Matt Jabs - DIY Natural Household Cleaners: How To Make Your Own Cleaners... Naturally

Testimonials from readers

I absolutely love this book! Yall have saved my husband and I so much money and I love knowing exactly what is going into my cleaning products. Thank yall SO much! - Kathlyn

I gave the Natural Cleaners Guide to my mother and sister after buying it myself. The chemical-free habits and all natural mentality it has given me is wonderful. I love finding ways to simplify my life and my cabinet space, along with creating practical household necessities. The essential oils make a big difference. Thank you for teaching the average American consumer how to get behind the expensive label and naturally clean our homes.- Margaret, age 22, Alabama

I have been having all kinds of fun with the Natural Cleaners book, especially with the oils. What an awesome idea to have a kit already recommended, Ive been wanting to experiment with oils forever and you guys just made it too easy to resist! For anyone looking for a fun way to pass the time, I highly recommend DIY Natural! Dig up some old containers and spray bottles, round up the kids, and have fun playing chemist in your own kitchen! Thanks again Matt and Betsy for making this so fun, simple, and economical!- Dianne

I feel like Im doing a good thing for my family and the earth when I use the book recipes to make my own instead of buying commercial products. It feels good to be able to walk by the chemical laden, foul smelling cleaner grocery aisle and know that my product was less expensive yet works just as good, if not better!- Holly, Texas

I feel wonderful to be able to contribute to reclaiming our earth by using the sustainable principles in this book. Since reading it, Ive been making my own household detergents and cleaners, and I really enjoy the benefits of purifying my air with the essential oil spray recipes. Thanks Matt and Betsy for helping to empower me to reclaim the earth! Kathy, age 58, Michigan

Written and edited by Matt and Betsy Jabs

Cover and images by Mitch Bolton

Copyright 2011 by The Jabs Group, LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed without express permission from the author.

The Jabs Group, LLC
Mason, MI 48854

ISBN: 9781620953235

www.diyNatural.com

Disclaimer

Content in this publication is for entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or manufacturer instruction. Readers should consult professionals on any matter relating to their health or well being, and for any products made in their home. Readers who fail to do so assume all risk.

The Authors want to stress that the information contained herein may be subject to varying federal, state, and/or local laws or regulations. The Purchaser or Reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information.

Every effort has been made to accurately represent the potential benefits of this information. We cannot and do not guarantee savings or success due to differing uses of the information. Each individuals success depends on his or her background, dedication, desire and motivation. As with any new endeavor, there is no certain guarantee that you will get specific results.

To our Lord

for loving us while unlovable.

To our parents

for their love, sacrifice, and encouragement.

To you

for your commitment to a better life.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Matt: I have always loved doing things myself and from a very young age (7-ish), was doing my own laundry and cooking my own meals. In my late 20s I became intrigued with cooking from scratch (I give credit to my mother who avoided boxed foods like the plague). My passion for real food turned into a passion for organic foods, then to natural products, which eventually grew into a passion for making whatever I could, from scratch, naturally.

Like you, I was fed up with foods, cookware, cleaning products, etc. loaded with chemicals I knew nothing about. Do these chemicals promote cancer? Do the air fresheners I use cause allergies? Do the ingredients in my cleaners contribute to autism and ADHD? I didnt know, and not knowing was something I couldnt live with. I wanted change, but didnt know where I should start, what I could do, or how I being just one person could start changing the world for the better.

Then it hit me, Im the consumer. I hold the power and if I dont agree with something I dont have to buy it. Better yet, if I want to promote something excellent, I can do that too by voting with my dollars! It may sound elementary, but this single thought changed the course of my life. Think about it this way, we can vote for the president once every four years, but we can vote for what kind of products we want every time we shop.

With my newfound power I committed myself to stop supporting companies I disagreed with and to start supporting companies who were doing things correctly. My dollars instantly shifted from McDonalds and WalMart to local farmers and entrepreneurs making natural solutions in their homes.

Then I began developing recipes of my own. My first cleaner project was homemade laundry detergent, then dishwasher detergent, and the list started growing. I tested, I tweaked, I failed, I succeeded, but the best part is I wrote it all down so I could share it with you. At first I shared it all on DebtFreeAdventure.com but quickly realized I needed a separate domain for these ideas and diyNatural.com was born.

In a nutshell our experiences and studies of the food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries troubled us enough to search for better solutions. We found most problems rooted in one thing - the love of money. We dont condemn companies for profiting from products they make, regardless of whether or not theyre healthy. Their mission is to make money for shareholders, not to keep you and I healthy. This wont be changing anytime soon, so its up to us to take responsibility and be the change we want to see.

This information was compiled and shared so that you can benefit from the research, kickstart your DIY natural journey, and inspire others in the same positive change.

This has turned into my passionate lifes work, and I love it the hard part was getting Betsy on board but Ill let her tell you about that!

Betsy: As with any change in our household, the switch to homemade household cleaners came very gradually. Matt had started a personal finance website chronicling our personal mission to get out of debt. In the months that followed, I was approached with many requests to do things differently in the house. Matts aversion to the strong chemical smells of some of the cleaners I had been using prompted many discussions about making our own cleaners. The purpose was to not only to save money, but also to move toward a greener living as we eliminated chemical-laden commercial cleaners from our home.

Laundry detergent was one of the first recipes we began researching and testing out in our own home. I understood the cost breakdown, and believed it could save us money, but my biggest question regarding this and other household cleaners was always, Will they work? I did not have a passion (or even the slightest desire) to make my own cleaners for quite some time, believing that I could probably find green cleaners on sale and kill two birds with one stone. I made many excuses for failing to jump on the bandwagon right away. (Cleaning the house was already time consuming enough without having to MAKE all my cleaners too!)