Cleaning products can be expensive, and typically they're more concentrated than necessary. These five easy tricks will help make your cleaning supplies last a little longer and also save you money.
1. Use Half the Amount of Laundry and Dish Detergent
Laundry and dishwasher detergent are usually super concentrated, and the truth is, you don't need to use the full recommended amount every time. If you are washing a load of laundry, you can use a half of the laundry detergent that is recommended with practically the same results. When washing dishes, if your dishes aren't extremely caked with food, you can use half of the dish soap as well. Dishwashers clean dishes with extremely hot water, so the dishes don't necessarily need as much dish detergent to be sanitized.
2. Don't Spray the Surface, Spray the Cleaning Cloth
When cleaning kitchen and bathroom surfaces, don't spray the surface with your cleaner. Spray the cleaner directly onto a damp cleaning cloth instead, then wipe the surface clean. The only time you should spray the surface with cleaner is if it needs to be thoroughly disinfected, like when cleaning up after handling chicken and other meats. This also works great for dusting.
3. Recycle Dryer Sheets for Dusting
Don't toss those used dryer sheets. Instead, use them for dusting surfaces in your home, including electronics. One a dryer sheet has been used in the dryer, the sheet still has magnetic properties that will pull dust away from surfaces without scratching them.
4. Use an All-Purpose Cleaner Instead of Multiple Cleaners
Instead of stocking your cleaning caddy with multiple cleaning solutions, try to find a multipurpose cleaner that can be used to clean different types of surfaces and materials. There are many multipurpose cleaners that you can now use to clean kitchen, bathroom, and even glass. This will help cut down on the amount of cleaners you are buying.
5. Cut Disposable Cleaning Wipes in Half
When cleanup is small, cut a disposable cleaning wipe in half instead of using a full cleaning wipe. This also applies to things like dryer sheets if a load of clothes that you are drying is small.
TIP: If your cleaning wipes become dry, you can add a tablespoon or two of water to the canister and shake well to rewet the wipes.
**Post from hunker.com by Jessica Kielman 3/16/21
