Stock the Pantry for Clean Green Cleaning for Under $50

I have written before about cleaning without chemicals. It is something that I started out of necessity after I got tired of my sensitive skin being irritated by harsh chemicals. At first I thought, Wow this is going to be expensive! After investing in a short list of ingredients and testing their potency I was incredibly happy with the results. Many items I needed where things I already bought, so I started buying in bulk. 

Here is a list of easy to find ingredients to keep on hand for a clean and healthy home! I have listed where you can find them and about what it should cost you. 

Check out my posts All Purpose Cleaner and Laundry Detergent for full recipes. All prices are based on my local grocery store, prices may vary in different locations.

Baking Soda ($1.62/ 32 oz.)

• Can be found in the baking aisle, often a generic brand can be a huge price saver. 
• The most ESSENTIAL of all the clean green ingredients. 
• Ingredient in All Purpose Cleaner
• Mix about a cup with a few drops of your favorite essential oil and sprinkle over the carpet. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. The baking soda absorbs the smells in the carpet. Vacuum it up and the carpet will smell fresh. 
• A tip from Martha Stewart (she knows about good things) http://www.wholeliving.com/134227/tub-scrub. Tub, tile, and counter scrub: One Cup of Baking Soda,  1 tsp. Of liquid soap, a few drops of lemon essential oil, and enough water to form a paste. Scrub with a cleaning brush and be amazed. When I tried this my tub foam up a gray sludge that I didn’t know was there! (Thanks million plus people who post this to Pinterest it is a great tip!)
• Unclog a drain. Wait till the sink is empty and preferably dry. Pack the drain with baking soda using a butter knife. Chase with white distilled vinegar for a foaming effect.
• Got a pan that needs to be scrubbed and you don’t feel like scrubbing it? Leave it over night with a nice layer of baking soda and most of it will come right off. Baking soda absorbs the grease, preventing it from hardening. 

White Distilled Vinegar ($2.99/ gal.)

• Found in salad dressing aisle of grocery store
• Major bargain for cleaning.
• Uses:
• Spray onto windows and wipe with coffee filters for maximum clean. 
• Spray onto bathroom fixtures to shine.
• Fill a plastic sandwich bag and tie around faucets and shower head to clean off buildup.  (Thanks Mom!)
• Warm 2 cups and pour down drains weekly to keep them unclogged. 
• Veggie Wash (1 part vinegar to 1 part fresh lemon juice to 11 parts water)
• All Purpose Cleaner

Liquid Castile Soap ($14-$17/ 32 oz.)

• Found in Natural Cleaning or Natural Health and Beauty Aisle
• A little bit goes a long way.
• Uses:
• Ingredient in All Purpose Cleaner
• Amazing face and body wash. Great for sensitive skin , acne prone skin, and some claim it can prevent wrinkles!
• Can be used as a shampoo.
• Great all around liquid soap for cleaning floors, counters, etc. 

Borax ($4.29/ 76 oz.)

• This can be found in the laundry detergent aisle at the grocery store.
• Uses:
• Ingredient in Laundry Detergent
• Ingredient in All- Purpose Cleaner
• Leave about ½ Cup in toilet over night to break up that nasty water ring.
• Stain removal booster.

Washing Soda Crystals ($3.15/  55 oz.)

• Made by Arm and Hammer and found in the laundry detergent aisle. 
• Similar to baking soda, but stronger for cleaning.
• Uses:
• Ingredient in Laundry Detergent
• Ingredient in All Purpose Cleaner
• Stain removal booster. 

Fels-Naptha Bar Soap ($1.29/ 5.5 oz. Bar)

• Found in laundry detergent aisle. 
• Used mainly in Laundry Detergent and fabric stain remover. 

Tea Tree oil  ($8/ 4 oz.)

• Can be found in skin care aisle of grocery store and in any health food store. 
• An antiseptic essential oil, great for cleaning.
• Great for skin, clears up acne and other blemishes. 
• Uses:
• All-Purpose Cleaner
• Scent/ Antiseptic for any homemade cleaning product

Orange or Lemon Essential Oil. ($5/ 4 oz.)

• Can be found in skin care aisle of grocery store and in any health food store. 
• An antiseptic essential oil, great for cleaning.
• Scent gives a reassuring feeling that the kitchen is really clean.  
• Uses:
• Ingredient in All-Purpose Cleaner
• Scent/ Antiseptic for any homemade cleaning product

Olive Oil ($3.69/ 17 fl. oz.)

• Can be found in baking aisle of grocery store. 
• Can be used as a furniture polish.  Ten drops lemon essential oil, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 3-4 drops olive oil.  Use a soft cloth to rub on. Test first on a small spot that won’t be seen if the finish has a bad reaction. 

Fresh Lemons ($.50/ ea.)

• Can be found in produce section of the grocery store. 
• Highly antiseptic.
• Uses:
•  Cut in half and use to scrub wooden cutting boards. 

Laundry Detergent, 6 gallons for under $3.

I love the new Tide slogan "Style is an option, clean isn't". Or something like that. So to keep your style clean I have worked out a recipe for a great laundry detergent that will be safe to use and easy on the wallet. You will only need three ingredients Washing Crystals, Borax, and Fels-Naptha. All three of these are available at my local grocery store in the laundry isle. 

Six gallons of laundry detergent for this? Yes, please. 

