I pretty much hate to buy things I know I can make for less money — without even taking into account the time required to find them in a store. Take cleaning products, for example. Knowing I can make homemade cleaners for pennies that cost dollars in a store just makes me happy. It’s a no-brainer.

Here are four of my favorite DIY recipes to help you get started saving all that money you’ve been spending on cleaning products.

NO. 1: EYEGLASSES CLEANING SOLUTION

To make this homemade cleaner, you will need:

70% isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol

Blue Dawn

Distilled water

Fill a spray bottle of any size three-quarters full of 70% isopropyl rubbing alcohol (91% or 99% are fine to use here, but they are more costly and not necessary). Add two drops mild Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid, and fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water. Gently shake or roll the bottle to mix, so as to not create a lot of bubbles.

To use: Spray both sides of your lenses, and gently rub them clean with a microfiber cloth.

NOTE: For years, my husband and I have been using this cleaner on our eyeglasses, which have anti-reflective coating, without any issues. However, in an abundance of caution, please run this by your optician if you are at all hesitant.

NO. 2: WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID

For this frequently requested cleaning recipe, you will need:

3 cups isopropyl rubbing alcohol

1 tablespoon Blue Dawn

10 cups distilled water

Pour alcohol, Blue Dawn and distilled water into a one-gallon container with a lid. Shake thoroughly to mix. Use in place of commercial windshield washer fluid in your car’s windshield washer reservoir. Always shake prior to adding to the reservoir.

The alcohol cleans well because it is a solvent, speeds the drying time and keeps the fluid from freezing in the winter.

NO. 3: HARDWOOD, LAMINATE

AND VINYL FLOOR CLEANER

You will need:

Rubbing alcohol

Distilled water

Blue Dawn

Mix one part rubbing alcohol to four parts distilled water (example: 1 cup alcohol, 4 cups distilled water, or multiples thereof) plus three or four drops Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid.

Mix this up in a spray bottle each time you clean the floors. Or if you make it up ahead, be sure to label it well and keep it out of the reach of children.

To use: Sweep or vacuum the floor. Spray the cleaner in a small area; scrub well with a cloth or sponge, and immediately wipe the area dry with a microfiber cloth. The secret is to spray, scrub and wipe dry immediately.

NO. 4: HOMEMADE SHAMPOO CARPET-CLEANER

This is an ideal shampoo to be used in your Hoover SteamVac or other carpetcleaning machine.

You will need:

1 cup Febreze

1 cup OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover (liquid)

1 cup white vinegar

Hot water

Into the machine’s reservoir, pour Febreze, OxiClean and white vinegar. Add hot water to the fill line. This is the solution I use in my Hoover SteamVac for challenging situations, like my office that gets a lot of traffic. Once I’ve cleaned the carpet thoroughly, I fill Hoover with clear hot water and go over the carpets again to rinse.

This homemade solution should not leave a sticky residue on your carpet fibers (I rinse just because I’m especially paranoid about removing all residue), and it will not cost a fortune to shampoo the whole house.

Commercial carpet-cleaning solutions can be expensive. A small bottle that normally cleans one to two rooms is approximately $15 to $20.

This cleaning recipe should cut that cost down to $5 or less.

Note: Distilled water is not mandatory in any of these recipes, but it is a good because tap water can leave hard water marks on eyeglasses, floors, windshields and countertops. Distilled water will not. You can buy distilled water in any supermarket or discount department store. It’s cheap.

Would you like more information? Go to Everyday-Cheapskate.com for links and resources for recommended products and services in this column. Mary invites questions, comments and tips at EverydayCheapskate.com, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a lifestyle blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”