I would say that the most frequently asked question from anyone that reads this blog is, “Is it really worth it to make homemade products?” Whether it be cleaning, laundry, beauty, etc. – people want to know if the time they put in to making those products will be worth it in the end. To answer this question you have to consider why you are making the product in the first place. I think there are three factors that come into play – the effectiveness of the product, the cost, and the health benefits.
I decided to go through many of the DIY cleaning posts we’ve done and analyze them based on these three factors to determine if it’s worth it to make them yourself. I’m including a price breakdown for each one. I based the prices on products and ingredients found at Walmart since that is a store just about everyone has access to. I didn’t use sale prices or coupons so keep that in mind.
If you find this post helpful let us know! We may do this same kind of breakdown for other kinds of DIY products in the future.
Goo Gone
Store Bought: $.82 per ounce
Homemade: $.12 per ounce
Homemade Recipe: DIY Goo Gone Gunk Remover
Conclusion: Definitely make your own! The savings here is huge and the effectiveness is still there. Goo Gone is a pretty harsh cleaner with some possible negative health effects. The DIY version is made with just coconut oil and baking soda so it’s easy on your skin and lungs.
Dusting Spray
Store Bought: $.40 per ounce
Homemade: $.23 per ounce
Homemade Recipe: All Natural Dusting Spray
Conclusion: Make your own. The homemade version is close to half the cost of the store bought and it’s easy to make!
