Simple Tips You Can Try Now to Save Money on Household Items and Cleaning Products
Save money and keep your home cleaner with three practical tips. If you’re ready to move toward a nontoxic, more natural, and lower-waste lifestyle, these steps will help you start.
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Have you ever found forgotten money and felt that little rush of joy? I remember hiding $50 in a trophy as a kid and discovering it years later while packing for college. It felt like a gift.
I don’t have $50 for you in a trophy, but I will share ways you can save more than $50 a month on household cleaning supplies. That adds up fast, and you can spend that extra on something you enjoy.
3 Easy Ways to Save Hundreds on Cleaning Supplies
1. MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS
Making your own cleaners is one of the easiest ways to cut costs. The basic ingredients are inexpensive, and a few staples can clean your entire home.
It’s very kind to your wallet
Homemade cleaners stretch far, so the upfront cost of a few ingredients pays off quickly. A typical DIY cleaning pantry includes:
- Baking soda
- Washing soda
- Oxygen bleach (gentle formulas for household use)
- Vinegar
- Vodka (as a disinfecting solvent)
- Sea salt
- Castile soap
- Citric acid (optional)
- Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, tea tree, lemon, orange, clove, and cinnamon for scent and some antimicrobial properties
With those basics you can make dishwasher detergent, laundry detergent, fabric softener, multi-purpose spray, window cleaner, toilet and shower scrub, and air freshener. Switching to DIY versions eliminates many store-bought products and saves significantly over time.
These homemade cleaners are often gentler on the environment and your family’s health compared to heavily fragranced commercial products.
Here are the common cleaners you can easily make at home instead of buying:
- Dishwasher detergent
- Laundry detergent
- Laundry softener
- Sink, shower, and toilet scrub
- Window cleaner
- Disinfecting spray
- Multi-purpose cleaner
- Air freshener
2. BUY HOUSEHOLD ITEMS IN BULK
Buying in bulk reduces the per-unit cost of common supplies. A few practical bulk strategies we use:
Buy baking soda and salt from the bulk section and store them in large containers. The per-pound savings quickly add up.
Choose the largest jugs of vinegar and vodka you can find for cleaning. Small bottles cost more per ounce.
Purchase paper products in bulk when prices are lowest. Buying larger packs of items like toilet paper or paper towels reduces the cost per unit.
And don’t forget to stock up
Bulk buying does require storage. If space is limited, get creative with storage solutions:
- Use a shelf in the linen closet for bulk goods
- Store extras under the bed if you have clearance
- Add shelving above bathroom doorways for overflow toilet paper or cleaning supplies
Smart storage helps you take advantage of discounts without cluttering living spaces.
3. USE RAGS AND CHEAP CLOTH INSTEAD OF ONE-USE DISPOSABLE PRODUCTS
Disposable items add up in cost and waste. Replacing single-use paper products with reusable cloth options saves money and reduces trash. I haven’t switched to reusable toilet paper, but I’ve eliminated many disposable items on purpose:
Paper towels
Paper napkins
Tissues
Single-use mop pads
Disinfectant wipes
Facial cotton pads
All of these have reusable cloth alternatives. Practical options we use include:
- Inexpensive washcloths from thrift stores or discount retailers for general cleaning
- Small cloths for makeup removal and skincare instead of single-use cotton pads
- Microfiber towels for dusting and polishing
- Reusable handkerchiefs or tissues for personal use
- Cloth napkins for meals instead of paper napkins
- Old dish towels or cloth napkins for heavy-duty jobs like draining oil or handling raw meat; keep them in a designated bin and wash on hot with a hot dryer cycle to sanitize
Bonus Tip: Save money with part-time cloth diapering
For parents, cloth diapering part-time can reduce diaper expenses and paper waste. Using cloth diapers during the day and disposables at night or for travel can limit leaks and rashes while still cutting costs. If you plan a baby shower or registry, cloth diapers make a long-lasting, practical gift.
Part-time cloth diapering reduces overall paper use, saves money over time, and lowers household waste.
Final note: it’s worth researching cleaning products if you want to prioritize safer, less toxic options. Reviewing reputable guides can help you choose the best commercial products when you don’t make your own.