Simple Cleaning Products – Simple Life

It’s nearly Spring! Daylight savings has begun and my kids are on Spring Break. I usually take a full day this time of year and do some deep cleaning and organizing. I’ve been looking for some simple cleaning products.

My Mom sent me a list of different uses for Dawn dishwashing liquid. I thought I’d give a few a try.

Dawn has been known for years to aid wildlife in oil spill clean ups. Why? Dawn effectively removes grease, is biodegradable and does not cause damage to the skin of animals.

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Glass and Window Cleaner

One of the recipes from my mom is for a glass and window cleaner. Mix 3 drops of Dawn in 1 gallon of water. I didn’t want to mix this much so I used an empty Windex bottle and put in one good drop of Dawn. Then, I filled with warm water and used as I would any glass cleaner.

I was a little skeptical at first, but it worked beautifully on my glass dining room table and bathroom mirrors. No streaks and cleaned well.

Repel ants

Spray countertops, cupboards and any other area with Dawn and water. Wipe dry. The left-over residue will repel ants. Any remaining is safe for kids and animals.

I think it’s still too cold for ants but I’m using the above glass and window cleaner mixture on my counters. We occasionally get ants, especially in the summer when the kids are home (they don’t wipe the counters very often). I’ll keep you updated if I see any ants.

Tub and Shower Cleaner

Mix a 1:1 solution of white vinegar and Dawn. Heat vinegar in the microwave for 90 seconds then add Dawn and stir. Mix well. I used a glass measuring cup. I mixed ¼ cup of each and poured in my scrubby dishwand.  It fit perfectly…just the right amount.

Now, apply to tub or shower. Let sit for 10 minutes then wash away. It was a struggle to wash off and not get soaked. Next time I think I’ll add before I shower, then I can wash off while I’m in there. It got rid of the slime, grime, and that hard to remove bathtub ring. If your tub or shower is really dirty, you may need to do twice.

You could pour in a spray bottle and shake well to mix. It may be easier to spray on the shower walls then apply with the scrubby brush.  

Microwave

After mixing the tub and shower cleaner, there was some residual left in my measuring cup. I added water and heated in the microwave for 3 ½ minutes. With 4 seconds remaining, the door to the microwave blew open! I’ve used the cleaner below so thought why not throw this in the microwave with some water so I utilize all the ingredients!

Oh Man! Was I in shock! WTH just happened! I shut the door, more than a little stunned and let it sit for a minute. The inside was wet and everything wiped off easily, to say the least. I’m not sure what happened or why it exploded.  Maybe a chemical reaction. I did see the Dawn bubbling up so maybe the gas from that?! It really cleaned well but I think I will stick to the mixture below.

Multipurpose cleaner

1 drop of Dawn in 8 oz of water to clean bathroom counters, sinks, tubs, toilets, ceramic tile, baseboards, wood, and shelves. Don’t let sit on wood. Wipe dry as you go. This is basically the glass and window cleaner.

I’m not sure I’ll use on wood. I’m a Murphy’s Oil Soap girl.

Pets

I’ve used this for years on my dogs. Dawn kills fleas on contact. The first time I used it years ago, my parents had a pregnant dog dumped on their property. After the puppies were born, within a few weeks, they were covered in fleas. We bathed all and within seconds the fleas were dead. Don’t use more than once a month since it will strip the natural oils from your pet’s coat.

Clarifying Shampoo

Use once a month in place of your regular shampoo. It will remove any product build up and excess oil from your hair and scalp.

Poison Ivy

Wash skin with Dawn and cold water. Don’t scrub. Poison Ivy spreads due to the oil in the plant. Hot water will open your pores encouraging the oil to spread. As soon as you realize you’ve been in contact with PoisonIvy or Poison Oak, rinse immediately. For best results, it should be within 30 minutes.

Some people are more susceptible to a rash than others. One of my sons breaks out severely while the other isn’t affected at all. Over the counter meds may help if a mild rash develops. Anything else, you may need a prescription.

I hope that we don’t encounter any Poison Ivy, but I will definitely give this a try if we do.

Other types of cleaners

For the microwave:

Splash of white vinegar, lemon slices, and water. Cook on high 3 minutes. Let sit for 1 minute after heating. The solution will steam the inside of the microwave. Use a damp cloth or sponge and wipe out.  I do this frequently.

Shower and Tile cleaner

I’ve also heard of using Rainx on the shower tile and the shower doors. This makes sense because it repels water on cars. If you try it, just be careful not to get any on the shower floor. With my luck (especially after the microwave incident), I’ll probably slip and fall. Some people state that it lasted four to six months. Since I just used the Dawn solution, I plan to try this next.

All-purpose cleaner

My fellow blogging friend at The Recipe Bandit posted a recipe for an all-purpose cleaner using orange peels and distilled white vinegar. With cold and flu season, we’ve been eating lots of citrus. I’ve mixed it up and it should be ready next week. I can’t wait to try it.

I’ve been using the Dawn glass cleaner mixture on just about everything. It cuts through dirt amazingly well. I can’t say it cleans any better than the commercial cleaners but the nice thing is there’s no harsh chemicals and it cost pennies! If you have any other cleaning hacks or solutions you’ve tried, I’d love to hear about it. I’m always looking for easy, budget friendly, simple ideas.