For some reason, Spring is reluctant to show up this year, but that doesn’t mean you should use it as an excuse to skip out on your spring cleaning.
There are probably plenty of reasons you might want to put it off – time, skill, or budget constraints. I could easily use all three of these excuses if I wanted to, but I decided against it this year.
Now that I’m a stay-at-home mompreneur, I’m able to tackle one room a day, get food on the table, and handle business. But what about those new budgetary constraints I’m working under?
Well, no fret there. If the cost of cleaning supplies is making you resist this year’s spring cleaning, I’ve got great news for you. There are plenty of clever lost-cost ways to clean your home on a budget.
Clever Low-Cost Ways to Clean Your Home on A Budget
I’ve never been one to spend an exorbitant amount on cleaning supplies. Matter of fact, when I’m ready for a good clean, I love doing so with a few affordable staples I already have around the house. Over the years, I may try something new, but when it’s all said and done, there are a few basics I keep on hand when it’s time to clean.
Here are the basics that I usually have on hand…
- White Vinegar
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Dawn Dish Detergent (the generic kind works just as good)
- Baking Soda
Seriously, you can clean your whole house with just these few things, but here are a few other things I like to keep on hand when I have extra money in my budget…
- Lemon essential oil (I use this one)
- Peppermint essential oil (I use this one)
- Swiffer Dusters (like these)
- Disinfecting wipes (good for wiping away germies daily)
- Clorox Bleach
- Method All-Purpose Spray (Hint: Target always has these on sale)
The stuff listed above super budget friendly and if you’ve worked in cleaning supplies into your budget, you can plan to replace most of these as needed. However, you will need your regular cleaning tools if you don’t already have them…
- Old socks, baby blankets, t-shirts for cleaning
- Detachable mop (I like this one because I can take it off and clean it in the washer or just buy another one when it’s reached maximum use)
- Something to scrub with…you can use a brush, but I like sponge scrubbers similar to these to clean my tub with.
- Empty Spray Bottle
This shopping app helps me clean on a budget. If you’ve never heard of Ibotta, you seriously need this to help you save more money on cleaning, groceries, and more. They have cashback offers from retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. If you’re new to Ibotta, receive a $10 bonus for redeeming your first offer. Sign up for Ibotta and start earning cash rewards today!
How I Clean on a Budget
Now, here’s how I make all of this work together…
- I like to use a 1:1 water and vinegar solution for my daily cleaning. For my spring cleaning, I like to clean my walls from top to bottom using this solution. Trust me, you will be amazed at how brighter your space appears and your space will smell fresh too. I use water and vinegar for windows and mirrors as well.
- I like to use a 1:1 hydrogen peroxide and dawn dish detergent solution for hard to clean areas and areas with lots of grease build up when I’m out of Method All Purpose. This solution works wonders too if you have a grease stain on your clothing. Just spray the solution onto your clothes, rub it in and let it set. Then throw it in the washer and the stain will be gone.
- I use baking soda for scrubbing and I’ve also mixed it with vinegar to clean pots and pans too. I’m no expert on that so y’all might want to check out some of the articles I’ll include at end of this post on diy cleaners.
- The lemon essential oil helps me keep the house smelling fresh on a day-to-day basis, especially when I’m out of my beloved Method All Purpose cleaner. I simply add it to a spray bottle with some water, spray on the counters, and wipe down. I also like to add a few drops to my bath too. The same applies to the peppermint oil too, but I mostly keep peppermint oil for use in the shower when I have a headache, but it’s good for cleaning too.
- I don’t use bleach cleaners all the time, but mostly to get rid of stubborn build-up in the sink and bathtubs. It’s literally the only thing that will work for my tubs. I’ll use the disinfectant wipes for the day-to-day sink, counter, and surface wipe down. However, if it’s not in the budget, using plain vinegar works as well. I’ve also heard that you can use lavender essential oil as a disinfectant too.
Wrapping Thangs Up
That’s pretty much my low-cost resolution to helping you keep your home clean on a budget. I really hate making things more difficult than they need to be and I’m not your ideal home-maker.
Matter of fact, my husband cleans way more than I do, but he hates doing deep cleaning and I love it. So, these are the tools I keep on hand for when he does the daily cleaning and these are my tried and true secrets for deep cleaning my home when it’s time to spring clean.
To round things out though, I want to share with you some links I think may be beneficial to those of you who take your cleaning seriously. And of course, you won’t have to worry about your budgets with any of these either.
Amazingly Simple Cleaning Tips That Will Save You Tons of Money – Debt Free Forties
20 Frugal Household Uses for Vinegar – Premeditated Leftovers
How to Clean Your Microwave Without Scrubbing or Chemicals – Simply Stacie
52 Mind Blowing Cleaning Hacks – Our Habitat
Green Cleaning Ingredients You Should Never Mix – Bren Did (Ahem, see…told you I’m no expert…no wonder that vinegar and baking soda never seemed to clean those pots out)