Why DIY cleaning products?

With all the cleaners that are available out there why use homemade cleaning products?  Different people have different reasons, but the selling point for me is that they are

Simple, Safe, Effective, Cheap!

Simplicity: I know, I know…how can it get any simpler than sitting in a chair ordering products off Amazon and having them shipped to my door?  It can’t, but I promise making your own cleaning products is easy.  It may sound unbelievable, but I honestly can clean my house with three products (and these are made with just a few ingredients.)   If I go to the store and shop for cleaners I end up with a different product for every area of my home.   This cleans the stove; this cleans the counter.  This cleans the floor; this cleans the sink.  It just isn’t necessary.  I keep it simple now with just a few cleaners and a whole lot of vinegar!  As far as making the cleaning products…I don’t think that anyone has ever said to me “Wow, how do you find time to make Kool-Aid?”  The recipes that I use on homemade cleaning products are about as complicated as making Kool-Aid! 

Safety:  “Green” is a buzz word in our culture today that stirs up a lot of reactions.  While homemade products are green and safe for the environment my focus is on how safe they are for my family.  Conventional products can be hard on sensitive skin and asthmatics.  Short personal story: When Reuben was 16 months old I spent two days in the hospital trying to figure out the trigger for his series of seizures.  Every doctor and nurse came and asked me “Are you sure that he didn’t get into anything?  Cleaning Supplies under the sink or in the bathroom?”  I was SO glad that I could without a doubt say “No!” There was nothing for him to get into.  I thought to myself “If this is what happens to children who come into contact with these products my kids will not come into contact with these products.” 

Effective:  They work!  Some recipes are better than others, but there are tons out there.  I know of nothing that makes a floor shine like moping with a little vinegar solution. 

Frugal: I am Dutch both figuratively and literally!  When I did the math and saw how much money home made products it made me a little giddy!  Most green products cost more than the conventional cleaning products, but these are much cheaper I smile while I clean!   

When something accomplishes two of my goals it is a “win-win.”  Homemade cleaning products are a “win-win-win-win!”