10 May 2012

Miracle Spray

I was talking to Michael Smyth on ABC Radio 891 in Adelaide on Tuesday afternoon. He was asking about things Cheapskaters do to save money - or rather the extreme things we do to save money. He seemed to think that making my own washing powder was extreme, which made me smile. I've been doing it so long I think buying washing powder is extreme.

As we talked I mentioned Miracle Spray. The name alone was enough to have him hone in on it. He wanted to know what it was and how it was made, what it was used for and how much it cost. His listeners wanted to know to. I'm still getting emails asking for the recipe.

Since the day Joyofquilting posted this recipe it has been a hit with Cheapskaters. We love it because it is a MOO, it is very, very cheap at around 35 cents a litre to make, and is an all-round super cleaner. It can be used in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry, makes short work of outdoor furniture and barbecues, it even cleans up joggers and dirty sport shoes. Use it in the toilet, on floors, to clean painted surfaces, to clean showers and tiled surfaces.

It was dubbed Miracle Spray and the name has stuck. This cleaner really is miraculous.

Miracle Spray

Ingredients:
1.5 litre water (1 cup boiled)
300ml vinegar 
60ml dishwashing liquid 
25ml eucalyptus
3 dessertspoons "Lectric" soda (washing soda)

Method:
Mix washing soda with about 1 cup boiling water to dissolve, add remaining  ingredients, pour into a 2 litre bottle (I use the vinegar ones). That's it folks!!!

To Use:
This nearly fills the 2 litre bottle, then I decant (don't you just love that word) into spray bottles for benches and laundry, and refill old toilet cleaner bottles to squirt under the rim in the loo etc.  It's also good to spray on the floor on tough stains, you know the stuff you dropped when cooking that dried. I originally found the recipe from another site and just tweaked it a bit. I love it, as I try to minimise the use of chemicals around the house. With the collars and cuffs, try to spray and leave to soak for a few minutes works best I've found, so I spray as I sort, then do the whites second rather than first load to give the spray a chance to work. 
Contributed by Joyofquilting

Here's an example of just how miraculous Miracle Spray is. I deliberately let the kids' shower get grungy - actually it's more than grungy, it's slimy and horrible. They've been complaining for weeks about the state of it, but I couldn't ask anyone if they had a revolting shower that needed to be cleaned, so theirs it was. As you'll see in the first picture, it had everything: soap scum, mould and mildew, verdigris built up on the shower floor - erk!  A few squirts of Miracle Spray, five minutes of rubbing with one of my favourite scrubbers and voila - sparkling clean and a pleasure to use again.


The filthy, revolting shower before Miracle Spray


Clean and bright, after Miracle Spray and about 5 minutes effort

Miracle Spray has proved so popular some Cheapskaters are making it up in double batches because they can't bear the thought of running out of it.

It certainly has been a hot topic in the Member Forum, with it's own threads and hundreds of posts dedicated to it.

I made up a Tip Sheet for Miracle Spray and it's in the Printables library. Members can download it and either save it to your computer or print it out and keep it in your cleaning cupboard so you'll always have the recipe and instructions on hand.

33 comments:

  1. This is a must for me, thanks....

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  2. I love this miracle spray and use it for everything. It even worked on a couple of stains on the carpet. I tell everyone about it and have made it for a couple of friends who also love it.

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  3. I am definitively going to try that the next time, I am doing the shopping, need to pick up supplies!

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  4. what part does the eucalyptus play in this mixture?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i'm betting antiseptic qualities and scent

      I used ti tree in mine as I did not have any eucalyptus at hand, and it works marvellously

      Delete
  5. i have made this and used it cleaned well but i had a problem with it being way to soapy is it 60ml of stiaght dishwashing lighid or only 6 drops or 60ml of dishwashing liquid thats been diluted?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is 60mls dishwashing liquid - are you sure you used the entire 1.5l of water and 300ml vinegar? You *may* get a few suds but it isn't an overly bubbly mixture. The other thing is you could be using too much - what were you doing that it sudsed up? If you just sprayed it on to the surface to be cleaned it wouldn't bubble, but if you added it to a bucket of water for floors you would get some suds, but not a huge amount

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  6. Is miracle spray safe to use on granite benchtops?

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    Replies
    1. Why do you need to use anything other than water and a cloth to clean your granite? I am assuming it is sealed, in which case water and a micro fibre cloth will clean it perfectly.

      Personally I haven't tried it and I wouldn't,but I don't see the need for any sort of cleaner on granite.

      If you've been cutting up meat directly on it, then use a mild soap, water and a cloth and make sure you rinse it well.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for taking the time to reply Cath.