Have all of these ingredients and tools handy:

One 5-1/2 oz. Bar Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap

1-1/2 Cup Borax

1-1/2 Cup Washing Crystals

1 Stock Pot

1 Funnel

6 Empty gallon jugs

1 Box grater

The first step is the hardest! Grate one bar of Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap. This will make about 2 Cups and costs around $1.29 at the local grocery store.

Now that the grating is done place the soap flakes in a stock pot with 1-1/2 Cup Borax ($0.68 locally), 1-1/2 Cup Washing Crystals ($0.82 locally), and 12 Cups of water.  Stir and heat over medium on the stove. 

Looks a little egg-y.

While this is warming up be sure to stir often. Time to start filling those six gallon containers with 12 Cups of water in each. I usually fill one and use it as a measuring stick for the rest. Mark the water level for when you re-use these. 

Once all your soap has dissolved on the stove and has a nice foam to it, take it off the heat. 

Place 2 Cups of the soap concentrate in each gallon jug. Use the funnel and a heat safe glass measuring cup. 

Use a bamboo skewer to stir up the concentrate and water, or close the cap and shake gently. Top off the jug with about 2 more cups of water. 

Garlic Wheat Bread

My name is Alice and I am a bread addict....

I wanted a nice simple bread recipe to use as a 'staple' in my cooking regime. This White Bread Sandwich Loaf Recipe courtesy of FoodNetwork.com has served well. It can be altered to just about anything you can think of. Naturally, I used it to create a garlic wheat bread to add to Italian Night at home.

Here is the recipe and links to the brands I recommend.
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Garlic Wheat Bread

2 C + 2 Tbs. Milk (Almond Milk)

3 Tbs. Unsalted Butter (Earth Balance)

2 Tbs. Sugar (Pure Cane Turbinado)

1 (¼ oz.) Packet of Fast Rising Yeast

5 Cups (+ about 1 C for kneading) Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tbs + 1 tsp. Sea Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil as needed

4 Cloves Garlic

2 Tbs. Fresh Ground Pepper

Small Sauce Pan

Spatula

Pot Holder

Baking Sheet

Large Mixing Bowl

Mixer with Dough Hooks

Cutting Board

Plastic Wrap

Serrated Knife

Combine milk, butter, and sugar in sauce pan over medium heat. Stir often and take off heat once butter is melted. Place pan on a pot holder on your counter. Sprinkle entire packet of yeast over the warm mixture. DO NOT stir, this is a rookie mistake I already made for you. Let sit for at least 10 minutes and until the yeast starts to foam.

Whisk salt and 5 Cups of flour together in large mixing bowl. Add in the chopped garlic and pepper. Once the yeast mixture is ready pour slowly into dry mixture. Use the dough hooks on the mixer at a low speed. Once a dough ball is formed pull from bowl onto a cutting board. With clean hands and the extra flour knead for about 7 minutes. Rub a little Olive Oil in the mixing bowl. Place the kneaded dough in bowl and roll over to cover dough in Olive Oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 2 hours in a warm dry location. If your oven or dishwasher is in use place it nearby (make sure it is a safe spot).

Remove from the bowl and knead again. Use a little more flour if necessary. Form two even loaves and place an oiled baking sheet. Cover the loaves with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm dry location. Let rise for another hour. 

Preheat oven to 400º F.

Once the loaves are ready for the oven use a knife to make ‘vents’ in the top. Cut across about 2 inches apart ¼ inch deep. Brush a little more olive oil over the top. Bake for 45 minutes at 400º F on center rack. Let cool before slicing with a serrated knife. 

Enjoy!

All Natural All-Purpose Cleaner for $1.50 a Bottle

As someone who spends a lot of time in my kitchen I use a lot of cleaning products. Until I started researching natural foods and the green movement I had never thought twice about the name brand cleaning agents I routinely use in my home. After reading the labels I decided that, much like the food I eat, these chemicals that my husband and I come in contact with daily need to be as close to natural as possible. I scoured the internet and came up with a recipe for a multi-purpose cleaner that is safe and cheap. The ingredients for this cleaner can also be used to make laundry detergent, dish detergent, and just about anything else to clean up your home. Currently I am working out the kinks to these other cleaners, which will make buying other cleaners a thing of the past. My goal is to build an arsenal of natural ingredients to clean every room in the house without breaking the bank. I have listed the recipe below with links to Amazon.com to help guide you. Every ingredient was available at my local grocery with the exception of the essential oils. Feel free to browse around for the best deals and save yourself some money and chemicals. Speaking of saving money one recipe makes about 16 ounces for $1.50.

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All-Purpose Cleaner

1 tsp. Borax Powder

½ tsp.  Washing Crystals

2 Tbsp. White Distilled Vinegar

½ tsp. Liquid Castile Soap

2 Cups  Distilled Water

20 Drops Tea Tree oil

10 Drops Orange or Lemon Essential Oil. 

1 24+ oz. Spray Bottle

1. Mix Borax, Washing Soda Crystals, and Castile Soap in a 2 Cup glass measuring cup. (I prefer the glass measuring cup because of the spout. If you have a funnel this isn't such a problem pouring the mixture into the spray bottle. Which ever you prefer or is handiest to you.) 

2. Slowly add vinegar, this will bubble over like a science fair volcano. Caution it may get warm. While this is settling down warm 2 Cups of  distilled water. Using distilled is incredibly important because of the fluoride in tap water, filter such as Brita and Pur do not remove it. 

3. When mixture settles pour the mixture into spray bottle. Slowly pour the hot water into the bottle. 

4. Let the spray bottle cool down. Once the bottle is cool to touch add the essential oils.  Close bottle and shake. 

5. Ready to use!