During winter, many of us keep our windows shut and our doors locked to keep out the cold. This allows dust particles, soot from fires and germs to linger, so come spring, a good clean is essential! A bit of elbow grease can freshen up your property in no time – but you don’t have to break the bank to perfect your premises. Here are several money-saving tips to help you out.
Use vinegar and baking soda to unblock drains
Why spend a fortune on expensive cleaning agents when you don’t have to? Half a cup of baking soda combined with one cup of white, distilled vinegar can unclog blocked drains and you won’t have to pay out for an emergency plumber! These common cupboard ingredients are also kinder on your septic tank and won’t cause any as much corrosion as many commercial products.
Use lemon juice as a cleaning agent
Believe it or not, lemon juice is a fantastic cleaning agent and a great disinfectant. It can clean many things thanks to its low PH levels and antibacterial properties and is a must-have for any household. While diluted lemon juice can remove stains from work surfaces, draining boards, cutlery and utensils it can also be mixed with salt to form a more abrasive product. This gritty liquid is ideal for scrubbing up pots and pans and can leave heavily discoloured brass looking as good as new.
Use olive oil as polish
Is your furniture in need of a good polish? If so, add a little olive oil to a soft cloth – the cheap kind will do, it doesn’t have to be first pressed or the most-expensive on the shelf. Use it to gently shine table tops, arms of chairs, dressers or anything else that could do with a clean and leave it to soak in. Once dry, your furniture should look as good as new won’t be affected by any nasty chemicals. As a drop of oil goes a long way, one bottle should last a long time saving you money in the process.
Avoid big name brands
If concocting your own products isn’t your style – fear not! There are many things you can buy in-store, but always do your research before buying. A host of cheap cleaning agents contain the same (or similar) products than big brands but come in at a fraction of the price. Sure, well-known labels might seem more attractive thanks to fancy packaging, detailed descriptions and regular advertisements, but the less renowned items can often do just the same job.
Spring cleaning on a budget is simple if you put your mind to it, so why not give it a go?
Great tips, especially olive oil for furniture – I’ll have to try that out. I like using hydrogen peroxide for the grout in tubs, too – works just as well without the smelly chemicals of a lot of cleaners.
I love the section on the polish. have already used it a few times with really great results!
Fantastic blog. I agree with you that we can unblock our drainage by using vinegar and baking soda. I also recommend to leave running water for 30 seconds a day after using sink, to make sure our drains are clean and this usually prevents clogging sink.
The chemical reaction between the baking soda, vinegar and the stain can remove the stain. Letting it stand overnight gives it a chance to complete its chemical reaction process.
Olive oil as a polish? I had no clue this was possible. Thank you for the tip
Knowing the things you can prioritize in repairing a house is very important to know the financial expenses you might do.
Thanks for sharing these tips!