Tuesday, March 4, 2014

DIY Multi-Surface Bleach Cleaner


I have white counters and sinks, so sometimes I need something stronger than my trusty all-purpose cleaner to get my surfaces sparkling white again.  I was using some pricy store-bought bleach spray for those occasions, when it occurred to me that I could probably easily make it myself.  After a quick bout of googling, I proved myself right by finding a lovely blog called Fake It Frugal, with instructions on how to make your own Fake Clorox Cleanup.  As suspected, it's easy to make and cheap to boot (only 2 cents a bottle!).  One thing to note however, is that apparently a homemade bleach mixture will start to break down after 24 hours unless you increase the bleach ratio.  Even then, it will only be effective for a week after you make it, so make it in small batches.  Yet with it only taking a few minutes to make, it's been no problem for me to whip up a small batch when I need it.


Multi-Surface Bleach Cleaner


WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Empty Spray Bottle
1 tsp Liquid Laundry Detergent (powder would probably work too)
1/4 Cup Bleach
1 Cup Water or more*

DIRECTIONS

1.  Fill up an empty spray bottle with all the ingredients.  *Use more water (~3 or 4 Cups) if you plan on using the spray for just for 24 hours; if you want it to be an effective cleaner for up to a week, stick to one cup.  

2.  Shake the bottle to mix, and it's ready to go.

Warning:  Unlike my natural all-purpose spray, this cleaner is dangerous and should be kept out of children and pet's reach.  Avoid contact with eyes, don't ingest, and be careful with mixing it with other cleaners and sprays (mixing it with ammonia can cause death).  And, obviously, the spray will bleach things that aren't white, so don't wear your favorite purple tank top while using this spray (yup, lesson learned).  

2 comments:

  1. Hi Bridget,

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  2. Just tried this recipe and it worked like a charm! Thanks for the tip!

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