With a trip to the store or a click of a mouse button, you can get just about anything you might want these days.
Of course, these conveniences often come with a price.
Sometimes you feel it in your wallet; sometimes in your health.
Surprisingly, there are plenty of popular products that you can make at home. Doing so often saves you some money while creating products that are healthier for your body and the environment.
Here are 50 of homemade products you can easily make to save money and be healthy in the process.
1. Homemade Laundry Detergent
Though store-bought laundry detergent can be affordable, especially when you use coupons, you can still save a lot of money by making your own. The initial spend on ingredients is about $20-25, but individual loads cost just 4 cents.
2. Homemade Dog Food
Your dog will eat like he’s a king when you prepare this simple food for him. What’s nice for you is the money you’ll save. Buy ingredients in bulk and you can save even more.
3. Homemade Deodorant
No one wants to smell bad, but commercial deodorants can have a lot of ingredients you might not want to put on your body, like aluminum and parabens. This recipe uses all-natural ingredients to create a deodorant that can be just as effective as your favorite brand.
4. Homemade Ant Killer
Many homes are plagued with these pesky critters throughout the summer months. If you’ve got kids and pets, though, you don’t always want to reach for super-harsh poisons. This recipe is easy-to-make, and you can set it out at night, then remove it during the day time. Ants will be gone in no time at all.
5. Homemade Car De-Icer
Sick of scraping ice off your car in the winter months? Spray on this de-icer and you’ll be able to hop in your car and go in no time at all. It works so well, you’ll want to have a few bottles around.
6. Homemade Dishwasher Detergent
You don’t even want to know what’s in most dishwasher soaps. Fortunately, you can make your own all-natural version with just a few ingredients. Best of all, it smells fantastic and you won’t have to worry about it leaving a nasty residue behind.
7. Homemade Soap (without lye)
Traditional soap making involves the use of lye, which can be difficult. However, when you use the “melt-and-pour” style in this recipe, you’ll have your own body soaps in no time at all. Handmade soaps make great gifts, too.
8. HomemadeToothpaste
Traditional toothpaste can be surprisingly harsh on your teeth, especially when you use ones that have whitening ingredients. Instead, try out this recipe for a re-mineralizing toothpaste that can help your teeth feel better.
9. Homemade Body & Face Scrub
When you see how easy it is to make your own body scrub, you’ll never want to spend a lot of money on fancy scrubs in the store. This recipe has an invigorating lemon scent, but you can eventually experiment with other essential oils.
10. Homemade Face Masks
It’s not hard to make face masks from ingredients in your own kitchen, but the key is to make a mask that’s right for your skin type. This article has recipes that fit everyone’s needs.
11. HomemadeHair Masks
Using many of the same ingredients common in face masks, you can also make a mask to improve the look of your hair. Whether your hair is dry, oily or damaged, there’s a mask that can help you out.
12. Homemade Hair Removal Wax
A good wax from the salon might make you feel great, but it definitely comes at a high price. If you’re brave enough, you can make your own wax to use at home. Best of all, you can add your own essential oils to make it smell however you want.
13. Homemade Oven Cleaner
If you’re tired of the harsh chemicals used in the oven cleaners you buy at the store – and the smell – you’ll love this recipe. Leaving it overnight reduces the smell and allows the moisture to soak in and loosen up grease and grime.
14. Homemade Nail Polish in Any Color
You won’t mind letting your little girl paint her nails when you use this recipe. Since it’s colored with eye shadow, you’ll be able to create your own in a variety of colors.
15. Homemade Yoga Mat Cleaner
Get rid of your yoga mat’s ickiness with a simple recipe for a cleaner. Simply spray and wipe after each use. Check out the blogger’s method of deep-cleaning the yoga mat as well. That’s a great way to really spruce up your mat.
16. Homemade Ice Packs
When you use this simple trick for creating ice packs, you’ll never have to worry about your kids losing an expensive pack again. Nothing could be easier or cheaper than these.
17. Homemade Lip Balm
Use these all-natural methods for dealing with dry, chapped lips. Not only are these recipes inexpensive, but they make your lips feel smooth and taste great too.
18. Homemade Root Beer
Nothing quite beats the taste of root beer, and it’s surprisingly something you can make on your own. While you’ll have to source some of those hard-to-find ingredients, the food-grade dry ice used in this recipe makes it a fun addition for a kids’ party. Just make sure everyone is safe.
