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To reduce waste and avoid unnecessary plastic bottles and chemicals — and to save money — many people are opting to make cleaning products from scratch at home. You can find an abundance of recipes for household cleaning products online, along with reusable glass spray bottles designed to hold them.

But not all homemade cleaning products are created equal, and some simple concoctions can be downright dangerous. Certain combinations can be toxic.

When making your own cleaning mixtures at home:

Double check the safety of the combination you choose;
Keep all products out of reach of children or pets;
And list all ingredients clearly on the jar or spray bottle.

Test your cleaning mixture before using it. “Making your own window cleaner may be okay, but years of chemistry and safety research have gone into products like laundry and dishwasher detergents and furniture polishes, and you don’t want to risk accidentally damaging something that’s precious to you,” said Carolyn Forte, director of the cleaning products lab at Good Housekeeping.

Do’s:

Know the basics about the cleaning properties of various household products:

— Baking soda is a great deodorizer and is useful as a mild abrasive.
— Vinegar cuts grease, removes mineral deposits and has disinfectant qualities.
— Lemon juice with some salt can remove rust stains.

Don’ts:

— NEVER combine bleach with anything but water. And remember that baking soda and vinegar, while trusted standbys individually, are ineffective for cleaning if combined — and will bubble up explosively.
— Don’t use lemon on wood, since it can destroy protective finishes, said Stephanie Sisco, of Real Simple magazine.
— Don’t overdo it with vinegar, which can dull surfaces, she added. There’s a reason that cleaning-product recipes call for adding water.

Recipes

With the above basics in mind, here are a few recipes recommended by the pros.

Window cleaner: For clean, streak-free windows, Katy Klick Condon, at Better Homes & Gardens, swears by the combination of 2 cups hot water, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol. “I tested a bunch of recipes, and this one is hands-down the best for mirrors and windows,” she said.

All-purpose cleaner: Sisco recommends combining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of castile soap, such as Dr. Bonner’s. For a stronger cleaner, she recommends mixing 1/2 cup vinegar, 1/2 cup vodka, 10 to 20 drops of essential oil and 1 1/2 cups water.

Carpet cleaner: Sisco recommends blotting the stain then saturating it with club soda. “The bubbles will work the stain to the surface,” she said. Then coat it with a hefty dose of table salt, which will absorb the stain.

“Then just vacuum it up once it’s dry, maybe 12 hours later. It’s a good overnight cleaning solution, and great for wine and other stains. The key is to blot all excess stain before starting with club soda and salt.”

—AP