It’s the first week of January 2018 and with twelfth night (January 5th 2018) soon to be upon us it’s time to think about removing the last trace of Christmas from our homes. If, like me, you find this time of year difficult with long, dark nights and cold, wet weather then you probably know how bare a house can look when the decorations are back up in the attic. However, a lovely clean home can be the breath of fresh air you need and with this in mind, I wanted to take the opportunity to share my top 10 tips for maintaining a clean home on a budget.
A tidy home = a tidy mind so, let’s get started:
1: Cleaning cupboard
If your cleaning cupboard is a neglected place then it’s time to change it so that it is a workable space. You need to be able to see everything quickly so that you can grab the right items in a hurry when dealing with inevitable splashes and spills. Use tubs to streamline the cupboard and, if you have pipes running through it, use these to hang your cleaning sprays up for easy access. Once it is tidy, try your best to keep it that way!
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| Zoflora disinfectant |
2: Cleaning caddy
If you don’t already have one, I can highly recommend having a cleaning caddy. This does not have to be anything fancy – a plastic tub with handles can easily be used for this purpose. A cleaning caddy should contain all of the items you will need to do a good quality clean. It should also be at the front of your cupboard so you can grab it as soon as your baby goes down for a nap or in the 10 minutes before a guest arrives. If you would like me to do a ‘What’s in my cleaning caddy’ post, leave a comment below!
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| Method Cleaning Spray |
3: Products
My favourite budget busting cleaning products include:
Lemon bleach and
Lemon cream cleaner. Supermarket own brands are just as good as the branded varieties. For a more natural twist on cleaning products try actual lemon juice (or other citrus fruit juice) diluted in water. This can also be great for cutting through greasy microwaves and ovens. Some people also swear by vinegar, bicarbonate of soda and essential oils.
Zoflora disinfectant – A little goes a long way as it is diluted in water. Zoflora scents your home beautifully and can be purchased cheaply in Home Bargains.
Method – Non-toxic daily kitchen spray is fantastic for disinfecting areas where your children eat. I only purchase this when it’s on offer as it can be pricy but a little goes a long way and is often on offer in Tesco. Alternatively, use your MyWaitrose Pick Your Own Offers on Method products to get 20% off!
A Toothbrush – Thank you to Little Budget Home for this tip. It sounds simple but a toothbrush is a fantastic tool for cleaning hard to reach places.
Microfibre cleaning cloths are really useful when cleaning and can then be washed in the washing machine on its highest setting.
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| Ewbank floor mop |
4: Prepare your tools
I won’t be the first or last person to purchase a cheap hoover, only to buy twice! I invested in a Miele pet hair hoover when we bought our first home and even though we don’t have any pets, it has lasted really well. If your hoover smells, simply sprinkle some Lenor Unstoppables (or similar product) on your carpet and hoover them up! As your hoover warms up your home will be sweetly scented. My most recent bargain is a Ewbank floor mop with an integrated re-fillable spray. It was roughly £10 from Home Bargains and I’ve used it countless times over the Christmas holidays. It even includes two microfibre mop cloths which can be washed in the washing machine.
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| Lenor unstoppables |
5: Set your timer
Give yourself a time limit and you’ll be amazed at how much you can get done. Set your phone timer for 10 minutes and do a speed clean. This will soon increase to 30 minutes as you enjoy challenging yourself. If you have children this can help motivate them to clean their bedrooms too!
6: Little and often
Throughout the week be mindful of the mess you’re making – if it will take you less than one minute to clean up or tidy away, do it there and then! After a deep clean keep on top of the housework by doing a speed clean every other day.
7: Delegate
Keeping the house clean is the responsibility of everybody who lives in it. Share out tasks and work as a team to ensure that one person isn’t feeling the pressure to clean more than others.
8: Guests
One sure fire way to ensure that your house is looking presentable is to invite people round! Everyone likes to be house proud and if you have visitors you are likely to clean more thoroughly than you would normally.
9: Be realistic
Have realistic expectations of what you will be able to get done. If all the rooms in your house need cleaning, do one at a time to maintain your motivation.
10: Treat yourself
Let’s face it – cleaning isn’t the most exciting job but I always feel accomplished when seeing instant results! Make sure you take time after cleaning to enjoy a cup of tea, watch your favourite programme or read a good book. However you choose to relax, make sure you reward yourself. You’ll find it motivates you whilst cleaning to know the reward that is waiting at the other end!
How do you save money when cleaning? Do you make your own cleaning products? Which cleaning tips do you swear by? Comment below and let me know!
Love, Thrifty Mumma X
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