Three Products, One Clean Home

(Please note that since implementing the Clean and Green Challenge, I no longer use ammonia in my cleaning routine.  Instead, I use Tea Tree Oil Disinfecting Cleaner.)

Let's face it, cleaning products aren't cheap.  One of my favorite frugal methods is altering my cleaning habits to consist of fewer chemicals and no disposable products.  Here's how I have completely revamped the way I clean my home, resulting in major money-saving, easier processes, and more child-safe cleaners:

The way I see it, everything in the house falls into three categories; it needs to be dusted, washed, or sanitized.

• Let's start with dusting.  That one is easy.  I take an everyday washcloth, wet it with water, and wipe all surfaces to remove dust.  I do this on all my finished wood, glass, plastic, fabric decor, metal, and even some electronics (of course using caution and good judgment on the latter).  Total cost: $0.00.  I don't have to buy any dusting spray, Swiffers, special soaps, or fancy cloths.  Twice a year, I will wash my wood with Murphy's Oil Soap just to keep it looking nice.  I find that the water/washcloth method works better than anything I could purchase.  It traps the dust without leaving a filmy residue which would usually wind up collecting more dust.

• Next, washing.  Everything that needs to be washed in my house gets hit with a water/ammonia combination.  I use 1/2 cup ammonia per gallon of water in my carpet and upholstery cleaner, on my floors, in my bathroom, on my walls, and any other surface that needs cleaned.  The active ingredient in most products you purchase to specially clean all these areas is usually ammonia.  As long as it is properly diluted, it is gentle on most surfaces.  If you ever pick up a bottle of ammonia and read the directions, it will even tell you how to use it for general cleaning purposes.  Now I have an all-purpose cleaning agent that cost me $2.50 and lasts for a few months.  I even keep a spray bottle handy with a pre-measured water/ammonia solution to hit dirty areas in a jiff.

• Last, sanitizing.  This one is easy, green-friendly, and kid-safe.  Vinegar.  Plain old distilled white vinegar.  It has been proven to kill just as much bacteria as bleach.  For counters and cutting boards, I spray a 50:50 solution of water and vinegar on it and let it sit for about 5 minutes then wipe.  I use this same spray on my infant's tray table and toys.  It can be used on carpets, furniture, windows, tables, and more.  Added bonus, it kills dust mites when sprayed on fabric.  A couple times a year, spray some on your bed to help keep dust mites down.  You will smell it initially, but after the vinegar dries, the smell goes away.  You don't even have to rinse it in most instances.  Cost on average: $2.75 every couple of months.

When you account for how many cleaning products in the average household, you could spend $50 to $100 on cleaning supplies regularly.  I spend about $5 to $10 every three months.  These small changes just paid me more in a year than a part-time job.  You can't beat that price!  And it is great to know you have a germ-free, odor-free home, especially with little tots running about.  So clean on and enjoy the savings!

Find more great homemaking posts at: Nifty Thrifty Things and Life As Mom.