Homemade cleaners can add a customized edge to attacking various types of applications around the house. Search engine chemists have been popping up everywhere, concocting blends and combining basic kitchen supplies to create a powerful cleaner capable of tackling some pretty serious tasks. These DIY solutions can help to limit exposure to toxic chemicals that can cause some serious side effects, both short- and long-term. In some cases, at-home blends can be safe to use in areas frequented by pets and children, and these concoctions can also help keep strong chemicals out of the water supply. You can control costs a bit by using ingredients already on hand. Some people do that rather than investing in a cabinet’s worth of commercial cleaning products. You can dilute when you need to and customize scents and blends specific to each task. Vinegar is a common ingredient in many cleaning solutions due to its versatility in mixing and cleaning capabilities. However, this potent liquid may not always be super effective at killing some of the meanest germs out there. Vinegar can leave a surface looking sparkly, though microscopic invaders may still be thriving and surviving on it. Sometimes, the homemade solutions offer no resolution at all. Sometimes they just can’t achieve what a strong chemical blend can. You may need to reserve these harsh blends for the most difficult of tasks. Otherwise, cleaners run the risk of wasting kitchen supplies—and time.