Household DIY Cleaners With a Bar of SOAP

 

You can take the humble bar of solid soap and make your own arsenal of household cleaners.

In fact, the CDC says, “Using household cleaners that contain soap or detergent will remove germs and dirt on surfaces. Cleaning alone removes most harmful viruses or bacteria from surfaces.”

https://www.cdc.gov/hygiene/about/when-and-how-to-clean-and-disinfect-your-home.html#:~:text=Using%20household%20cleaners%20that%20contain,viruses%20or%20bacteria%20from%20surfaces

Theres something very satisfying about a sudsy bar of soap. Cleaning with plain old soap has an old timey feel to it if you ask me and the options are endless when it comes to providing a fresh squeaky clean in my home. Using a simple bar of soap to clean:

dishes

showers

tubs

sinks

windows

clothing…

especially appeals to those with sensitive skin and noses who react to fragrances, preservatives and dyes. Grating up a fresh bar of simple soap is super satisfying and the possibilities are numerous.  

So let me get into a few DIY all purpose cleaners and laundry detergent. 

For these recipes you can use any plain, degreasing soap. I sell a Clean House Bar in my shop here:

https://wildwoodsandhomestead.com/products/the-clean-house-bar?_pos=1&_psq=clean+house&_ss=e&_v=1.0

If you want to learn how to make your own simple Clean House Day bar soap I have a tutorial here:

https://youtu.be/NMVUeeb_6i8?si=moX8jykQOl83tA4y

Basic Liquid Soap Recipe:

Heat 3 cups of water in a pot and add 1/4 cup of grated soap. Mix until soap flakes are dissolved. 

Store this is a jar and use it as:

a liquid dish soap 

a toilet bowl cleaner 

 

To use the above recipe as a liquid hand soap:

Fill a foaming soap dispenser with a quarter of the above soap solution and fill the rest of the way with water. You can add essential oils or a bit of olive oil to add moisture. You can experiment too with your ratio of soap solution and water in your soap foamer. 

All Purpose Spray:

Using the above soap solution, add 1/4 cup of solution to 2 cups of water and pour into a spray bottle. This works great as an all purpose cleaner for:

kitchen counters

bathroom counters

windows 

mirrors 

I have used this on tile and wood floor with great results. It does not work well on stainless steel though. So if you want a shiny clean on your stainless steel appliance try vinegar! 

you can add essential oils to the above spray too to customize your ap cleaner to smell the way you prefer.

 

*tip:  any time I work with raw meat in my kitchen, I spray my counter with isopropyl alcohol to sanitize without the need for bleach. The soap solution disinfects but it’s not anti bacterial. In fact leaving some bacteria behind is good for your immune system and environment.  

https://castle-keepers.com/how-isopropyl-alcohol-rate-cleaner/#:~:text=Although%20isopropyl%20alcohol%20isn't,as%20a%20hospital%2Dgrade%20disinfectant.

 

 

I’m testing a liquid laundry soap recipe and will

post soon. Stay tuned…