DIY Cleaners for COPD: Mom’s Recipes
Mama was a hoot. Memories of her always make me smile. When we decided to make DIY cleaners for COPD, mom’s recipes were the best. We experimented a lot. One time a home health provider brought her own cleaners. It hurt mom's lungs, and the baking soda came back out.
The need for homemade cleaners
I was in my 20s when my mom started having breathing problems. As a first-time homeowner, I prided myself on keeping my kitchen and bathroom sparkling clean.
One day she came over, and I was showing off my house. She told me that the ammonia smell hurt her lungs, and she didn’t stay very long.
My feelings got hurt. If you’ve read my stories, then you know how it went with mom and me and her COPD.
She called me later and was on a tangent about the smell of ammonia. Of course, her kitchen was clean, and she wanted to show me what she had begun using.
What I learned from her is still what I use today.
Under mom’s sink were all the ingredients to make her homemade cleaners. She had two spray bottles.
One was for appliances like the stove and fridge. The same ingredients doubled as a bathroom cleaner with a minor change for tough jobs.
Homemade kitchen and bathroom cleaner
You will need:
- 2 C water
- 1/2 C vinegar
- 1/4 C borax
- 1/4 C Dawn liquid dish soap
Mix the first three ingredients into a spray bottle using a funnel. Swirl together, and then once they are mixed well, slowly pour the Dawn in and swirl again.
You can spray down your bathtub and let it sit without it hurting your lungs. If the scent of Dawn bothers you, simply reduce the amount or substitute it for 1/4 cup of baking soda.
Homemade cleaner for tough jobs
If you have a tough job, like soap scum, pour about some into a large measuring cup. Mix in the baking soda slowly until you have a paste.
This is good for burnt-on grease and pots and pans. Let it sit, and then use your scrubber. Then you can wipe it off with a paper towel and rinse well.
Glass and stainless steel cleaner
- 2 C of water
- 1/2 C vinegar
Pour into a spray bottle using a funnel. The trick here is what you use to wipe the glass or stainless steel down.
Newspapers are great because they do not create lint on the glass or mirror. However, if the mirror is dusty and dirty, it’s important to clean them first with some of your kitchen and bathroom cleaners.
Use a very small about by spraying it directly onto a microfiber cloth that is already moist. Next, wipe down the area to be cleaned and then rinse well with water.
After it has dried, you can wipe it down with your glass cleaner using a clean microfiber rag or newspapers.
Even before her diagnosis of COPD, mom was aware of how harmful those chemicals could be. Like the smart cookie she was, she found a workaround that let her keep a clean house and didn’t hurt her lungs.
She even used this to clean her oxygen mask later in life.
Have you tried making cleaners?
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