DIY: Homemade Cleaning Products Part 1

About six months ago I started researching homemade cleaning products to see if they would be feasible for our household. After reading a lot of different blogs, recipes, and websites, I started making my own cleaning solutions. I’ve been using them for a couple months now and I am really happy with the results. I thought I’d share a few of my “recipes” with you. Keep in mind that you may have to tweak the recipes a bit based on your cleaning needs*. I live in a very dry climate, so mold and mildew are not really an issue here, but they might be in your area.

When thinking of making my own cleaning products, I had two primary requirements: 1) the homemade version had to work just as well as the commercial product, and 2) the homemade version couldn’t cost more. I also wanted to use “natural” components as much as possible, instead of the synthetic ingredients in most commercial products. After a little experimentation, I’ve found the options that work best for me. I’ll share a few here, and the rest in Part 2 soon!

Homemade Toilet Cleaner

3/4 cup Borax

Juice of 1 small lemon

Sprinkle the borax into the bowl. Add the lemon juice and swish around quickly with a toilet brush. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Do a quick scrub with the toilet brush and then flush!

Notes: I get Borax from Alice.com, but you can also find it on Amazon.com or at Target. I love that this method leaves the bathroom smelling like lemon and not chemicals and synthetic fragrance. Also, I think it actually cleans better than the Lysol gel I was previously using, since the toilet stays fresh and clean longer.

Homemade All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

2 cups water

1 teaspoon Borax

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

15 drops lavender essential oil

15 drops lemon essential oil

Boil the water, then add the borax and stir until it is completely dissolved. Add in the vinegar and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Pour into a spray bottle, and then add the essential oil.

Notes: I use this on my kitchen and bathroom counters and sinks. I love that when I clean with this the only lingering smell is lavender and lemon, not vinegar. If you prefer a different scent, you can use 30 drops of any essential oil blend you prefer. You can get ready-made essential oil blends online or at natural grocery stores like Whole Foods.

Homemade Dishwasher Detergent

1-1/2 cups Borax

1-1/2 cups Washing Soda

1/2 Cup Lemishine

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Store in an airtight container, in a cool and dry location. Use 2 Tablespoons per dishwasher load.

Notes: Storing an airtight container is very important, as the mixture will clump and harden if exposed. Washing Soda is NOT the same as baking soda, and can be found at Walmart or Alice.com. Lemishine is a brand name for Citric (Stearic) Acid. Walmart and Alice.com carry Lemishine, or you can source citric acid through chemistry or soap-making suppliers. I have been very pleased with how this recipe works, and it is a LOT cheaper than the Cascade packs I was using. I’ve also found that adding distilled white vinegar to the rinse aid compartment helps everything dry without spots.

So that’s Part 1 of homemade cleaning solutions! I’ll part Part 2 soon, with recipes for a bathtub scrub, laundry detergent, and more! I’d love to hear about your experiences with homemade cleaning products, or any other DIY projects. Feel free to comment below or link up to any DIY posts you have.  Thanks!

*These recipes are based on several different variations I’ve seen on the internet. Sources include Pinterest, Moms by Heart, Easy Aromatherapy Recipes, and various Google searches.

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Memorial Day

Please take a minute today to remember those who have paid the ultimate price to protect the freedom we enjoy. If you know any military members, please thank them for their service.

The adopting james blog has a great post on the history of Memorial Day.

And here is a great music tribute from Trace Adkins.

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PPQ: Mahogany Cake

This is my week hosting Project Pastry Queen, and all I can say is wow, I am so glad this is the recipe I picked to make during the week of Big Man’s birthday. Because if ever there was a decadent, pull-out-all-the-stops, grown-ups-only birthday cake, this is it.

Generally, I’m not a fan of Bundt cakes. Most of the ones I’ve tasted are really dry and kinda flavorless. Not so with this cake. Instead, the Mahogany Cake is very tender and not at all dry, especially with the layer of melted dark chocolate and plentiful glaze.

The cake definitely gets full points for flavor. This is no “add a bit of coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor” recipe. This is a full-on, coffee-and-chocolate-are-equals, sinfully dark cake. I’ve never tasted a coffee and chocolate dessert that was this heavy on the coffee flavor, and it was a really nice flavor balance.

I did make a couple slight changes to the original recipe. I used all purpose flour instead of cake flour to compensate for the high altitude. Also, after looking in 3 different grocery stores, I couldn’t find a coffee-flavored dark chocolate bar so I just used a dark chocolate bar.

I hope I’m selling you on this cake. It is one of my favorite Pastry Queen recipes that I’ve tried. I’ll definitely be making it again soon, maybe for my own birthday in a couple weeks!

To see how the other PPQ members made this cake, click here.

Mahogany Cake (from The Pastry Queen, by Rebecca Rather)

Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup boiling water

1 rounded tablespoon instant espresso powder

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sifted cake flour (sifted then measured)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces dark chocolate flavored with coffee, coarsely chopped

 

Mahogany Icing

1/4 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sifted powdered sugar (sifted then measured)

 

To Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray, sprinkle lightly with all purpose flour, and tap over the sink to remove any excess flour (or spray evenly with Baker’s Joy). Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating on medium speed about 20 seconds after each addition.

Pour the boiling water into a medium bowl. Stir in the espresso powder and then the cocoa, stirring until smooth after each addition. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Place the sifted flour in another medium bowl; stir in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just incorporated. Add half of the cocoa-sour cream mixture and beat until just incorporated. Continue adding the dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with dry ingredients. Stir in the chopped chocolate.

Spoon the batter, which will be thick, into the prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (After about 40 minutes, the cake may crack slightly around the middle, and the crack may look slightly wet. Test with a toothpick anyway; the cake may be done.) If overbaked the cake will dry out. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, invert onto a rack, and cool for 20 minutes before icing.

To Make the Icing: Pour the boiling water into a medium bowl. Stir in the espresso powder and then the cocoa, stirring until smooth after each addition. Stir in the butter and vanilla and add the salt and powdered sugar. Stir until smooth.

Set the cooled cake on a large serving plate and spoon the icing over it, covering it completely. The icing will pool in the hole in the middle of the cake as well as on the outside edges of the plate. The icing will cool within 30 minutes, making it possible to cover the cake with plastic wrap without smearing it.

The covered glazed cake will keep at least 2 days at room temperature. It can be frozen up to 3 weeks.

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