19. HomemadeHair Conditioner
Store-bought conditioner might not be expensive if you’re not particular about brands, but your hair can definitely benefit from some of the more natural conditioners listed here. Remember that different types of hair will do better with different ingredients, so choose yours accordingly.
20. Homemade Air Freshener
With these simple recipes, you’ll spread a unique scent throughout your home without having to worry about the dangers of chemical products. Best of all, you can mix up different batches depending on the season or mood.
21. Homemade Bug Repellent
The smell of commercial bug sprays might remind you of your child, but there’s no doubt that they include poison. Do you really want that touching your child’s skin? Make your own instead, using these recipes. This site suggests a few different scent mixtures, so you’ll be able to create a new “summer scent” for your little ones.
22. Homemade Shampoo
While you might not be ready to go so far as to stop shampooing altogether, as some people do, these homemade shampoo recipes allow you to use natural ingredients and your own essential oils to create a better-smelling wash. Why rely on the chemically-created smells when you can use oils from the real things?
23. Homemade Baby Wipes
Parents might spend hundreds of dollars on baby wipes, but you can cut that by half or more using this recipe for homemade baby wipes. What to do to save more? Use paper towels or reusable towels rather than the suggested baby wipes.
24. Homemade Massage Oils
Create your own signature massage oil scents with these easy-to-make recipes. Relaxing scents like lavender are always a popular choice, but you can also choose scents that are more invigorating, depending on the type of reaction you want.
25. Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Stop filling up your cupboards with various cleaning supplies needed for different types of surfaces. When you make this lavender-and-mint-scented cleaner, you’ll be able to throw away all those other bottles. It’s meant to clean just about every surface in your home.
26. Homemade Carpet Cleaner
You’ll never buy chemical-laden carpet cleaners again once you’ve given this simple recipe a try. For use with large carpet cleaners, it’s extremely cost-effective and made from only the safest ingredients. You definitely won’t have to worry about your children or pets being on the carpet after using this.
27. Homemade Sunscreen
If you’ve ever worried about the ingredients in normal sunscreen, this is the recipe for you. Using natural ingredients like coconut oil and beeswax, along with the known protection of zinc, this will keep your skin protected throughout the sunniest days.
28. Homemade Dish Soap
DIY recipes don’t always come out as perfect as you’d hoped. What’s nice about this recipe for dish soap is that the blogger tried several different recipes and determined that this is the best one. Now, you don’t have to go through your own experimentation process. Just make up this recipe and store it in a pump bottle.
29. Homemade Mouthwash
You’re probably familiar with the medicinal taste of a lot of mouthwashes. Avoid that with this all-natural mouthwash you can make at home. Best of all, this recipe focuses on “remineralizing” your teeth, which can help prevent cavities and make your teeth stronger.
30. Homemade Shaving Cream
By making your own shaving cream, you’ll save a lot of money not buying those expensive little cans. This recipe has an added bonus of giving you the option to select the scent you want. You’ll no longer have to settle for an overly soapy or chemical-heavy scent.
31. Homemade Hair Spray
Traditional hair sprays are a double whammy. Not only do they contain a lot of harsh chemicals, but many are in aerosol cans, which are bad for the environment. Fortunately, you can still get your hair to stay in place when you whip up a batch of this all-natural hairspray. You’ll especially love the smell.
32. Homemade Body Wash
You’ve probably noticed that some DIY or all-natural products don’t always stand up to the products they’re replacing. In particular, DIY soaps don’t always give you that nice lather that really makes you feel like you’re getting clean. That’s not a problem with this body wash recipe.
33. Homemade Hand Soap
Given how often you wash your hands, it’s nice to have a hand soap that won’t dry them out. With oils to soften skin and guar gum to make a more soap-like consistency, you’ll love how this soap makes your hands feel. The creator even carries a bottle with her to use at work.
34. Homemade Makeup Remover Pads
Who knows what kind of ingredients you’ll find in the makeup removers you buy at the store. When you want to take off your makeup, a simple swipe with these pads will do the trick. This recipe is simple to make and will store for a long time if you keep them in an air-tight jar.
35. Homemade Pesticides
Many commercial pesticides are not safe for children or animals, but there are natural ways to get rid of just about any type of bug. Check out this long list of recipes for natural pesticides. Most use ingredients you probably already have at home.