      Delete
  7. Is miracle spray safe to use on gold fittings?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. See my answer above.

      Gold fittings should just need wiping over with a clean, damp cloth.

      Delete
    2. Hi, I usually just wipe over my gold fittings with a clean, damp cloth it's just that my sink has a gold plug hole. I just wanted to make sure that miracle spray wouldn't tarnish it.
      Thanks

      Delete
  8. I just made a batch of miracle spray and love it!! I am going to use it at the kindergarten I work at. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.:)

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  9. Is the Miracle Spray good on Shower Screens or do you have another recipe for shower screens.

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    Replies
    1. Miracle Spray is great for shower screens, but my MOO Super Strength Shower Cleaner is even better, cheaper and faster, especially on showers that haven't been completely clean for a long time. It will shift caked on soap scum in seconds and leaves glass and tiles sparkling.

      Delete
    2. Many thanks Cath, I will keep that in mind

      Delete
  10. Hi There

    Is this formula safe to use on Babies high chairs? Im really trying to remove all chemicals from my home and replace them with natural/homemade items. Im particularly concerned with floor cleaners, do you have a good recipe for hard floors (not wood).
    Look forward to your suggestions.
    Many Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Miracle Spray will be fine on baby's high chair, just remember to wipe it over and then dry it before you put baby in.

      It does a great job on ceramic tiles and vinyl floors, I use it on my floors in the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms. I add about 1/4 cup to a nappy bucket of hot water to mop, this does all the floors. I start with the kitchen, do the laundry then the bathrooms last.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for your reply that's brilliant. So I can basically make up the miracle spray in bulk and use it as a multi purpose spray and a floor cleaner. That saves loads of time being able to make a bulk batch.

      One more question- does the formula naturally kill germs and odors?

      Thanks so much

      Delete
  11. Hello
    I have just made a batch of the miracle spray. After I spray it and it dries it seems to leave a powdery film. Do you think I overdid it on the Lectric Soda.
    Can it be saved or should I ditch this batch and start again?
    Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can anyone help on this??

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    2. Sounds like the washing soda wasn't properly dissolved. Don't waste the batch, that's just money down the drain, just wipe over with a clean, damp sponge or cloth after you've cleaned with Miracle Spray. And don't be heavy handed, a little goes a long way.

      Delete
    3. You only need a tiny bit. So the usual SQUIRT, SQUIRT, SQUIRT is too much.
      One squirt on the damp cloth does a whole lotta bench top or fridge or stove. Pat

      Delete
  12. Hi All
    I make up 2 lots of it and put it in a washing liquard bottle with a tap on the side that way when you have to refill the spray bottle you just put it under the tap you dont spil any as it is very good even my son how was a spray and wipe man likes this better

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  13. I just made up some of this Miracle Spray, and my shower looks wonderful now. Only ten minute scrub after giving the spray an hour to soak.

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  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Well I guess it would depend on just how dirty your shower was and how hard you scrubbed. MIracle Spray isn't a spray'n'wipe product - you do need to use elbow grease if you are using it to clean particularly dirty or greasy things.Or you left it on too long. Ideally you'd spray,wait a few minutes then wipe/scrub and rinse.

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  15. The recipe for this says 3 dessertspoons "Lectric" soda (washing soda), how much actually is 3 dessertspoons? I use tbls, tsps., etc and online it seems like everybody has a different take on what a dessertspoon is, including a serving spoon, and their favourite grannies old measuring spoon, lol. I made this recipe up and I also got a white powdery film left afterwards, even though I used boiling water and it did thoroughly dissolve. perhaps my "dessertspoon" is too large a guess?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A dessertspoon is an imperial measurement. In imperial measures:
      1 tsp = 5ml
      1 dessertspooon = 2 tsp = 10ml
      1 tablespoon = 2 dessertspoons = 20ml

      Commonly a dessertspoon is the larger spoon you eat your dessert or breakfast cereal with, with the oval shaped bowl.

      Delete
  16. Hey Cath, I confess I am one of those people that have bottles of gods know what in my cupboard!

    Just made a batch and will never buy any sprays again!

    I wanted to ask if you can substitute the eucalyptus oil with other oils such as orange or lemon?

    I do love the smell of my house but was just curious :)

    Thanks for your time.

    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tea tree oil is a good substitute, or lavender oil. The eucalyptus oil brings not only a fresh fragrance, but a lot of germ killing power so look for an oil that has similar properties and your Miracle Spray will be fine. You can combine oils for a sweeter fragrance if you want to - experiment and see what you come up with, then share with us :)

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  17. I bought a 10 litre plastic container with spout (almost a jerry can) from a camping store for around $10. Now I make up 10 litres a time and never run out.

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