DIY Cleaner: Baking Soda + Vinegar + Soap. Beats Store-Bought, Costs Pennies
Ladies, sharing my secret money-saving hack today—homemade all-purpose cleaner.
Let’s do the math first. A bottle of degreaser at the supermarket costs $3-8. I use at least two bottles monthly—that’s $100+ yearly. The recipe I’m sharing costs under $0.30 per batch and works even better.
The recipe is simple, just three ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons baking soda (food grade)
- 100ml white vinegar
- 1 pump dish soap
Mix with warm water, shake well, pour into a spray bottle. Done.
I first learned this from a housekeeper on TikTok. Skeptical but curious—ingredients were already at home—so I tried it. Haven’t stopped since.
Kitchen grease first. I have an open kitchen, so cooking oil spreads everywhere. My old brand-name degreaser needed 5 minutes to work and smelled so harsh I’d need to open windows.
This DIY version? Spray, wait 10 seconds, wipe with a sponge. Clean. No harsh chemical smell—just faint vinegar scent that dissipates quickly.
Bathroom water stains next. Faucets, shower glass—spray, wait a minute, wipe with a cloth. Sparkling clean. Way better than store-bought lime removers.
The biggest surprise? Cleaning my washing machine. I didn’t know machines needed regular cleaning until my clothes started smelling weird. Following online tutorials, I poured a batch of homemade cleaner in, selected highest water level, hottest cycle. The water draining out was gray—how much gunk was in there?!
Now I clean monthly. No more weird smells.
Of course, this recipe isn’t universal. Marble countertops are a no-go—vinegar’s acidity etches stone. Be careful with hardwood floors too; rinse with clean water after.
I’ve experimented with additions. A few drops of essential oil leaves furniture smelling nice. A pinch of salt helps with stubborn stains. But the basic version works great—start simple.
One warning: baking soda and vinegar foam when mixed. Use a wide-mouth container or it’ll overflow. I learned this the hard way—bubbles everywhere, almost got scolded by my parents.
Final cost breakdown. Baking soda: $1.50 for 500g, lasts 50 uses. Vinegar: $0.75 for 500ml, lasts 5 uses. Dish soap already at home. Under $0.30 per batch.
Ladies, stop wasting money on fancy bottles. Try this recipe—you’ll discover saving money can be this simple.