I have been cleaning houses for several years. I have worked in a pet boarding facility, and an assisted living facility. Between babies, pets, and old people, I’ve cleaned it all.
What are my secret weapons for housecleaning?
Frugal, natural cleaners for your home:
If you make your cleaners they will almost always be cheaper than buying them. Even if you aren’t excited about living “green”, just about everybody likes to save a buck.
I admit I used to buy all kinds of cleaners. When I was working full time (in the gap between the eleven year old and the one year old) with a one hour commute I had no time for anything. I would buy anything that would make my life easier and my house cleaner.
I am no Susie homemaker. I am not super picky or finicky. Sometimes there’s dirt in the corners, dust on the books, cat hair on the couch (!gasp!)… When our circumstances changed and we ran out of money, I started to run out of cleaning supplies. With no money to buy more, I had to get creative about what I was using. A quick search on the internet, and voila, tons of cleaners that are not only cheaper, but don’t fume you out of the house, fry your hands, or burn your pipes on the way down!
The ONLY thing you absolutely have to have to clean anything is water. If they turn your water off you are DOOMED to filth.
The dollar store has a lot of cleaners that are fine if you don’t want to go the “green” route. The only one I don’t like is their furniture polish, it just smells funny.
Gel toilet cleaners cost more but they do work better.
Pledge® does keep the dust off longer.
The only product I recommend people purchase is the Scrubbing Bubbles® automatic shower cleaner, the thing you hang in the shower and when you’re done you press the button and it sprays cleaner for you. This product does work. I haven’t figured out how to refill it, so you have to buy the brand refill, but it isn’t terribly expensive. You can make a cleaner to put in a spray bottle and leave in the shower for use, which will work even better. But it seems like families of working moms have a 1-button-pressing limit. Anything more complicated isn’t going to happen and mom will be in there scrubbing away on the weekend.
There are a million sites with different recipes for natural cleaners. I always start with The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a trouble spot they always have suggestions, too.
Natural Cleaner Recipe Links
- About.com Green Living
- The Daily Green
- The Dollar Stretcher
- Green Living Ideas
Cleaning Secret Weapons series:
Good Tools for Frugal House Cleaning
Key Ingredients for Frugal House Cleaning
Frugal, Natural Cleaners
Next: Frugal Tips
We hope you enjoyed Cleaning Secret Weapons – Frugal, Natural Cleaners
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Photo credits
Filippines inesplicable on Flikr
White distilled vinegar cafemama on Flikr
Water crown Michael Scott from scottphotographics.com
Spray Darin House on Flikr
All photos licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License
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