5 Economical Alternatives to Cleaning Items
Cleaning is not only a time-consuming chore that needs dedicated time in your routine, but it may also be expensive. However, you can make your home sparkle without breaking the bank by using the natural materials you already have in your cabinets! These cost-effective alternatives to cleaning chemicals benefit your wallet, health, and the environment because they are less expensive and harmful.
You want to test them? Discover the five cost-effective alternatives to cleaning supplies.
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, has anti-limescale, degreasing, and deodorizing qualities. Thus, it can be used to :
– remove limescale from dishes, washing machines, and taps;
– degrease the dishes;
– deodorize linen, floors, and carpets
You want to remove odors from your floors and carpets? Sprinkle baking soda on your floors and let it sit for up to 24 hours, depending on the persistence of odors, and vacuum.
Baking soda costs less than 4 € per 500 g.
Tip: to replace baking soda, you can use baking powder mainly composed of bicarbonate.
2. Toothpaste
Toothpaste is certainly a maintenance product for our teeth, but its propensity to shine does not stop there since it can also:
– shine your faucets (just put a dab on a damp cloth and shine);
– effectively remove silver, canvas, and salad dressing stains;
– clean a wash basin;
– maintain windows and fill scratches on glass.
For example, to eradicate a scratch on a glass, you need to:
– put a dab of toothpaste on a shallow scratch.
– Wait for it to dry.
– Rub with a soft cloth until the toothpaste is gone.
3. Scouring cream
Scouring cream is a dry paste made of marble powder and vegetable soap.
It has antibacterial, degreasing, disinfecting, and cleaning qualities, making it a multi-use cleaning product. It is ideal for:
– washing bathroom fixtures (sinks, bathtubs, toilets);
– cleaning kitchen elements (taps, sinks, hotplates);
– washing windows, etc.
Its use is simple since it is enough to:
– Run a sponge under water and then impregnate it with scouring stone until a light foam is obtained.
For daily use, wash the surfaces with a sponge without rubbing. If the surface is filthy, let the stone work for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing with another sponge.
Note: 500 g of scouring stone costs a minimum of 15 €.
4. Clay stone
Clay stone is a 100% natural multi-purpose cleaner for hard surfaces that can be washed with water. It has degreasing and descaling properties. Its non-toxic action leaves the surface clean and smooth without damaging it.
The clay stone is still useful to remove stains of:
– grease, mechanical oil, and motor grease on stainless steel;
– the bathroom (washbasin, bathtub, tiles);
– the kitchen (work surface, sink, ceramic plates).
For example, to clean a stainless steel surface stained with grease, simply :
– Rub a damp sponge on the clay stone to soak it in the solution.
– Rub the stain with the sponge soaked in the mixture until it disappears completely.
– If the stainless steel loses its shine, apply a can of sweet almond bed.
Clay stone is sold in drugstores at an average price of 6 € per 300 g jar.
5. Pumice stone
Pumice stone is a rock to remove small dead skin on the feet and tobacco stains, but it also exists in powder form and acts as a stain remover on small domestic damage.
Pumice powder is useful for:
– removing a stain from marble;
– removing a stain from stone.
The stain removal action of pumice is combined with baking soda. The principle is to place the mixture in the form of a paste on the stained surface. While the bicarbonate removes the impurities, the pumice stone takes over to capture them.
For example, to clean a gasoline stain on marble, you would:
– Mix baking soda and pumice powder.
– The mixture forms a paste that completely covers the stain.
– Leave it on for a few minutes.
– Brush off the detergent.
The pumice stone in powder is found in the drugstore department from 4 € the 100 g.
