Homemade Windows Cleaning with Jet Dry
It's time to bust out the buckets and brushes to do the annual spring cleaning.
Call me crazy, but I always look forward to this ritual, marked by the first day of spring on Monday, because there is nothing as satisfying as a truly clean house.
I’m obsessed with keeping my home tidy, to the point where my friends say I need medication. In spite of my best efforts, there still are large families of dust bunnies living under couches, beds and behind dressers.
What’s decidedly unsatisfying about doing dirty jobs is using an arsenal of pricey, nasty-smelling chemicals to make everything sparkle and shine. The last time I purchased a bottle of mildew blaster to clean the shower, a fine mist of fumes in the shape of skull-and-crossbones appeared before I nearly passed out.
Consumers spend hundreds of dollars each year on specialized cleaning products, sucked in by marketing hype promising to make cleaning jobs easy. The problem is, nobody’s figured out how to bottle elbow grease, which is the active ingredient in getting things clean.
Many products we use on a daily basis are downright harmful, not only to humans and animals, but to Mother Earth. They pollute our oceans and threaten our drinking water. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group rates the safety of 2, 500 products at Some products get A ratings, but plenty score big, fat Fs.
I've stopped flushing good money down the drain and started mixing up homemade brews to bust dirt and grime in every room of the house. Move over, Mr. Clean! Mrs. Cheap is on the job armed with do-it-yourself recipes that are not only nontoxic, but cost pennies to make. Most importantly, they’re safe and work just as well as expensive name-brand products. Ask your grandma.
If you don’t already have them on hand, stock up on white vinegar, ammonia, baking soda, bleach, isopropyl alcohol, castile soap (I love Dr. Bronner’s) and a bottle of your favorite essential oil, which will make formulas smell nice. And never underestimate the power of plain soap and hot water.
For safety sake, when making your own products, always clearly label bottles with lists of ingredients and keep them out of reach of children. Test formulas on inconspicuous areas first to make sure they won't damage finishes. NEVER mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products as dangerous, toxic fumes will result.
