Winter is almost over and it's time to start spring cleaning! As a consumer, you may find that the cleaning products aisle can be overwhelming and many products are expensive.
Luckily there are many ways that you can save money on cleaning products while maintaining a neat and tidy home. These tips will help you clean your house without breaking the bank.
Use Dish Soap. Dish soap is a shockingly versatile product that can be used to clean a variety of surfaces including windows, carpets and countertops. Instead of reaching for the expensive specialty cleaners, start with dish soap. As an added benefit, dish soap is also mild and gentle on surfaces that are easily scratched or discolored. For example, you can use dish soap to remove grease stains and food stains from delicate fabrics.
Clean Stains Fast. Stains become harder to remove the longer they're allowed to set.
The easiest way to clean a stain is to clean it before it ever dries. Diligence and hard work is required to catch stains when they happen. Keep cleaning products in easy access of all points in the house to ensure that spills will be addressed in a timely fashion. If you live with children, talk to your kids about cleaning up spills immediately. If they are too young to clean their own spills, be sure they know to tell you right away.
Rely on Multi-Purpose Cleaning Products. Multi-purpose cleaners can be used on a range of household surfaces, from ceramic tile to plastic. These cleaning products often cost less than specialty products that only clean specific things. Find a multi-purpose cleaning product that works for you, and use it on most of your household surfaces. Turn to specialty cleaners only when it's necessary.
Shop Sales and Use Coupons. Don't wait until you're nearly out of a cleaning product to buy it. Instead, buy products when they go on sale. Make a point of visiting the cleaning aisle every time you go to the grocery store or home improvement center, and buy products you use as they become discounted. If you have a subscription to the local paper, find out when coupons are printed and become a coupon collector. To keep your couponing as efficient as possible, only use coupons to buy products you actually need.
Make Your Own Cleaning Products. There's been a big movement in recent years to make your own cleaning products from items found around the home. This method is frugal as well as environmentally friendly. Some of the products people use to make their own cleaning products include:
- Vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Rubbing alcohol
- Baking soda
Vinegar mixed with water can be used to clean counters, windows and mirrors. Baking soda creates a gentle scouring action that can be used on surfaces that need an extra good scrubbing. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar to create an extra-effective bathroom and kitchen cleaner, and rubbing alcohol can leave your windows, porcelain and chrome surfaces extra shiny.
Spring cleaning doesn't have to be expensive! Following these tips, you can make your home sparkle inside and out, without breaking the bank.
