5 Ways to Stretch Your Cleaning Product Dollars
We're always looking for creative ways to cut costs and making cleaning products last longer is one way to help reduce your grocery bill. Here are my five favorite tips for getting the most bang from your cleaning product buck:
1. Don't automatically fill both dispensers in your dishwasher even though the detergent box recommends it. It's always best to adjust the amount of detergent to the soil level of the load and the hardness of your water. Start by filling each cup halfway, adding a bit more for extra dirty dishes and hard water. Also, using too much detergent can leave a filmy residue on your glasses and flatware.
Related: 25 Double-Duty Tips for Household Items
2. Always measure laundry detergent before adding it to the machine. I know the numbered lines inside detergent caps are impossible to see, but with today's 2x and 3x concentrated detergents, a full cap is too large a dose for most loads. Adding more detergent won't get clothes any cleaner. Instead, laundry can still be soapy at the end of the cycle and front-loading washers that are sensitive to excess suds may shut down.
3. Spray the cloth, not the surface when cleaning mirrors, polishing furniture, and shining stainless steel appliances. Spritzing the surface often wastes product and leaves behind excess cleaner that requires more wiping and extra buffing to remove. And who needs that?
Related: Do-It-All Cleaning Guide
4. Choose a foaming bathroom tub and tile cleaner. These cling to vertical surfaces better than thin sprays do, so you'll get more muscle from less product. After spraying a small section of tile, use your sponge or cloth to spread it around. Wait a few minutes for the formula to penetrate the soil, then wipe or rinse the surface clean.
5. Choose multitasking products that do more than one job, like Good Housekeeping Seal-holder Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner and OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover. Both can be used for around-the-house cleaning jobs and for laundry stains. You'll not only save money with these workhorse products but storage space, too.
For our very best tips to get through your cleaning chores in a flash, check out our online Speed Cleaning Guide.
How do you stretch your cleaning products to save money? Let me know in the comments!
-by Carolyn Forte
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