15 Tips for Cleaning on a Budget

Cleaning supplies can add quite a bit to our monthly shopping budget. But what if you didn’t have to splash out on pricey, dangerously toxic cleaning products to enjoy a clean space? Here are our top 15 tips on how to make your space sparkly clean on a budget.

1. Steam clean your microwave

Scrubbing a microwave can be a real hassle, so steam cleaning it with things you already have around the house is a great time-effective and money-saving solution. To do this, mix two tablespoons of white vinegar and some essential oils and put that in the microwave for about two minutes. Your microwave should be sparkly clean!

2. Clean your tv with coffee filters

Using static electricity, you can clean your tv screen off with a simple coffee filter or old dryer sheet instead of using wipes.

3. Simple Rug Cleaner

One of the best and most cost-efficient ways to get a stain out of a carpet is to use shaving cream. Apply it to the stain, let it sit about 30 minutes, then dab it off. After that, spray 50/50 vinegar-water solution, and then gently wipe it off.

4. Clean your shower head

Showerheads can easily get dirty, but can also be hard to clean. The best way to clean a dirty showerhead is to get a bag of baking soda and vinegar, tie it to the showerhead, let it sit overnight, and then voila! Your showerhead should be good as new.

5. Use a toothbrush to clean your keyboard

If your keyboard is getting dirty, get a damp toothbrush run it over the keys to clean all the nooks and crannies of your keyboard.

6. Use a hairdryer to get rid of water stains.

One easy and cost-efficient way to get rid of water stains on your table is to use your blow dryer. If you use medium heat from about 2 inches away from the stain while you buff it out with a washcloth, it should be gone in no time.

7. Wash your windows when it’s cloudy

Mix equal parts vinegar and water to clean your windows, but make sure to do it when it’s cloudy, even if you don’t clean with vinegar. When it is sunny, your cleaner can dry too fast, which can leave streaks on your window, so make sure to wait for a cloudy day.

8. Clean your dishwasher

After you remove any obvious grime from your dishwasher, place a cup of vinegar in a dishwasher safe cup on the top shelf and run the dishwasher on a shot run but with the highest temperature available. Then, sprinkle baking soda at the bottom and run it again with the same settings.

9. Clean your sponge in the microwave

It’s good to clean what you clean with every once in a while. To clean your sponge, soak it with water and put it in the microwave on a microwavable plate for 2 minutes. This should kill most of the germs living on the sponge.

10. Open your windows!

Indoor air pollution can negatively affect your living space. Mold spores, chemicals from your cleaning products, paint particles, and all kinds of other things can build up in your home over time. Opening your windows every once in a while is a free way to get rid of this indoor pollution and freshen up your space with some clean air.

11. 1-ingredient stove-top clean

If you need to get rid of grease build up on your stovetop, simply sprinkle baking soda and use a wet cloth to clean it.

12. Use a micro-fiber cloth

Microfiber cloths are an excellent way to save money and help the environment. The benefits include, but are not limited to, being able to wash with just water, picking up 98% of germs, and the ability to be used 100s of times. This will save you money and minimize the use of harmful chemicals around your home, so why not try it!

13. Clean your Garbage Disposal

Putting ice cubes down the drain when you run the garbage disposal should help to clean it out. As well, to get rid of any smells, you should run lemon or orange peels through the disposal.

14. Clean your coffee maker

One way to clean your coffee machine is to run a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water through the machine. The best way to do this is to start the cycle, stop it halfway through for about 30 minutes to allow the mixture to do its thing, and then finish it up.

15. Deodorize your mattress

We often clean what’s on our mattress, but don’t usually think about cleaning our actual mattress. Putting some baking soda on the mattress, letting it sit for an hour or two, then vacuuming it up can help eliminate some of the odours that have built up over time in the mattress.

Cleaning can be an annoying and arduous process, but going in prepared can help alleviate some of the stress. We hope these tips will help you for the next time you’re cleaning up your space.