Cleaning can be a real bore, and while there are some of us who enjoy it and find satisfaction in getting knee deep in dirt and grime, most of us hate it and look for ways to make it easier, or eliminate the need for it altogether! Hiring a professional cleaning company is the simplest way of eliminating cleaning from your schedule, but if this isn’t an option for you, you could try some of these thrifty cleaning tips to make the job that bit easier and more time and cost effective:
Try making your own cleaning products
Chemical cleaning products can be effective, but in general, they’re often costly and can be harmful to you and the environment, too. You could try making your own, natural cleaning products, many of which are equally as effective as their chemical counterparts, if not more effective and will certainly cost you less.
Onions are fantastic at removing encrusted food from the BBQ grill, and as a bonus, will leave it tasting great the next time you grill!
Vinegar is an incredibly effective cleaning solution, and is perhaps best for removing soap and lime deposits from sinks, showers and tubs. It can also be diluted in water to make a great cleaning solution for floors and other surfaces.
Baking soda is fantastic, too. You can use it simply mixed with water to form a paste, and if left smeared over the interior of your oven for a few hours, it will dissolve the grease, grime and food debris, making cleaning it, a cinch.
Soap nuts can easily be purchased and are a completely natural, organic, sustainable and biodegradable form of detergent that folks living in India and Nepal have been using for centuries to clean their clothes; why not give them ago, instead of using expensive branded detergents?
Focus on giving your entire home a spring clean at least once a year
Doing this, and doing it thoroughly – including getting behind and under furniture and appliances – will prevent you from having to spend so much money on cleaning products when you do your weekly or fortnightly cleaning, and what you have bought, will last much longer. Cleaning your appliances can also help them to last longer, which will save you money in the long run.
A whole house deep clean can be a huge task though, so try to spread it out over a few days or even a week, to prevent cleaning burn out! A good spring clean and using your own, natural cleaning products will save you time and money, and may even make cleaning your home not feel like so much of a chore!