Money-Saving Spring Cleaning Tips
We live in an age of “use it, then throw it away”, and yet you can save money this spring cleaning with a few old-fashioned cleaning tips from the days of our grandmothers. Best of all, tried-and-true cleaning tips often make the job easier as well as cheaper. Be sure to visit this article for tips on making your own household cleaners and give the following cleaning tips a try to make spring cleaning a breeze.
Window and Mirror Cleaning
Instead of using roll after roll of paper towels to clean all your windows and mirrors, use old newspaper pages instead. Avoid magazine pages or color ads that will not be absorbent, and look for the black-and-white printed pages of a newspaper instead. Crinkle each page into a bundle and use it as you would a terry cloth. Your windows and mirrors will come out streak free.
Microwave
Instead of scrubbing your microwave clean with expensive, fume-rich cleaners, fill a microwave safe bowl with water. Heat the bowl on high for 15 minutes. The steam will loosen the dirty and gunk clinging to your microwave walls. Now simply wipe the microwave clean with a paper towel or terry cloth.
Wood Floor Cleaner
Instead of wiping your floors with expensive hardwood cleaners, fill a bucket with warm water and add between a quarter to half a cup of glass cleaner, depending on how dirty your floors are. Then wipe the floors, making sure to clean your mop frequently.
Blinds Cleaning
To save time and money consider cleaning your blinds with the brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner. If you prefer to wipe the blinds by hand, don’t use paper towels or cloth wipes. Instead buy a cheap rubber sponge at a hardware store and wipe the blinds with that. The dust will stick to the sponge but not come off on the next blind, as would happen with cloth or paper towels.
Bathtubs, Sinks and Toilets
Instead of using your usual cleaner, use bleach for your spring cleaning. Fill a spray bottle with bleach, then spray the grout between your bathroom tiles, your bath and sink, as well as the overflow hole in each, where mildew tends to hide. Keep a window open or the vent on as you work to protect yourself from the fumes. Wait two minutes then wash the bleach off with warm water, making sure you let the water run to wash away all residue not just from your surfaces but from your water pipes.
Furnace Filter
Since it’s hidden from the eye, it’s easy to forget the air filter for your home. It’s cheaper in the long run to invest in a reusable filter. Simply wash it outdoors with a hose and a soft bristled brush. Turn it over several times, and clean each side in turn until you loosen all the oily dust that accumulated in the cells over the past months.
More Articles from this Contributor
The Best Wood Floor Cleaners–from Home Made to Professional Wood Floor Cleaners
