As we become a lot more conscious of the ingredients in household products many of us are looking for more ways to keep toxins out of our lives. You can find a variety of recipes for homemade cleaning solutions online and while some are more effective than others they’re easy to whip up and frequently cost less than store-bought cleaners.
From harsh winters to outdoorsy summers, my floor mats take a beating so I was happy to stumble upon this “tough on stains” recipe where most if not all the ingredients are already in your supply closet. And if you have messy passengers, it works great on cloth upholstery too.
DIY Car Upholstery Cleaner
- 3-6 Tbsp soap flakes
- 2 Tbsp Borax
- 2 cups boiling water
Use a cheese grater to make 3-6 tablespoons of flakes from a bar of soap. Then add Borax which typically runs $7-$12 at the store depending on size. But with all the uses you’ll get you’re only really spending a few cents on this concoction, which is a steal compared to store-bought cleaners!
In a large bowl, slowly add boiling water to the soap flake and Borax mixture and stir until it’s dissolved. Let it cool a bit and then whip it to a foamy consistency. Use a bristle brush to scrub down mats and upholstery and then wipe off the mixture with a wet rag that you can keep rinsing in a bucket of water.
Photo: Creative Savings
Kalyn Brooke, who came up with the recipe at Creative Savings says she couldn’t be more happy with the results, and the savings!