FiveOClockNews.net

Frugal living isn’t hard and you can save quite a bit just by making some simple changes. Here’s something that’s working really well for me and my family. About 6 months ago I stopped buying commercial cleaning products. Since I usually picked these up at the store while I was shopping for groceries for my family, I never really knew how much I was spending on them per month. Making no other changes, my grocery bill now is on average about $50 less then it was before the switch; that’s a savings of $600 a year.

Curious to see how I did this? My biggest savings came from making my own homemade laundry detergent which was surprisingly easy. To get my clothes nice and soft, I use I also switched to this frugal fabric softener made from things I have sitting around anyway.

I also started to clean my home with things that I already had sitting around, including:

• white vinegar
• olive oil
• salt
• mild dish soap
• baking soda

It is surprisingly simple to turn those simple household items into powerful cleaning products.

For an all purpose disinfecting counter cleaner mix 1 cup of white vinegar and 1 cup of water. Pour it into a spray bottle, spray and clean away.

To make your own scouring powder pour some baking soda on the surface you want to clean. Add a little dish soap and a splash of water to make a paste. Start scrubbing away until everything is clean and shiny. This works wonders for your kitchen sink by the way.

To clean your floors, fill a bucket with warm water and add a few drops of liquid dish soap like dawn and a few caps full of white vinegar.

Make your own wood polish by mixing a cup of olive oil with ? cup of lemon juice. Mix everything in a spray bottle give it a little shake before each use. Add a little of the mixture to a soft cloth and apply it to wood tables etc. Wipe any residue off with a clean soft cloth.

For hard to remove stains mix equal parts of baking soda, salt and borax. Pour this mixture on the stain and let it sit for 10 minutes. Give it a good scrubbing with an old nail brush, then wipe everything clean with a damp cloth.

I love to use baking soda to remove funky odor from my carpets. Sprinkle it on and then allow it to sit for at least an hour. Vacuum really well and enjoy your carpet. This also works on mattresses, sofas etc.

Baking soda also works wonders in your fridge. Open a box of baking soda and stick it in the back of your fridge.

Last but not least, don’t waste money on expensive drain cleaners. Combine a cup of salt, a cup of vinegar and a cup of baking soda in a small bowl. Pour the mixture down the clogged drain. Leave it for a few minutes then rinse it with plenty of hot water. Works almost any time and is certainly worth trying first.