The next time you purchase a cleaning agent from the market, be sure you read the ingredients to see what it is made out of it. If it’s not a natural or organic product, chances are that it will contain a toxic chemical or two (or three or four) that could have major effects on your health. On many occasions, when I decide I want to save a few dollars, I would pick up a can of disinfectant for my home at the grocery store, read the label, see the word “formaldehyde,” and immediately put it back on the shelf.

Saving a few bucks suddenly didn’t seem worth it. Despite it’s strong cleansing power - it’s great if you want to kill stubborn bacteria - the use of formaldehyde should be avoided if possible. It is a very strong smelling, colorless gas and has been classified as carcinogenic. So why not make my own? I asked myself.

Surprisingly, many cleaning agents can be home made at a very low cost. In fact, you may have some of the ingredients in your cupboards already. Give these core ingredients a shot in this All-Purpose Counter Cleaner:

2 tsp. washing soda
2 tsp. borax
1/2 tsp natural liquid soad
1 cup hot water

Mix all of these in a spray bottle and use it to clean your counters.

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