Another easy way to save money and remove chemicals from your home is to simply substitute baking soda (purchased in bulk) for store bought cleanser. It is quite the effective alternative! To make a scented version, add 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oils to every cup of baking soda.
We store ours in a customized canning jar. Here is the simple supply list for this project:
To create your "cleanser jar", remove the "top part" (shown above) from your old cleanser bottle. Then, using your canning lid for a template, trace out the proper jar lid size (i.e., wide or regular mouth) onto your salvaged cleanser piece.
Simply snip to size. It cuts fairly easy with heavy-duty scissors. Insert the custom cut part inside the screw band and screw on your canning jar. You may want to glue this insert piece all along the inside rim of the band to keep the contents from leaking out through the sides when you use the cleanser.
Finally, add one cup of baking soda and stir in your essential oil drops if you choose to use them.
If you require a stronger scouring cleaner, mix together 1/4 cup of borax, 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Place inside your jar. This will give you good scrubbing power while still maintaining your budget and health.
Should you have young ones that will be using this and a glass jar seems scary, a recycled spice shaker like this one works out well too. For other thrifty, cleaning product projects, visit here for our collection of past posts.
"We must always remember that it is a great merit in housekeeping to manage a little well... To live well in abundance is the praise of the estate, not of the person. I will study more how to give a good account of my little, than how to make it more." In this there is true wisdom, and it may be added, that those who can manage a little well, are most likely to succeed in their management of larger matters. Economy and frugality must never, however, be allowed to degenerate into parsimony and meanness."
- 1 cup baking soda
- Mason jar with lid/screw band
- Top removed from your old cleanser bottle
- Optional: 10 - 15 drops of essential oils such as orange or lemon
To create your "cleanser jar", remove the "top part" (shown above) from your old cleanser bottle. Then, using your canning lid for a template, trace out the proper jar lid size (i.e., wide or regular mouth) onto your salvaged cleanser piece.
Finally, add one cup of baking soda and stir in your essential oil drops if you choose to use them.
If you require a stronger scouring cleaner, mix together 1/4 cup of borax, 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Place inside your jar. This will give you good scrubbing power while still maintaining your budget and health.
You may copy and use our label if you like...
Should you have young ones that will be using this and a glass jar seems scary, a recycled spice shaker like this one works out well too. For other thrifty, cleaning product projects, visit here for our collection of past posts.
~ Mrs. Isabella Beeton, The Book of Household Management,1861
This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Homestead Barn Hop, Amaze Me Monday, Monday's Musings, Marriage Monday, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, The Scoop, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Growing in Grace Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Simple Meals Friday, Cultivate Nourishing and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.
This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Homestead Barn Hop, Amaze Me Monday, Monday's Musings, Marriage Monday, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Raising Homemakers, Make Bake Create, Wise Woman Link Up, Wow Us Wednesdays, Wildcrafting Wednesday, The Scoop, Coffee and Conversation, So Much at Home, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Hearts for Home Thursdays, Growing in Grace Thursdays, Home Acre Hop, From the Farm Blog Hop, Farmgirl Friday, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Simple Meals Friday, Cultivate Nourishing and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.
I will definitely have to make this. Store-bought cleansers tend to give me terrible headaches so I like using something more natural. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Stephanie
I hope this works out for you! :) I have been using in kitchen and bathroom sinks with great results...
DeleteHa! I hopped over from the Homestead Barn Hop to learn to make facial cleanser. Still great tip. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteVery clever. I like everything better in a glass jar, even cleanser. Never would have thought to use the cleanser top. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteThere is something *wonderful* about glass jars, isn't there?
DeleteGreat idea! Thanks for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting :)
DeleteI love this. We don't have cleanser tops here - so I just pounded holes in the top of my lid...but I like the idea of extra power. :) We don't have Borax either, but we have Washing soda (which is also a great cleanser) - so I think I'll go mix up some heavy-duty cleanser today. Popping over from Raising Homemakers. Blessings from Croatia: A Little R & R: www.littlerandr.org
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing here today!
DeleteHello! I saw your link on the Homestead Barn Hop. This post is perfectly providential for me because I've been searching for a jar for exacly this purpose for weeks...and thanks to your post I can see it's been right under my nose the whole time! Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear this :)
DeleteWhat a great idea! :-)
ReplyDeleteYour so clever! :) I will have to do this! I also made a cleaner that was a thick paste and it worked well too. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the shaker top you created! I use homemade cleaners too and the problem I've had is trying to evenly distribute the cleaning product. Problem solved! Thanks so much. :)
ReplyDelete~Candy
Glad this will help! :)
DeleteWhat a great idea! Definitely one to bookmark! :) Thanks for sharing on Wildcrafting Wednesday! :)
ReplyDeleteYou have so many great ideas. I will definitely be trying this, so clever. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHi Cynthia, I left you a comment on your "Vintage" post and am not sure if they have been going through... Am I in your spam box? I have been having this problem lately...
DeleteThank you for your sweet comment and have a wonderful week!
Thanks for sharing your cleaner recipe at the Hop!
ReplyDeleteYou have to love simple and natural :)
Sharing on our HomeAcre Faves Pinterest Board.
Thank you Sandra! :)
DeleteCheat method - use the canning lid to trace either a piece of cardboard (even an index card works) or a plastic lid from yogurt or cottage cheese or similar, cut our your circle and punch a few holes; the cardboard you can poke with a pencil - they don't have to be as big or as many as the cleanser can (my mom always left have of the holes covered with the tape so too much wouldn't be going down the drain). If you don't want the yogurt label showing just flip it over to the plain side. HTH
ReplyDeleteTake care!
Davette B
Yes, great idea to add! I do this for straw cups too! :)
DeleteI forgot to add the easiest lid of all - save the lid from your Parmesan cheese, it will fit regular mouth canning jars. Depending on the brand you have different colors so you can have one for cleanser and one for carpet deodorizer (esp. if they are different fragrances).
ReplyDeleteHTH
Davette B
YES I DO THIS and LOVE this!!! :)
Delete