With flu season around the corner, or already here for that matter, I thought I would do a post on a topic that I find quite essential in my little world. I would like to first start by admitting that I am, indeed, a big germaphobe. I never touch door handles when entering a building. I either have to use my shirt of strategically have a napkin hidden in my hand (I don’t want people to know how neurotic I actually am!!). I also buy special wipes to wipe off the cart handle at the grocery store… As well as other fun facts about me that are redundant at this point. I don’t choose to be a germaphobe, I like to say that it chose me (haha) (;.
Being a germaphobe can be quite expensive, really. You can get caught up in fear in an attempt to guard yourself from something that will inevitably happen. People tend to “buy in” to name brand products that you don’t know if they are actually making any real difference. Through a bit of research and (maybe a bit of intuitive thought process), these are the products that I trust to keep my house reasonably germ-free.
Bleach: I do believe in bleach and using it to disinfect but only really important areas such as toilets and bathrooms. I dilute it in a spray bottle and basically only use it when I’m sanitizing/cleaning my bathroom sink, toilet, shower floor and bathroom floor.
Dish soap: This goes a long way for getting grease out of pretty much anything. Its usefulness certainly isn’t limited to the dishes. Clothing, stove top, grime on the bathroom floor. Some times I dab it onto my clothes if grease has splattered onto my shirt. Although I always invest in Dawn, because there is a difference in effectiveness compared to other brands… In my opinion.
*Oh and speaking of clothes… The absolute, very best stain fighter that I have used… It has rid clothes of pretty much every stain that I have come across including blood and even Koolaid stains, is
Baking soda + Hydrogen peroxide + Dawn Dish soap
I don’t have a specific parts ratio for this either. I simply spray peroxide on a stain until its thoroughly wet, sprinkle on some baking soda until it feels right and then finish with a drizzle of Dawn. For best results I let it sit until dry but I have also simply thrown it directly in the washer with good results as well.
Baking soda: Is amazing stuff… Truly. I use it in place of store-bought cleaner to scrub the bottom of the tub. Its naturally abrasive, deodorizing, and whitening all of the while it is totally harmless! It’s also great for teeth whitening, add to your shampoo every so often for super soft hair. And I also add in about a half of a cup to my laundry when I have a really dirty laundry load.
Clorox Ultimate Care Bleach. This seems like a frivolous thing to buy but I buy it for a specific reason. Going back to me as a germophobe… Once when my kid had stomach flu and I was faced with the terrifying thought of wondering if detergent alone is enough to clean out of laundry, I looked into this. This product is basically hydrogen peroxide instead of bleach. So its much safer on clothes but also kills germs, including stomach flu.
White vinegar: I totally love the benefits of vinegar and always have vinegar on hand but also have a clear understanding that white vinegar is NOT cure all for killing germs. I would not rely on this alone to sanitize my house. It does a lot as far as deodorizing and cleaning but certainly not as a standalone. It is great for cleaning windows and I add in a splash into a bowl of water when I want to clean my berries since it does inhibit mold.
Also, for a money-saving tip, the cheaper sponges at Walmart actually work better and suds better than the more expensive ones.
And finally…. The star of this post is saved for this last product. Through fear, I was driven to this wonderful blog. This women is a stay-at-home-mom with a science degree. So when it comes to wanting to fight the inevitable incoming germs from kids while at the same time avoiding “buying in” to expensive cleaning products that might not actually work… she gets it.
Hydrogen Peroxide: This chemical really, really excites me. It is actually as affective at killing germs as bleach. In fact, it is only one chemical away from bleach. Yet it is very safe!! So safe, that you can even use it as a mouthwash!
I do believe that the “industry” wants this secret to be kept quiet because if people realized that many of the expensive products (such as Lysol) are actually not any better than their simple, inexpensive counterparts then there would probably be some bankruptcies in the future… In fact, many of the expensive products that try to “improve” their product simply add in hydrogen peroxide to increase its effectiveness but don’t actually work any better.
At my Walmart, Hydrogen Peroxide is offered in 1 quart bottles and spray bottles. I usually buy about four at a time and keep it in my laundry closet. I usually takes me about a month to go through them. I also stock up on the spray bottles. I have hydrogen peroxide bottle in my bathrooms and kitchen sink. I use it as a household cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and even to spray on toothbrushes before and after use.
This spray bottle is actually a powerhouse. Sometimes I buy these spray bottles simply for the bottle. They are more well made than any other plastic spray bottle that I’ve used. Sometimes if you put bleach in the store-bough generic bottles they tend to corrode quickly but I’ve had good experiences with these.
So there you have it. Literally six products (bleach, dish soap, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, hydrogen peroxide/bleach, and white vinegar) that I keep stocked in my home. Its simple and there’s no waste from gimmicky purchases. i hope that this post was useful for someone and can hopefully save you a little money, help you streamline your cleaning products, and keep your family a little more germ-free!
