Live Cheap :: Clean & Cheap Cleaning Products

I'm sure this is old news to most of you, but cleaning products you buy in the store are expensive! A bottle for windows, a bottle for counters, a bottle for grease, another for bathrooms...it's insane!

Beside the cost, I hate the chemicals. Call me a cynic, but I don't trust the big corporations to have mine or my family's health as their priority. And if you can't spray something in your mouth, why would you clean your counters with it? You know, your counters...where you cook your food?!

I also get the "icks" thinking about it on my skin and needing to wash my hands every time I wipe the counters down.

So, what do I use?

White Distilled Vinegar, of course! Between that and eraser pads (like the Magic Eraser, but I go generic), I can clean my kitchen without the mystery chemicals in the commercial products.

I don't add fragrance, like some suggest, to curtail the odor of the vinegar. To be honest, it doesn't bother me and it fades away so fast, there's no need.

I occasionally add a few drops of tea tree oil for it's extra punch of bacterial killing power, but since I'm currently out...I've just been using diluted vinegar.


How to make Vinegar cleaner

You will need:

• Distilled White Vinegar (I recommend getting it at Costco...less than $5 for the huge bottle. I actually think it's a bit over $3)
• A spray bottle
• Water

Directions:

1. Over the sink or using a funnel, fill your spray bottle halfway with vinegar
2. Fill the rest of the bottle with water. You'll want a 1:1 ratio of vinegar to water.

How to use it:

1. Spray your counter with the vinegar mixture
2. Wipe!

*For tough spots, start with the eraser pad and use the vinegar mixture for wiping up.

See how simple this is? If the smell is something you can't tolerate, experiment with essential oils (you can find them at your local health food store). Lavender Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Orange Oil, Lemon Oil...all great additions!

Where to use it:

• Counters
• Bathrooms
• Windows (streak free and works the best!)
• more uses here

Vinegar is really a miracle cleaning product, and the price tag can't be beat! You can make a mix of oil and vinegar for furniture polish. Mix with baking soda for deodorizing or to freshen up your disposal or drains.

But, like all things, I was motivated mostly by money. I love that I can spend $3-$5 and have a clean house for months!

Let me know your favorite uses for vinegar. I also want to know if you try it for the first time! You won't regret it!