With tax season coming to an end, many of us had to make a payment or two that is pinching our wallets a little bit. Keeping your home clean and fresh doesn't have to break the bank. With that in mind, how can we save money while keeping our homes beautiful?
There are many DIY cleaning solutions that are more cost effective than store bought cleaners and also have multiple uses around the home. White vinegar can be diluted to be used as a window cleaner that also brings a shine to mirrors and countertops. Vinegar can also be used to remove hard water stains and used as a deodorizer. Baking soda is an excellent odor absorber. Put an open box in your fridge to control odor inside or sprinkle it on your carpets and rugs before vacuuming to help pull odor out with it. It can also be mixed with just enough water to make a paste that is an excellent scrubbing cleaner for sinks, tubs/showers and ovens. It is abrasive enough to scrub but gentle enough that it does not etch surfaces as readily as some commercial cleaners. Lemon juice is a natural degreaser and air freshener making it a great cleaner for the inside of microwaves. It also does a great job on shining brass or copper. Liquid dish detergent can be used for cleaning more than dishes. People dilute it and use it to clean vehicles, countertops, the shelves and drawers in fridges and more. Hydrogen peroxide is a popular disinfectant and stain remover, but we will only mention it here because it should be used with caution. It can have a bleaching effect on fabrics which can damage upholstery, clothing, and delicate rugs and carpets.
Repurpose or reuse household items for cleaning purposes. If you have old cotton shirts or towels that are no longer fit to use, cut them up to use as cleaning cloths. They are washable and reusable unlike paper towels and they cost nothing since you already had them in your home. Instead of tossing old toothbrushes, use them as scrub brushes to clean grout lines, around faucets and drains or just to scrub in tight spaces. If you have spray bottles laying around from other cleaners, clean them out and reuse them to apply your homemade cleaning solutions. When you are doing laundry, take a moment to use the dryer sheet thrown in with your clothes to wipe down baseboards, screens and electronics to repel dust. They are safe dust cloths for electronic devices because of their anti-static properties.
When you shop, it pays to shop smart and pay attention. Buying in bulk or buying more when an item is on sale results in more savings over time. This only applies if you can use all of your purchase before it expires or loses effectiveness. Be aware though that the sellers know that consumers know this, and they occasionally take advantage of this. Sometimes the smaller quantities end up being the better buy per volume. If you are open to alternatives, keep an eye out for prices across the shelf. Sometimes another brand is offering a better deal for essentially the same product. It also pays to watch for coupons and special offers in addition to sales. Look for concentrates which can offer better pricing because the manufacturer saves on packaging and water to produce them. Consider multi-purpose cleaners over specialty cleaners. Buying a cleaner that works in multiple cleaning efforts will cost less than having to buy more cleaners to have one for each cleaning job you perform in your home.
Some simple cleaning habits also can add up to bigger savings over time. First of all, read the directions before you begin. With most cleaning solutions, more is not necessarily more. By using the appropriate amount, you can get the same cleaning results and waste less of the produt. Use a clean-as-you-go approach to prevent build up that requires more effort and cleaning products to address. This means wiping up spills right away to prevent them from setting. Rinse dishes and cooking utensils when done cooking while everything is still hot and loose instead of stuck on requiring more water and dish soap (not to mention elbow grease) to remove. Rinse out sinks after use. Clean out drains after each use. If you put strainers on your drains and clean them regularly, you not only make cleaning easier, you reduce plumbing bills to fix clogged drain pipes. Do small cleaning tasks regularly when you are in that room such as wiping down the counters, vacuuming and picking up items that may cause damage (such as dirty dishes that may spill or stain or dirty laundry that may cause odor) to prevent dirt and grime buildup. When possible ventilate your home. Fresh air will help prevent odor and mold from gaining a foothold on your home and the items inside. While fresh air does help, do be mindful of the weather outside. During peak pollen and mold seasons are times to keep doors and windows closed. If you take the time to put items in their places as you go, your home will feel cleaner. I have a sister-in-law who picks up as she walks through a room, so she is always cleaning as she moves around her home. She also has a spot for everything so nothing is just lying aournd. The house always looks and smells clean as a result. This last tip doesn’t necessarily save you money, but it does save you time and effort.
The last tip is to properly maintain your tools. Regular cleaning of mop heads, sponges and vacuum bags or filters that are washable will make them more effective at removing dirt and last longer. I try to put my kitchen sponge scrubby side down in the top shelf of my dishwasher each time I run it. The high pressure jets inside the machine help knock built up grime off the sponge and the cleaning process helps sanitize the sponge. It comes out looking like new and ready for use. When it no longer looks like new after a wash, it is time to retire it for use as a cleaning sponge for some other part of the home. You also should clean regularly appliances like your refrigerator, microwave, oven, dishwasher and laundry machines. Regular cleaning not only maintains efficiency, which saves money, but also helps prevent odors from food or grime buildup. The washers and potentially the oven have cleaning cycles that help you maintain them. It is spring so make sure you have scheduled your regular appointments for duct cleaning and HVAC maintenance so everything keeps running safely when the heat gets here. Flush your water heater to remove sediment buildup. Clean refrigerator coils to improve efficiency.
Perform a deep spring cleaning, including washing windows, cleaning furniture, rugs and flooring. Having your flooring, furniture and windows deep cleaned twice per year by ServiceMaster of Gwinnett or ServiceMaster 5 Points gets out built-up dirt and ground-in grime. We remove grime out of the window frames. We remove ground-in dirt and odor from furniture frames and cushions and out of the carpet and rug fibers. We even get ground-in dirt out of the microcracks in the finish of hard surface flooring including tile, vinyl (LVP, LVT, linoleum, etc.), and wood (natural, pre-finished, laminate, etc.). All this makes your windows, furniture and floors last much longer and look and smell ready for company at a moment’s notice!
All these cleaning tips are small savings in the short term, but used over time can add up to bigger savings. Not only are you saving money, but you are keeping your home clean and fresh.
