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Cleaning can not only be a time-consuming chore, it can also be money consuming. Once you have gone out to get countless cloths, sprays, and bottles of cleaning liquid it can get pretty pricey, especially when you use them all up and have to buy a bunch more. Also, that’s not even mentioning the different kinds of tools and utensils that you have to buy to use most of this stuff! At Maintain Me, our cleaning services are all for taking care of things in easier and cheaper ways, while still doing a good job. That’s why we’ve got some thrifty tips to getting your home sparkly-fresh faster than Macgyver can make a vacuum cleaner from an air-horn! Here are some useful concoctions that you can mix up with stuff you probably already have in the house:

Dishwasher Liquid

If you’re like me, then dishwasher tablets (or a bottle of liquid) is on your list of things to keep stocked. After all, who likes to have an unclean dishwasher? You put the dishes in and they come out just as – if not more – dirty. No good. But it’s also a blow to your wallet/purse when you need to drop 30 – 40 bucks on a new product (well, depending on whether you want that “diamond clean” experience). Well, there is actually a way to have your tablet and, er, eat it too. That’s right, clean dishes and money, at least for a time. Incredible. And all you need to do is use a few ingredients that you likely have in your pantry anyway. Those two ingredients are Bicarbonate soda and Eucalyptus oil.

For clarity, here is the exact amount of each to use:

• 1 tablespoon Bicarb-soda
• 3 – 4 drops Eucalyptus oil
• A small container

Instructions

First mix the two ingredients together in your small container. Then take the Bi-carb and Oil, and pour it into the soap dispenser, just as you would with the expensive dishwashing product. Next, shut the door and start the cycle. And that’s it, you have successfully created your own dishwashing liquid out of food additives. Use your unused pantry items to clean used food, it’s great right? What’s more, your dishwasher and house will now have the naturally pleasant smell of a forest. The only downside is that this method only really works for 4 cycles in a row, as it causes cloudiness in certain items. Still a great way to keep the cycle of spending down though.

Laundry Powder

Another sneaky addition to your monthly shopping bill, while those of us with a washing machine should count ourselves lucky these days – it seems to be less and less that people actually have one and they can be pricey machines with lots of hidden costs. One such cost is laundry detergent, and it can add up to a lot of extra money once 10 or so boxes have been bought. Thankfully there’s a way to avoid that, and if it’s not all in your cupboard, the ingredients are cheap and simple enough to acquire.

All you will need is:

• 1 box of Lux flakes (or use a grater to get around 700 grams of soap shavings)
• 1 cup of Bicarb-soda
• 2 – 3 drops of eucalyptus oil (or tea tree oil)
• A blender

  Instructions

This one is super easy as well. Simply put all of the ingredients into your blender and turn it onto a power setting of 2. Let it blend until the mix is really fine and powder-like. Now just Keep the powder in a sealed air-tight container to prevent it from going off. Also, when you want wash don’t pour it straight in. Instead, take a teaspoon of your powder and dissolve it in ½ of a cup of boiling water first, then you can add it to your washing machine for a good, cheap wash. And you’re done. This method should work in any type of washing machines, however, we have only tested it in a front loader, where it works great.

Hand Sanitizer

Most germs are evil. I know it. You know it. But no-one wants to use the old, mouldy soap bar that’s been god-knows-where. Come to think of it, that’s probably why your hand soap dispenser is so low. Before you rush out to buy some more, here’s a handy recipe to try and make your own:

What you will need:

• 1/4 cup witch hazel
• 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerin
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 10 drops tea tree oil
• Something to keep the mix in (a spray top or pump)

To create the product all you need to do is put these ingredients together in a bottle or container and give it a good shake. Pretty simple eh? Although, yes, these items aren’t necessarily going to be at absolutely everyone’s disposal, if you do have this stuff at home it can save you a trip to the shops. Also, because you are making it yourself with these natural items, you can be certain there are no sneaky chemicals.

Clean, the smart way

Really this guide is about saving money. A lot of everyday items can be used in surprising and useful ways, most of which are rarely advertised on the label. Hopefully, we’ve given you an idea of some of these uses, as well as a few methods to try out yourself. If you have any DIY cleaning concoctions of your own, please write to us and let us know, we’d love to know more ways to save while cleaning.