With all the flu and illnesses that have been passed around this year, it’s important to keep your surroundings as germ-free as possible. Having disposable disinfecting wipes handy makes the job easier. And yes, you can make your own disinfecting wipes.

And what mom hasn’t at some point run out of baby wipes? Have plenty on hand, and for far less money, by making your own.

My son started feeling sick today. Whether it’s the Swine Flu, the Stomach Flu, or just a regular cold from a virus, I don’t want to get sick, and the rest of my family doesn’t want to either. The problem is how do you care for a child or family member and keep from getting sick yourself? The answer: disinfect the house!

According to the Federal Center for Disease Control, viruses and bacteria can live 2 hours or longer on surfaces, so a thorough cleaning of sinks, toilets, doorknobs, and other hard surfaces that people frequently touch is the first and most important step in preventing the spread of disease. Incubation of the flu is generally 1-3 days, but can last as long as 7 days. Persons with swine influenza A (H1N1) should be considered potentially contagous for up to 7 days after the onset of symptoms. So it’s important to clean if you think you’ve been exposed and continue the cleaning for a week after onset even if symptoms lessen.

Ready to trade your over-priced and chemical-laden dishwasher detergent for something better? Then, try this simple recipe for homemade detergent. I have made many batches of this myself. It’s easy to make, saves so much money, cleans very well, and leaves no residue on the dishes.

You can get both of these ingredients at most local grocery stores in the laundry aisle.

Not only is this recipe frugal, it is good for the environment by being a green product and avoiding the chemical-laden store brands.  Why flush harsh chemicals into our water treatment system where it ends back in our tap water.