Cleaning a busy home can be a laborious, time-consuming process – as well as an expensive one. The cost of specialist cleaning agents and tools can quickly add up over the course of a year, putting a strain on your household finances. But keeping your home spick and span doesn’t need to cost you a small fortune.
Instead of always turning to the latest cleaning products, follow these 10 tips to drastically cut the cost of household cleaning.
1. CLEAN DAILY
If you can keep on top of daily cleaning tasks, the chances are they will never become huge jobs that require expensive cleaning agents. For example, give your oven a quick wipe after every use, and use a little baking soda to cut through grease and carbonised food if necessary. Doing this will reduce the number of times you need to give your oven a deep clean.
2. CUT DOWN ON THE NUMBER OF CLEANING AGENTS YOU BUY
This may sound a little obvious, but it’s amazing how many people have a different agent for each household cleaning task. A multi-purpose cleaner will be suitable for floors, bathtubs, toilets and a huge range of surfaces in your home. Only splash out for specialist cleaners for the tough, once-in-a-while cleaning jobs in your home.
3. BUY REUSABLE CLEANING TOOLS
Instead of forking out for paper towels, disposable cloths and one-use cleaning sponges, buy cleaning tools that can be rewashed and used again. Microfibre cloths can perform a range of cleaning tasks in any home, including dusting and cleaning kitchen worktops. Crucially, they can simply be thrown in the washing machine and used repeatedly.
And instead of relying on disposable mop heads to clean the hard floors in your home, switch to a steam mop.
4. USE NATURAL PRODUCTS
The chances are you already have several items in your kitchen that will make great natural cleaning agents. Lemons, white vinegar and baking soda are great at cutting through grease and grime – and they’re a lot cheaper than the chemical-based alternatives.
5. KEEP CLUTTER TO A MINIMUM
Minimalism isn’t just an aesthetic goal, it’s also about keeping your home clean without too much effort. The more ‘stuff’ you have in your home, the longer it’s going to take to clean. If you don’t need it, store it away. And let’s face it; less cleaning means less money spent on expensive polishes, sprays and sanitisers.
6. MAKE WASHING-UP LIQUID YOUR GO-TO CLEANING AGENT
Rather than spend a small fortune on specialist cleaning agents, try a little washing-up liquid and warm water first. A good quality liquid can be used as a laundry stain remover, a multi-surface cleaner and a carpet stain remover.
7. AVOID BIG BRANDS
When there is no alternative to buying specialist cleaning agents, try to avoid the big brand names wherever possible. Lesser-known brands or supermarket brands will often contain exactly the same composition of chemicals – yet they are often significantly cheaper. In fact, the cheaper, unbranded cleaners are often produced by the manufacturers of leading branded cleaning agents.
8. BUY IN BULK
Buying in bulk will mean you spend more now, but there could be significant savings – of up to 60 percent – over the course of a year. Head to your nearest wholesaler or warehouse store, and stock up on bulk cleaning agents. But make sure you have somewhere to store it all first.
9. BECOME A COUPON COLLECTOR
Take the time to scour the printed press and online discount websites for money-off coupons. Manufacturers’ coupons can sometimes help you to save up to 20 percent on leading cleaning agents. Make sure you check both the manufacturer’s own website and specialist coupon websites for the very latest deals.
10. USE A HOMEMADE AIR FRESHENER
Branded air fresheners are some of the most expensive household cleaning agents on sale today. But you can slash the cost of keeping your home smelling fresh by making your own. Some distilled water, a tablespoon of baking soda and a few drops of essential oil is all you need to make your own air freshening spray.
You can have your entire home smelling citrus fresh in no time with an orange candle. Simply cut an orange in two, and take out the segments in one piece – leaving the wick-like stem in place. Pour olive oil around the wick, and cut out a shape in the other half of the orange peel (the half without the stem. Light the ‘wick’, and carefully place the top half of the orange peel over the flame.
Keeping your home clean and fresh-smelling is a continual process that requires a tight schedule, as well as a little elbow grease from time to time. But these money-saving tips prove that cleaning your home regularly doesn’t have to cost the earth.
