Spring is finally here, even if it is still cold in some parts of the country. No matter what, it's the season for renewal and freshness. Spring cleaning isn't exactly fun, but it feels so good when it's finished, doesn't it?
We all want a sparkling, clean fresh home, but how do we accomplish that without spending lots of money on cleaning products or services? Well, here are eight great ways to spring clean cheaply.
1. First, remember that spring cleaning can actually make money for you. Invest some time in weeding out the items you don't use anymore, then hold a yard sale or garage sale, or post on Craigslist.com. More valuable items could be worth selling on eBay.com also.
2. Don't get soaked by the expense of watering your lawn or garden. Install a rain barrel, cistern, or even just set out a clean, empty household waste can to collect rainwater which you can reuse, instead of racking up higher water bills.
3. Paper towels kill over a million trees every year and they cost money. Make some rags out of old towels, t-shirts or socks, or buy inexpensive reusable cleaning cloths at the dollar store.
4. Plan your time and you'll use less cleaning products. Spray on cleaning chemicals, then find something else useful to do for a little while. That will give the products the chance to dissolve dirt. When you come back to wipe, you'll have less scrubbing to do – and you'll likely use less product as well.
Now here are four great examples of cheap, easily available products which can be used in place of expensive household cleaning chemicals. Plus, they're environmentally safe.
5. Baking Soda – Use it to clean, deodorize or scrub. To remove many ink, pencil, crayon or marker spots from walls, apply baking soda to a damp sponge, rub gently, then wipe and rinse.
6. Lemon – It's very acidic and has that great, fresh scent. Rub a slice of lemon across a chopping block to disinfect the surface. For tougher stains, you can squeeze some of the juice onto the spot and let sit for a few minutes before wiping.
7. Borax (sodium borate). This cleans, deodorize and disinfects, plus it's a great product for softening hard water. To clean toilets, mix 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour in and let it set for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.
8. White Vinegar – another great all-purpose cleaning product that cuts grease, removes mildew, odors, and some stains. To remove carpet or fabric stains, mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on the stain, let sit for a few minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water. Also use the vinegar solution to clean mirrors and windows, and to pre-treat laundry before washing.