Hi Annie
Thank you so much for all of your info. I’ve been making homemade cleaning formulas since visiting your site, but I don’t know how long I should expect them to last. Do they have an expiration date? –Michelle, TX

Dear Michelle,
Yours is a good question. Some cleaning products are best mixed on the spot for the day’s cleaning. Just make enough for your needs at the time. The formulas for soft scrub and furniture dusting polish take just seconds to make. Some cleaning formulas can be stored indefinitely. These include those you put in a spray bottle, such as for window cleaners and mold spray.

Lotions, creams, and infused oils can go rancid, especially those with herbs. Refrigerate the preparations when possible, and make in small batches. For these types of formulas, refrigerated, the shelf life will be a couple of weeks. Use distilled water to prevent the addition of unwanted bacteria.

The main thing is to use common sense in determining if a product has gone bad. Use all your senses. If the product smells bad or if mold is growing on it, toss it out.

Healthy & Green Living has a few thousand formulas–enjoy browsing around and find some more that you like!