water.
For Wood Floors apply a thin coat of 1 part vinegar to 1 part baby oil and rub in well.
For Vinyl or Linoleum Floors combine a cap full of baby oil with a few drops of vinegar in water to remove soap traces, preserve, and polish.
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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
Apply equal parts toothpaste and baking soda with a
soft, damp cloth. Rinse out the cloth and wipe off any
residue. When the finish is smooth, buff with a clean
soft cloth. Restore color and shine by rubbing the spot
with the meat of half a pecan, then buff.
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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
Place bay leaves in cracks around room.
Mix by stirring and sifting 1 ounce TSP, 6 ounces borax, 4 ounces sugar, and 8 ounces flour. Spread on floor of infested area. Repeat after 4 days and again after 2 weeks.
Homemade Flea Repellant
Feed your pet brewer's yeast in powder mixed with food or by tablets.
Home-made Insecticide
Mix dishwashing liquid and water, spray infected area.
Homemade Moth Ball Alternative
Place cedar chips or blocks in desired area.
Air clothes well in the sun; store in airtight containers, and scatter sachets of lavender, cedar chips, or dried tobacco in with clothing.
Anti-Insect Air Spritzer
2 cups vodka
1 tablespoon citronella essential oil
1 tablespoon eucalyptus essential oil
1 teaspoon geranium essential oil
1 teaspoon rosemary essential oil
1 teaspoon orange essential oil
1 teaspoon lemon essential oil
Mix all ingredients and shake well. Mist into air to keep
bugs away.
Home-made Bug Repellant, Body
2 tablespoons citronella essential oil
2 tablespoons rosemary essential oil
2 tablespoons geranium essential oil
2 tablespoons eucalyptus essential oil
½ cup olive oil
Mix all oils together. Dab on clothing and skin. Avoid
eyes and mouth.
Home-made Termite Repellants
Any wooden parts of the house should be at least 18 inches off the ground, as subterranean termites cannot tolerate being exposed to air and light. They have to build easily visible mud tunnels to get at available wood. However, most existing houses have only about an 8-inch clearance between wooden parts and the ground, which makes the wood vulnerable. Metal shields may help discourage termites, but they cannot prevent infestations.
To treat existing termite infestations, there are a few nontoxic alternatives: the "Extermax" system, available in California; and the use of a particular species of nematodes to eat them, a system available from N-Viro Products, Ltc.
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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
Mix aloe vera and essential oils in a glass bottle. Then add hydrosol.
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
Mix essential oils with witch hazel in a glass bottle. Then add hydrosol.
Option: 8
Homemade Chamomile Astringent for Acne
- 1 cup witch hazel
- 20 drops tea tree oil
- 1/2 cup chamomile tea
Mix oil and witch hazel in a glass bottle. Add 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
Process rolled oats in a blender until fine. Massage a small amount into wet skin, then rinse.
Home-made Citrus Skin Cleansing Milk
- 1/2 cup plain yoghourt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil (or other oil)
Blend yoghourt and lemon juice. With blender running, slowly add oil. Pour into jar and add essential oil. Massage a small amount into skin and rinse.
Homemade Deodorizing Powder
- 1/2 cup baking soda
- 1/2 cornstarch
- 1/2 cup arrowroot powder
- 8 drops peppermint essential oil
Combine baking soda, cornstarch and arrowroot. Add essential oil and stir well. Let sit 24 hours minimum. Store in glass container.
Homemade Lavender Bath Powder
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup lavender flowers, finely crushed
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
Mix well. Let sit 24 hours minimum. Store in glass jar.
Homemade Spice Bath Powder
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg
Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and stir well.
Home-made Deodorant and Anti-Perspirant Alternatives
Pat baking soda under arms after showering. Skin
should be slightly damp, but not wet. If too abrasive,
mix with cornstarch or white clay.
Dab well steeped black tea onto skin.
Try mineral deodorant crystals commonly used in Europe - they have natural anti-biotic properties which help to reduce odor causing bacteria.
Home-made Facial Masks and Steam Baths
Homemade Oatmeal and Honey Mask
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 2 tablespoons honey
Mix together. Leave on face at least 30 minutes.
Home-made Astringent Blemish Mask
Drop oil into clay powder, mix well. Add vinegar. Make a smooth paste. Immediately spread on face and leave for 15 to 30 minutes.
Home-made Meringue Mask
- 2 egg whites
- 1 Vitamin E capsule
Combine ingredients and whip until stiff. Spread on face, allow to dry, rinse.
Home-made Lip Gloss/Balm/Protector
Plain vegetable or nut oil.
Lotion, Cream, Moisturizer
Shea Butter is especially good for dry skin and skin high in melanin (colour).
Talcum Powder
SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT TALCUM POWDER: There is much controversy surrounding Talcum Powder which is chemically very similar to Asbestos. There is much evidence suggesting respiratory problems particularly in babies resulting from Talcum Powder inhallation. There also may be a correlation to Cervical Cancer in women using Talcum Powder. Bottom line, I'd avoid it at all costs, all finely divided powders are inhallation hazards - the lungs are designed to deal with gases not solids!
Use cornstarch, rice starch or oat flour on skin.
Homemade Shaving Cream / Gel
Use skin cream in place of shaving cream.
Aloe Vera Gel - Replace shaving cream with 100% aloe vera gel. Purchase commercial aloe vera gel, or use aloe vera gel from your houseplants. Cut open leaf and rub on skin.
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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:
10 Drops tea tree oil (approx 1/10 tsp or .5 ml)
2 drops myrhh
12 drops emulsifier
1 litre purified water
For a better taste add 7 drops peppermint oil and 7 drops emulsifier.
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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Do you have any Frugal Living Tips or Home-made Recipes for common household product alternatives? Or do have any Frugal living questions for us? If so, we'd love to hear from you. We invite you to ask, tell, and excel here on our Contact Page!
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