5 Hacks to Keep Your Home Sparkling Without Breaking the Bank
Sure, you love a clean home. But the cost of cleaning supplies? Not so much! That’s why we rounded up these genius home cleaning hacks for making your dollar go just a little bit further.
Save $100 on dryer sheets with washcloths.
The average household does eight loads of laundry per week. If you use just one dryer sheet in each load, that can add up to $80 or more per year! The reusable solution: “Soak a clean washcloth in fabric softener for five minutes,” says Tracie Fobes of PennyPinchinMom.com. “Wring out excess liquid and let air-dry, then toss in the dryer and use like a dryer sheet.” One cloth will last up to 10 cycles—then just repeat the soaking process to use it for another 10!
Use every drop of cleaner with marbles.
When the liquid in a spray bottle is so low that it will no longer spray out, simply drop in a few marbles, suggests Jodie Hamilton, certified home cleaning expert at Amazing Services. “The marbles lift even the tiniest amount of liquid at the bottle’s bottom up to where the spray tube can reach it, so you make use of every last drop.”
Spend 70 percent less on Magic Erasers with a simple DIY.
Magic Erasers are excellent stain-lifters, but they can be pricey. Instead, make your own for less, says Merissa Alink of LittleHouseLiving.com. Soak a melamine sponge in one cup of water, one tsp. of baking soda, and a drop of dish soap for five minutes, then scrub away!
Get twice as much from Swiffer dust cloths with a quick wash.
Your Swiffer dusting mop makes it easy to keep floors clean and free of dirt and debris, but the cost of constantly replacing the cloths can add up. To get twice the mileage out of them, try washing the cloths in the washing machine! Simply add them to a mesh delicates bag, wash, and let air-dry before using again.
Make paper towels last up to 30 percent longer by cutting them in half.
Using half-size sheets can make a roll of paper towels last almost 20 to 30 percent longer since we don’t always need full sheets to get a job done. But sellers often up-charge for “selecta-size” versions to force you to spend more. “The easiest solution is to make your own,” says Hamilton. Just take a regular roll and cut it in half at the center using a sharp serrated or electric knife, then store the two halves on your paper-towel holder like usual. Ta-da!
With these home cleaning hacks, you’ll be saving up for a big treat in no time.
