Don’t you hate it when you click on a very appealing blog title only to find the obvious? Me too. I’ve been working on cutting my cost around the house and I want to share some of my ideas with you, these are things that you can do with the things that you already have at home. By simplifying your cleaning cabinet, not only will your home be greener you’ll be saving tons!

  • DIY Glass Cleaner: A drop of dawn and grease is gone! Did you know that you can make your own window and glass cleaner from a drop of dish soap, a teaspoon of vinegar and water? You can! I use Ajax lemon scent for this project which you can often find for $1 per bottle at the store. I put a drop of that in a bottle with a teaspoon of white vinegar and fill it up with water and it cleans better than regular window cleaner.
  • Essential Oils: You can order essential oils in a pack of [easyazon_link identifier=”B014JYY7CE” locale=”US” nf=”y” tag=”bots0c-20″]6 or more for a decent price[/easyazon_link]. Having essential oils around my house is a crucial part of saving money. There are so many versatile uses for them and they last a long time. Most of them have some sort of anti-bacterial or anti-fungal property, too. There’s a bit of an upfront cost to getting started, but a tiny bit goes a long way!
  • Clean Your Sponges: Putting your dish sponge in the microwave after using it for 1-2 minutes will kill the bacteria on it helping it last longer. Buy a six pack of sponges for under $3 and make them last a bit longer.
  • Cut Your Magic Erasers In Half: Let’s be real, they come in a pretty decent size for almost anything so cutting them in half isn’t that far of a stretch. I usually buy a box of two and ultimately end up with four. It’s great. You can also [easyazon_link identifier=”B00XC32NMK” locale=”US” nf=”y” tag=”bots0c-20″]buy the generic version on Amazon[/easyazon_link]. They don’t last quite as long as the name brand, but they’re super cheap so you’ll still come out ahead!
  • Microfiber Rags: Save your paper towel for your guests or eating. So much money is being spent on paper towels each year. You can find [easyazon_link identifier=”B009FUFBTG” locale=”US” nf=”y” tag=”bots0c-20″]microfiber rags for pretty cheap[/easyazon_link] and they are awesome to clean with. Then you just throw them right in the laundry when you’re done. Not only does it save you money, but they’re eco-friendly, too!
  • Make Your Own Multipurpose Cleaner: There are many recipes out there to make your own cleaner. After some research, I’ve found that three common elements to making your own cleaner are vinegar, lemon juice, and water. If you want to add essential oils such as Tea Tree oil for its antibacterial properties or lavender for the scent feel free! You can use this on your counter tops or in your mop bucket.
  • DIY Cleaning Wipes: Save the container after the wipes run out or maybe a friend has one who has a baby at home. After cutting and stacking pieces of paper towel to fit inside the container you will need a couple drops of tea tree oil and some water. You only need a little bit of water to soften the paper towel and maybe three drops of oil. Tea tree oil is naturally antibacterial and will keep the wipes from becoming moldy. 
  • Toilet Bombs: Say goodbye to spending $4 on Lysol’s toilet bowl cleaners. For these you’ll need two cups of baking soda, 2/3 cups of citric acid, and any essential oils of your preference.
  • Homemade Air Freshener: Overthrow less visible bathroom uncleanliness with a homemade air freshener made from baking soda, your favorite essential oil (are you starting to see a theme here?), and an old jar you can poke some holes in the top of. It really doesn’t get simpler than that!
  • Coupons, coupons, & more coupons: If you do have a favorite brand that you just can’t get yourself away from and DIY isn’t the route for you signing up for manufacture coupons is always a good option. Knowing when things go on sale and then buying your product with a coupon. Finding out which places you can use multiple manufacture coupons at is plus too!