Amazingly Simple Cleaning Tips that’ll Save You Tons of Money

Every spring I feel the need for a refresh. There’s just something about the fresh air and sunshine that makes me want to review our budget, get rid of clutter, and do a deep spring clean. So why not bust open the windows and start your spring with my favorite frugal cleaning tips that’ll help you save a ton of money?

I hate spending a ton on cleaning susave moneypplies, especially when they just end up going down the drain. (Bad joke, I know.) Even more annoying is how bad they smell, and who knows what chemicals we’re even exposing ourselves to.

I shouldn’t have to worry about sucking fumes when I’m just trying to get a clean bathtub, ya know?

Here are my absolute favorite money-saving cleaning hacks. Not only are you saving cash, you’re avoiding those horrible chemicals as well. I consider that a win-win!

Cleaning with Vinegar

Vinegar has proven antimicrobial properties, and though it’s still a bit stinky, it works wonders when it comes to helping clean your house!

Some of my favorite uses of vinegar for cleaning are:

1. Bathtub cleaner. Mix 1 cup of liquid dishsoap, 1 cup of vinegar, and 1 cup of hot water in a spray bottle. Spray it on your tub and tile, give it 5 minutes, and all traces of soap residue are gone without having to scrub hard at all. We switched to this years ago and haven’t looked back!
2. Freshen your drains. Sink a little stinky? Pour about a half cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by about a cup of vinegar. Let it still for about 20 minutes, then rinse with hot water. Great for garbage disposals or just kitchen sinks where food particles make it down the drain.
3. Give sheets and towels a refresh. Add equal amounts of baking soda and vinegar to your next laundry load, along with the soap. It’s a great way to refresh those towels after your teen leaves them laying on their bedroom floor for a week.
4. Use it as a disinfectant. Vinegar works as a great cleaner in humidifiers and coffee makers. Just run a mix of vinegar and water through, then make sure to run pure water through afterwards to rinse it thoroughly. Otherwise, your cream will curdle when you add it to your coffee. (Don’t ask me how I know this one!)

Other Great Homemade Cleaning Products & Hacks

There are tons of other great cleaning tips and tricks, but these are my absolute favorite because they’re so easy and so cheap!

Homemade Garbage Disposal Cleaner

We often end up with lemons that are past the point of being edible, and I love to find other uses for them. My favorite is to chop them up and freeze them with water in ice cube trays. Every week, I throw a couple in the garbage disposal and let it run. It not only makes it smell great, the ice is perfect for sharpening the blades of the disposal.

Fels Naptha for Stains

If you’re never had the joy of using Fels Naptha, you need to check it out. It’s just a simple bar of soap, but holy smokes – it’s great for getting stains out of clothes. A lot of recipes for homemade laundry soap often use Fels Naptha chopped up as a main ingredient.

I just wet the stained area of clothing and the bar of soap, then use a scrub brush or the actual bar to get the stain out. Sometimes I’ll let it sit for a bit before washing, but it’s a very low maintenance and easy way to get stains out.

Remove Clogs without Chemicals

If you’ve ever had long hair or lived with someone with long hair, you inevitably have ended up standing in ankle deep water while showering due to hair clogging the drain. It’s disgusting, I know.

In my experience, chemical drain cleaner is a joke. In order for it to even think about working, you have to use it several times and I’m always terrified I’m going to accidentally splash it in my eyes or on my skin.

We have two daughters with long hair, as well as myself – so you can imagine just how often the tub gets clogged. Thankfully, on a whim I picked up one of these crazy plastic drain cleaning tools and haven’t looked back since!

Who would have thought an inexpensive strip of plastic could be so amazing? Just push it down the drain, and pull it back out. The teeth grab the hair and make it super easy to get everything out. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries, but don’t say I didn’t warn you when you pull out the biggest hairball you’ve ever seen!

Cheap (But Effective!) Magic Erasers

Magic erasers are nothing short of amazing. They get anything of your walls, tub, or floors – including the finish if you’re not careful!

I went to pick some up the other day and saw that a three pack of the brand name where $8 at my favorite discount store. You have GOT to be kidding me.

Magic erasers are made from melamine sponge, which you can buy in sheets on Amazon. You can also find the generic version as well. For example, I found a 48 count of a generic brand for $12!

When All Else Fails, Try Vodka.

Believe it or not, vodka can be a great cleaning agent (and I’m not just talking your stomach lining).

Vodka is perfect for cleaning microfiber furniture. Just throw some in a spray bottle, hit the fabric, then use a scrub brush to work out the dirt. Wipe up with a damp, white cloth.

Got something that won’t fit in the washer? Use vodka to remove the smell. It kills odors and is perfect for spraying in shoes, on mattresses, and upholstery. Don’t water it down, and don’t soak the fabric. Keep it at a light mist, let the item dry completely, and reward yourself with a cocktail for all your hard work!

I just wet the stained area of clothing and the bar of soap, then use a scrub brush or the actual bar to get the stain out. Sometimes I’ll let it sit for a bit before washing, but it’s a very low maintenance and easy way to get stains out.

Additional Cleaning Hacks to Help Save Money

On my frugal path to debt freedom, I’ve run into a ton of tips and tricks to save money when cleaning. Some of the more useful ones include:

• Wash/dry during off hours when electricity is cheaper (usually late in the evening and at night).
• Consider using a clothesline instead of a dryer in the winter.
• Use coupons combined with sales at drugstores to buy laundry soap in the smaller containers at the cheapest price.
• Use socks in place of Swiffer cleaning cloths.
• Add baking soda to your cat boxes to help cut any smells.
• Use rubbing alcohol to remove ink and marker stains.
• Cut down on paper towels by substituting reusable cloths where appropriate.

These tips will help you easily save money on cleaning supplies. Use these to get a jumpstart on your finding extra savings in your budget and get your spring cleaning off to a great start! 

Looking for more frugal tips? Check out 14 frugal living tips with a big impact, or 12 easy ways to save money on a tight budget.

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