Do you use Soft Scrub cleaning products? If so you might consider making your own at home. This is crazy easy to do, you probably already have what you need on hand and it works just as well as the stuff you buy.
Even better, this is nontoxic and you can take one more thing out of the cleaning cupboard. I really like knowing my cleaners are completely safe for my health, my family, our dog plus I like not having to hassle with yet another product tumbling out of the cabinet.
So give this a whirl and see what you think. I have been using this for awhile now and it has worked perfectly for me.
I use it to scrub the bathtub, the shower tiles and also the kitchen.
Just this week my husband was doing yard work with the girls and during bath time they literally left a ring in the tub :). They had fun but really got filthy- so this mixture I made up in seconds and viola- tub was good as new!
My husband also made Cinco de Mayo dinner and although it was delicious, he really did a number on the stove top. I think rice boiled over or something. Anyhoo- mixed this up and it worked great to clean the stove.
So you need two ingredients to make this- here are two options based on what you might have on hand:
My favorite way to make this is by mixing equal parts of Castile Soap and Baking Soda. For the little bowl pictured, I used roughly 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup castile soap.
You really don’t need exact measurements for this- just make as much as you need really. I like to put the baking soda in a bowl and slowly add the soap until I get a consistency that is like thick pancake batter or cake frosting. (or like Soft Scrub- LOL).
Once I get the right consistency I just dab a scrubbing sponge into the mixture and scrub away!
The castile soap is nice because that Peppermint variety smells amazing. It is all natural and does an awesome job on cleaning. This is a fantastic product if you have sensitive skin or you are really considered about natural ingredients.
The bummer is that Dr Bronner’s castile soap can be a little pricey.
So option #2:
If you don’t have castile soap, I have also made the exact same recipe with equal parts baking soda and dish soap.
I like Dawn because it works so well but any dish soap you have is great. You can add a tiny bit of water to thin out the mixture and if you want to add a few essential oil drops to get a nicer fragrance- well have at it.
So that’s it- easy peasy. If you happen to make too much, just pop this in a mason jar or tupperware or whatever and you can store it. The great thing is you don’t need to be concerned about nasty chemicals getting into your Tupperware. Just wash and it is good as new.
Here are a few other recipes you might like for all natural cleaners:
Easy Homemade Glass Cleaner (this stuff works amazingly well.)
Quick home fragrance recipes– to make the house smell fantastic.
DIY Bathroom Cleaners– clean from top to bottom with 3 products.
Where would I find the Castile soap?
Tiffany- most stores will have it. For sure Target does although I don’t know the price. Here it is on Amazon too:
http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&field-keywords=dr%20bronner%27s&linkCode=ur2&tag=myfrugadve-20&url=search-alias%3Daps
For the homemade soft scrub, can you make ahead of time and store for a while? I like the idea of homemade cleaning products, but don’t really want to make them each time I want to clean. Thanks!
Charla yes you can make it ahead and put it in a Tupperware or mason jar. It is really so fast to put together though- just the baking soda and I have been stirring the soap in with a finger as a I walk up the stairs before ;).
LUV IT. I have a kid with asthma so we try to keep our cleansers as natural as possible.
Thanks Charlene! I tried it this morning and it worked great! The best part is that I can store it under the sink where I use it and not have to worry about the my 3 year old getting into unsafe cleaning products. :))).
Hey Sara thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked the recipe. I never know if I am crazy or not when I post this stuff ;). You are totally right about the kids getting into things and Soft Scrub looks like cake frosting! I was thinking too here I am scrubbing the bathtub “clean” with chemicals and then my kids sit in that confined space for half an hour taking a bath. Kind of scary because I know I can smell cigarette smoke in a house even if no one is currently smoking. You figure the same could be true with cleaning products.
Charlene,
I so agree with you about smoke and cleaning products! I know this your blog but I wanted to share a recipe with you! Seen you are a vegan and the recipe is so easy and a summer soup.
2 avocados
1 can of cream of potato soup
1/4 tbs of lemon
2 cups of milk (you can add more or less to make it more or less creamy)
1/4 tbs tabasco (more or less if you like it hot)
Put all ingredients in the blend and mix until creamy! Chill in the frig!
It is the best recipe and great during the summer!
Oh great! I will try that. Love easy recipes. Thanks!
Charlene,
Do you have a homemade recipe to clean the washer machine? A homemade version of the Tide washer machine cleaner? Thanks!
This is great! I’m moving into a new house & I was looking for resourceful ways to clean a lot of stuff with one product. When you’re done scrubbing, do you just wipe clean the surface with a wet rag? What’s the best method you’ve found for surface tops like counters, ovens, sinks and such? Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Katie- I use an all purpose cleaner that is equal parts vinegar and water for the kitchen. It seems to work fine for me :).