Real Crunchy Step: Stain Remover Plus

by Denise at Better Than My Best

A few months ago I was getting increasingly fed up with spending $20 or more on laundry detergent each month. I found a recipe for homemade liquid laundry detergent and I am never looking back. The only problem I have with the laundry detergent is it doesn't seem to have the extra oomph to get out the tougher stains like Tide does. Next time I make my detergent (which won't be for months because I made a ton in the first batch), I will use the Fels-Naptha soap which is said to have stain fighting properties.

Until then, I have been on the look-out for a seperate stain remover. I found a recipe for one that called for ammonia, but I wasn't as comfortable trying it (and apparently it isn't even sold in stores anymore). Then I found one that called for two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part blue Original Dawn dish detergent with pretty convincing pictures.

Hydrogen Peroxide is not toxic, not harsh, Earth Friendly, and is an awesome cleaner. To learn more about the benefits of cleaning with Hydrogen Peroxide, click here .

The Original Dawn is biodegradeable, and not harsh. On the bottle it says if you get it in your eyes, flush them with water. If you accidently drink it, dilute it with a cup of water. That doesn't sound so dangerous to me!

I first squirted the mixture on a few stains that were already set in and no other stain remover could get out. I was disappointed when it only lightened the stain. I think I will tackle it again but let the mixture soak in longer. (Side note, one of the items was pink, and the peroxide did not ruin the color).

Then I tried it on some kind of 1 year old food stain that was two days old, but not yet washed.

And it worked!

Then I tried in on my grout. I let it sit on the grout for five minutes, then I lightly scrubbed it in with a scrub brush, and sopped it up with warm water.

Before:

After!:

LOOK AT THAT!!!!! I was so giddy when I saw how well it works. For the first time in my life I am excited to clean the floors.

Cost: The 32 oz bottle of peroxide cost $0.99. The 24 oz bottle of Dawn cost $2.25, but I had a coupon with the very high value of $0.20 off (be jealous) so it cost me $2.05. I could fill my squirt bottle up 4 times with this, and have two parts of Dawn left over. That means I am paying less than $0.76 a fill up.

Pretty good for something that I basically want to put in my sprinkler and spray all over the inside of my house.


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