36. Homemade Lotions
Anyone who wants to avoid the chemicals in lotions will be happy to check out these recipes. They use natural oils and you can scent them however you like. The site offers three different recipes for three different textures of lotion – a hard one like cold butter, a medium one like softened butter, and a lotion that’s similar to the lotion you’re used to.
37. Homemade Bath Salts
Bath salts can make your bath feel a lot more relaxing, but they can also cost a lot of money. Fortunately, they’re extremely easy to make with this simple recipe. You can even make these bath salts to pass out as an elegant party favor for your wedding or baby shower.
38. Homemade Fabric Softener
Everyone loves the feel of softer clothes after using a fabric softener in the laundry, but those softeners come with a high price. This recipe creates a fabric softener that’s just as effective as the ones you already love but comes at a fraction of the cost. You’ll love the money you save.
39. Homemade Stain Remover
No matter how conscious you are about avoiding chemicals, it’s hard to give up the commercial stain removers that work so well. You don’t need to compromise between your ethics and your desire for stain-free clothes when you use this recipe. With simple ingredients like dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, you’ll be able to get rid of those pesky stains.
40. Homemade Window Cleaner
You won’t believe how effective this easy-to-make window cleaner is. If you’ve been dealing with streaky windows that never seem to get crystal clear, you’ll love this recipe. Since you probably already have the ingredients on hand, you can whip up a small batch to test it out.
41. Homemade Dog Shampoo
Dogs don’t need to use a shampoo made for humans. With this recipe, you’ll have a simple shampoo that makes your dog’s coat feel and smell great. Note that the author says you may want to experiment with the amount of the ingredients based on the type of hair your dog has.
42. Homemade Glue
Many people want to stop using products that contain petroleum, but it’s hard to find a substitute when it comes to glue. On this site, you can find five different recipes for glue or paste. Some of them are vegan-friendly as well. Test them all to see which works best for your projects.
43. Homemade Bubble Baths
Mix up these bubble baths using your choice of essential oils and your children will never complain about bath time. Homemade bubble baths won’t produce as many bubbles as store-bought versions, but if you pour it directly under the running water and shake it up a bit with your hand, you’ll get enough to keep the kids satisfied.
44. Homemade Drain Cleaner
If you’re starting to get a clogged drain, your natural instinct is to turn to the hardcore chemical solution you can buy in the stores. That’s not exactly conducive to your chemical-free lifestyle, though. Before you call a plumber, give this simple recipe a try. Kids will love to help out when they see the chemical reaction too.
45. Homemade Mascara
Bet you never thought you’d be making your own mascara. If you’re trying to reduce the amount of chemicals in your life, you’ve probably noticed how expensive natural make-up can be. Try out this more natural version of mascara and save yourself some money.
46. Homemade Eye Makeup Remover
If you’re going all-natural with your mascara, you don’t want a chemical-heavy makeup remover. This is a simple eye makeup remover that’s gentle and safe on your eyes. It’s even super-simple to make.
47. Homemade Floor Cleaner
You don’t need to get down on your hands and knees to make your floors shine. Using this easy floor cleaner that uses natural ingredients you already have on hand, you can have clean floors using your regular mop. Essential oils help mask the smell of the vinegar, and you can choose your favorite scent.
48. Homemade Swiffer Cloths
The Swiffer mop makes it easy to clean your floors without lugging out a big bucket of water. Unfortunately, throwing away the cleaning cloths creates a lot of unnecessary bulk in the landfills. Instead, use these reusable versions which you can make over and over again.
49. Homemade Jewelry Cleaner
You don’t have to spend hours scrubbing your jewelry to remove tarnish. Simply mix up these ingredients and let your jewelry soak in it for only 5 to 10 minutes. You’ll be surprised by how easy it is.
50. Homemade Disinfectant Spray
Using disinfectant to clean – particularly the areas that people touch often like doorknobs – is a smart move for anyone who wants to reduce germs in the home. Fortunately, you don’t need to rely on harsh chemicals to get the job done. Mix up a few ingredients and you’ll reduce germs while making things smell better.
That’s all, folks…
All-natural ingredients are often more affordable and it doesn’t take a lot of time to make up your own versions of store-bought products. When you do this, you can save money and have more control over what goes into or onto your body and home.
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