Ways to Save--Cleaning Products

I would be lying if I said I have spent my whole weekend, thus far, cleaning.  In my mind, I've been busy dusting/vacuuming/scrubbing/etc but really, I've been having more fun thinking about decorating the house for Christmas!

In case some of you may BE busy cleaning--or thinking about cleaning--I thought I'd pass along some cheap tips I learned this summer.

Have you ever received one of those emails with the Top 100 Uses for Baking Soda...Top 100 Uses for Vinegar, etc???

I have--and I immediately delete it because I will never remember each and every use for the ingredients!

I'm more the Google-and-Find-Out type of person...especially on those days where I realize I'm out of a cleaning product, my hair and make-up are a wreck so there's no way I'm going to the store.  Here are some quick-fixes for store bought cleaners...most of the ingredients should already be in your pantry!

Stove Top Cleaner:

For those of us who own a smooth-top range, you probably already know that the bottles of stovetop cleaner are NOT cheap!

The alternative:

I had a hard time believing baking soda only would clean up the nasty burnt-on messes, but it did!  In fact, we rediscovered some of the "burner circles" that had disappeared long ago and the stovetop looked cleaner than ever before.  But the best part--my hands felt like they'd just had a manicure :-)  For the super easy instructions, check out:

Furniture Polish:

Our house is always dusty and I'm constantly out of furniture polish.  Not that I'm a big fan of furniture polish, anyhow--it always seems to leave a greasy, dull appearance on wooden surfaces.

The alternative...

Mix 1 cup olive oil with 1/4 cup vinegar; pour into spray bottle for use.  The best part--it doesn't leave behind any greasy residue!

Pet Stains:

I discovered this recipe when one of our pets decided it would be great fun to potty on our area rug...It's almost like they sensed I was out of store bought carpet cleaner! 

This particular recipe seems to combine several different cleaning methods into one...It can take some time to clean up the mess, but it works really well!  Basically, mix equal parts water and white vinegar; treat the affected area and blot dry.  Apply a handful of baking soda over the affected area and drizzle it with 1/4 C. hydrogen peroxide mixed with 1t. liquid dish soap.  Work it in with a brush or your fingers to dissolve the baking soda. Blot again and allow it to dry. Once dry, vacuum up the dried baking soda--both the stain AND smell will be gone!  Sure as heck beats paying $5/bottle of "Pet" carpet cleaner and running out after just a few spritzes.

Hopefully, some of these tips will be helpful.  It's always nice having a chemical-free cleaning option or just knowing how to clean something without having to make an impromptu grocery store run!