11 Frugal Cleaning Tips That Cut Costs, Not Corners

November 17, 2022

Saving money is a top priority for many of us right now, but that doesn’t mean a clean and inviting home isn’t important too. But as we’re seeing higher prices on just about everything at the store these days, including cleaning supplies, it can feel as though you’re being forced to choose one priority over the other!

Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be the case. Today I’m putting my years of experience writing about frugal approaches to cleaning to good use by sharing 11 useful tips that will save you money on cleaning supplies.

As you’ll see below, keeping a clean home doesn’t have to involve emptying your wallet!

11 Tips For Saving Money On Cleaning Supplies

1. Make Your Own Cleaning Solutions

This tip is #1 on this list for a reason! Homemade cleaning solutions often cost pennies to make in terms of the ingredients you need to make them, and they work just as well as the store-bought stuff.

2. Choose Generic Or Store Brands

If you don’t want to make your own cleaners, choose generic or store brands. Products that are part of a store’s private label often come from the same manufacturers as the name brand stuff, but because the stores don’t have to advertise them the same way, they tend to cost less.

Take a minute to look at the labels on the cleaning products you’re shopping for and compare the ingredients. They’ll probably be very similar, if not identical!

3. Use Only As Much As You Need

Instead of spraying surfaces liberally with cleaning solutions by default, try using less product to see if it makes a difference. If the surface ends up just as clean, you’ll know you can use less of your cleaning solutions, which means you won’t have to buy or make them as often.

4. Reuse Whatever You Can

There are so many household materials that you can reuse as you’re cleaning the house. For instance, you can save plastic grocery bags and use them to line your bathroom wastebaskets.

You can use old toothbrushes to scrub small areas like grout lines or the base of sink fixtures, and used dryer sheets are handy for dusting. Check out my many posts about reusing household items for dozens of other useful ideas.

5. Cut Supplies Into Pieces

Cutting sponges, dryer sheets, magic erasers, and other cleaning supplies into smaller pieces can help you get twice the value out of them. Half a sponge works just as well for scrubbing dishes or surfaces, and using a quarter of a magic eraser makes it easy to erase a mess without wearing out a whole eraser.

6. Use Fewer Paper Towels

Using fewer paper towels is not only a great way to save money, but it’s also better for the environment. You can still keep and use paper towels, but using rags or cleaning cloths most of the time while supplementing with paper towels is far more cost-effective.

7. Choose Reusable Over Disposable

Another easy way to save money? Replacing single-use products with things that can be washed and reused. For example, Swiffer WetJet users can save quite a bit by replacing those disposable pads with a fuzzy sock or microfiber cloth. (Get more details at the link below!)

8. Get Creative With What You Have

No matter what or where you’re cleaning, oftentimes you don’t need a specialty product to get the job done. A bit of creative thinking (or research on this website) can help you figure out how to use something you already have in the house, which is the cheapest option of all!

9. Keep Up On Daily Cleaning

Doing a little bit of cleanup every day can often eliminate the need to splurge on those more expensive cleaning products. By wiping up spills, treating stains, and addressing other messes in a timely manner, you won’t need to rely on heavy-duty cleaners to tackle them.

10. Use Foaming Hand Soap

As surprising as it sounds, using a foaming soap dispenser can save you a good deal of money on hand soap. Liquid hand soap goes a lot further when you put it in a foaming dispenser because you have to add water to it, yet the foaming soap somehow feels more expensive, not less!

11. Use Simple Tools

I love buying fancy new cleaning tools as much as the next person, but they’re rarely necessary. If saving money is your priority, opt for simple tools.

The Cuban mop, for example, could not be more basic, but it works like a charm. Simple tools like this are cheaper up front and less likely to break, so they’re a real win-win!

Are there any other frugal cleaning tips you would add to this list?

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