Frugal Living: Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Frugal living is a smart way to stretch even the tightest of budgets. One way to save money without cutting back on comfort is to make your own cleaning supplies. There are a number of simple recipes to make inexpensive cleaning supplies that are not only effective, but are also less corrosive than traditional cleansers.

Window/Glass Cleaner

A simple frugal living solution is to ditch traditional glass cleaners and make your own. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water or, if you need only a small amount, 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 1 quart of water for a fairly streak-free solution. You can also substitute sudsy ammonia for the vinegar.

Abrasive Dish Cleanser

If you have burnt on grease or crusty food residue, make an abrasive dish cleanser by soaking your pots and pans in two tablespoons of baking soda per quart of water. Once they have soaked for a time, use a fine steel wool pad to scrape the residue off.

Carpet Cleaner

Freshen and clean your carpets with this frugal living tip: sprinkle baking soda over your carpet, and let it soak in for about 10 to 15 minutes. Then, vacuum the soda away. For an even more thorough clean, use a mixture of 3/4 cup baking soda with 2 tablespoons corn starch and 1/4 cup talcum powder instead of the baking powder alone.

Drains

Using traditional drain unclogging chemical solutions in excess can actually be damaging to your pipes. Here, the frugal living solution is definitely the smarter solution. Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to loosen material trapped in drains and clean the drains at the same time.

Start by using a drain cleaning brush to get as much hair and gunk out as you can. Then pour 1/2 cup baking soda down the drain, followed by 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar. You’ll immediately see a foaming reaction as the mixture gets to work. Let it soak for 5 minutes and then flush the drain with hot water. If you’re still experiencing problems, use a toilet plunger to force pressure to get the clog through the drain.

Countertop and Bathroom Cleaner

Distilled white vinegar has deodorizing and soap scum fighting properties that make it an effective countertop and bathroom cleaner. You can use it on tile and other smooth surfaces–and even on wood floors. The vinegar may leave an unpleasant aroma at first, but that smell will dissipate once the vinegar has dried. You can dilute the vinegar solution for areas that only need mild cleaning by mixing it equally with water. Putting 1 cup white vinegar in a spray bottle with 1 cup water is a fast and easy cleaning solution.

Frugal living extends to all corners of your life, so start by cutting back on cleaning product spending. Because natural ingredients, like baking soda and vinegar, are so effective as cleaning products, you probably already have cleaning solutions sitting in your cabinets.