Recipes For Cleaning Products
 

Good, cleaning products are scarce in our local markets these days. I was using rubbing alcohol to clean my windows and other hard surfaces, but that cannot be found anywhere, so I'm now using vodka. I know, it sounds expensive, but when you consider that hand sanitizer is now going for $13/pint in my area, it's not that bad really. I paid $10.99 for a large, "handle," of 90 proof vodka at the supermarket the other day. I'm sure I can find it cheaper at Walmart, or Costco. Plus, once the supermarket suspect that I might be a lush, they'll send me tons of coupons...LOL.

A bottle of vodka goes a long ways. I use it to wash the windows, sanitize the bathroom fixtures, clean the stove top, etc. It's great for cutting grease. It also makes a nice hand sanitizer. I cut up some pretty quilting fabrics, soak them in vodka and rose geranium tincture, then put the fabrics in a zip-loc bag that I keep stored in my car. When I leave a store, I grab a fabric out of the bag and wipe down my hands and face with it. The vodka also makes for a nice, little, cocktail for when I come home exhausted from shopping all day. ;)

I also have been having a hard time finding hand soap. We usually use bar soap, but there is none to be had at the store, so I bought a plain, simple, bottle of fragrance free, dish soap and put it in a pump bottle that is kept by the bathroom sink. The soap cost only $1.99.

Anyone else have some good ideas for cleaning products?

~ C

Thank goodness we can still find cleaning products, but those are great ideas! Thanks for posting!

Tropit, I just use microfiber cloths and plain water to clean windows and mirrors. A wet cloth to wipe/rub clean and a dry one to dry the glass. Save that vodka for special times - which these days comes daily!
I also use baking soda and white vinegar to clean sinks, showers, and tubs. Sprinkle the dry baking soda over the surface and spray with vinegar (I keep in a garden type spray bottle) or just splash it around, it will foam up. I let it sit a bit and scrub with a brush or cloth depending on how dirty and my mood https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png.
I finally had to order hand soap from Amazon as I couldn't find any in the stores here. Your solution with dish soap sounds perfect.

I've used dish soap in my soap dispensers for years as my hubby gets into lots of greasy stuff - trucks, tractors, well you get the idea. It helps cut the grease and he doesn't leave a bar of soap with grease streaks on it. I also use dish soap in a pump dispenser at the kitchen sink for quick dish clean ups. We don't have a dish washer and my 4 boys were all taught to clean up the dishes they mess up between meals.

My favorite cleaning product is equal parts Dawn dishwashing liquid mix with white vinegar and poured into a spray bottle. Tubs, showers, toilets all come out sparkling. It works well on carpet pet stains too.

When I couldn't find hand sanitizer in this stressful time, I bought the cheapest grain alcohol I could find. At 96 proof, it isn't good to drink but great for killing germs. Vodka work would too and be more drinkable, if you imbibe.

Isn't it funny how with all the shortages, we didn't seem to run short on most alcoholic beverages.

don't really want to sound like a nerd here......but "Proof" in alcohol is actually double that of the alcohol content. For example, 80 proof alcohol is actually 40% alcohol....so....the current recommendations for alcohol content in hand sanitizers is 60% minimum....so that would be 120 proof. Oh my. this is additional info after a quick check...found a reference that said you need to us at least 180 proof drinking alcohol to make hand sanitizer....and I also found, most liquors don't meet this requirement...The highest possible is 192 proof as the distilling process won't get any higher. I never drank "Everclear" vodka but I heard about it….and that makes the cut.

You make a good point. However, I have to say that the hand sanitizers in my area are definitely less than that. They've been adding all kinds of things to them s/a color, fragrance, water, etc. and then they're charging a fortune for them. It's a total scam, IMHO. Everclear is commonly used to make tinctures and other herbal remedies, but it's getting hard to find and is more expensive than regular vodka. I still think that vodka is still good for common cleaning and it's better than poor hand washing.

~ C

I couldn't find hand sanitizes in my area. Grain alcohol and vodka were better than nothing in my humble opinion even at 40% alcohol. Sometimes we have to make the best use of what's available.

I bought 2 bottles of hand sanitizer before all this started but, visiting Grand (adults) would not use it. I don't like it either, so I just use liquid hand soap. I hand a fairly good amount and been able to restock it slowly.

Vodka would make me sick, just smelling it. I don't drink anything with alcohol in it. Can't stand the smell.

I have been able to buy cleaning products. Not what I use to buy but, it cleans.

You have some very good ideas.

A spray of white vinegar & wipe with a cloth diaper to clean my windows & glass end tables.

Where do you find grain alcohol?

~ C