Let’s face it. There are two things on the mind these days: saving money and saving our planet.  Using homemade cleaning solutions is a great way to accomplish both at the same time.

The fact is that homemade cleaning products made from household items like Ammonia, Vinegar, and Baking Soda, are not only a much more environmentally friendly cleaning product, they cost a fraction of ready-made products while doing a superior job.

I know what you're thinking. Those things smell really bad! Why would I want to use those?

Well, I'll grant you that they don't smell great, but it does dissipate in an hour or so, and, it takes with it the smell of bacteria. Ammonia, of course, has disinfecting properties, but (surprisingly) Vinegar does too, and you can't beat these products for their ability to clean!

Ammonia is a powerful grease cutter. That is why ammonia (or ammonia gas) is a main ingredient in commercial products. Usually it is mixed with some other agent like water, or rubbing alcohol, then sold in expensive packaging, but, it's still just Ammonia.

Try this all-purpose natural cleaning recipe for cleaning grout, tile and porcelain fixtures.

• Mix 1/2 part rubbing alcohol
• and 1/2 part ammonia

Ammonia is also an extremely effective laundry booster, especially for work clothes. Simply add a ½ cup to the wash water, and, while it smells horrible going in, the clothes will smell clean and fresh coming out.

** CAUTION: NEVER mix chlorine bleach with anything other than water, so don’t use ammonia with bleach loads like whites.

Vinegar is the best natural house cleaning product for dissolving hard water minerals and lime, and it also cuts through soapy film, making it a great product for bathroom cleaning.

Vinegar mixed with hot water makes a great natural floor cleaner; just mop your ceramic floors with the solution and they will shine like new.

Natural cleaning recipes for glass, mirrors, or windows

Recipe for “The Blue Stuff”

Fill a spray bottle with:

• 4 tablespoons of white vinegar
• Add cool water to fill the bottle
• Add a drop or two of food coloring (optional)

** Some recipes call for the addition of ammonia, but all this does is create a chemical reaction in which the ammonia and vinegar neutralize each other, creating just salt water.

Recipe for the exterior of the windows

Add the following ingredients to a bucket of warm water:

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

** Don’t wash windows on a sunny day because they will dry too fast, leaving streaks.

Baking Soda is not only used for (hello?) baking, it is also a great for neutralizing odors. We've all seen the open box of baking soda sitting in someones refrigerator, right?

Well the same principle makes Baking Soda the best non-toxic carpet cleaner going as well. That is why Baking Soda is a main ingredient in the powdery commercial sprinkle-on carpet products. I personally don't like the cloying scents (or the big price tag!) so I sprinkle straight baking soda on the carpet then give it some time to absorb odors, then vacuum it up.

It's also a terrific nonabrasive cleanser. Try sprinkling a soapy (dish soap) sponge with baking soda to wipe down a greasy stove.

Baking Soda is a fantastic laundry booster for detergents or bleach. We've all seen the laundry detergent boxes that tout in giant letters, 'Baking Soda Added,' right? Me? I buy the largest size I can buy (in the mega-baker aisle) and add it to the laundry myself. Just add 1/3 cup to the wash cycle as a bleach booster, or to the rinse cycle as a detergent booster. You will not believe how clean and fresh your laundry will smell!

Household table salt can be used as a natural stain remover. For perspiration stains, add four tablespoons of salt to a quart of water and sponge the fabric until the stains disappear.

For Cleaning Stainless Steel, the best all natural stainless steel cleaner is so non-toxic that it’s actually good for you if you eat it. I'm talking about Olive Oil. That’s right. Everyday olive oil (the cheapest brand) is the best product for cleaning stainless steel because it not only cleans, it protects against finger prints too. Simply pour a little on a clean, dry, rag and polish away, but always remember to go with the grain of the steel.

Rubbing Alcohol is another natural stain remover. The basic recipe for many commercial spot removers is basically 2 parts water to 1 part rubbing alcohol.

So how much can you save for all of this effort?

I checked the prices on the following products:

• 64 oz. Ammonia $1.49
• 32 oz. Vinegar $2.19
• 64 oz. Baking Soda $3.79

I also checked the prices for the following commercial products

• 32 oz. bottle of Windex $5.88
• 28 oz. all purpose cleaner $4.99
• 30 oz. box of carpet deodorizer $3.49

Now, I'm no math genius, but I do know this. I can make a lot of window cleaner with 32 ounces of Vinegar!