How to Clean your Bathroom on a Budget

Wanting to watch how much money you spend does not mean that maintaining a clean bathroom has to suffer. There are ways to reduce the cost you spend within your bathroom, but still, preserve an efficient and clean space for your overall hygienic routine.

Try Cheaper Products or Buy Them on Sale

When purchasing your cleaning products, there are a few tricks to keep in mind to help reduce the overall cost. No-name cleaning products are a great way to cut expenses as they drastically reduce the price you will spend on cleaning goods but often contain the same cleaning ingredients.

If you want to verify this, compare the list of ingredients of a brand-name product to a no-name one and see that at the very least, the main cleaning components are the same.

Another way to cut costs is to change the store where you purchase your goods. Just as a no-name product is cheaper than a brand-name product, some stores charge more money compared to others, even if it is the same product.

In some cases, you may even be able to buy your supplies at a dollar or pound store. Cleaning products, such as a toilet brush, sponges, cloths, and even a mop and bucket, can all be purchased from a dollar store and will save you a lot of money.

If you find that you are loyal to a specific brand, and do not wish to go to the no-name version, look for sales or coupons to help cut the costs. There are a large number of stores that all carry the same product and at any given time, usually one of those stores has the item you are seeking on sale.

A sale is also a great time to stock up with multiple purchases of the same product. Even if you know you won’t need it for another month or so, when you do run out, you will not be desperately searching for your beloved product to go on sale again.

Buying cheaper products can also extend to the tools that you need, such as steam mops or vacuum cleaners. You may not think it, but a budget of under $200 can get you one of the best vacuum cleaners available, and they will perform just as well as their more expensive counterparts.

Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies

Another great option is to make your own cleaning products. There are many websites that include a list of ingredients and how-to directions to help you make your own. These are more natural products, that will still provide you with a great clean bathroom.

You can buy the base for the mixture, such as the vinegar or baking soda, in a larger size so that you can make a larger quantity that will last a long time

Natural products from toilet cleaners, to sprays for your mirror, to products that clean hard surfaces and even those that will leave your bathroom smelling fresh and clean, can all be made with relative ease.

Some relatively cheaper items to create your own cleaning products can come from the following:

• White vinegar
• Water
• Rubbing alcohol
• Dish soap
• Citrus essential oil (or other essential oil smells to your preference)
• Lemon and lemon juice
• Grapefruit
• Baking soda
• Vegetable oil
• Bleach
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Borax
• Coarse salt

You can also use newspaper, which will save you money, to give a streak-free shine on faucets and mirrors.

How to Make Your Own?

Unsure where to start? There are many different variations of homemade cleaners to try. Here are a few you can try for your bathroom.

Streak-Free Glass Cleaner:

Mix the following together in a spray bottle (which can be purchased from a dollar store).

• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 1/4 cup of warm water
• 4 drops of lemon essential oil

Not only will this glass and mirror cleaner work well, but it will also smell nice from the essential oil. Feel free to swap out the lemon for another preferred smell, such as orange or pine.

Homemade Toilet Bowl Cleaner:

Mix the following together directly into the bowl of the toilet.

• 1/4 cup of baking soda
• 1/4 cup of borax
• 1 cup of white vinegar

Mix gently with a toilet brush. Let it rest for 30 minutes before scrubbing. Flush toilet to rinse away cleaner.

Grout Cleaner:

• 1/2 cup of baking soda
• 1/4 cup of vinegar

Mix the two ingredients in a bowl and take an old toothbrush to apply it directly to the spot covered with grout. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Once it has had a chance to rest, rinse away with water and wipe away any remnants of the mixture with a damp sponge.

Bathtub Cleaner:

This can be used with either a grapefruit (which will provide a larger surface area) or a lemon. Both are acidic and will produce a reaction with the salt.

• Grapefruit or lemon, cut in half
• 1/2 cup of coarse salt

Place the salt directly on the cut piece of fruit and scrub the inside of the bathtub all over. Rinse with warm water.

All Purpose Cleaner:

For this cleaner, you will want a spray bottle, one that can hold a minimum of 500 milliliters. Mix the following ingredients together, then shake well before using.

• 400 milliliters of warm water
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon of dish detergent
• 4 tablespoons of white vinegar

Squirt product where needed and wipe away with a damp sponge.

Homemade Room Deodorizers:

Here, you will need a relatively small spray bottle, a mixture of your preferred essential oils, and some water.

Fill up the bottle with water then add your choice of essential oils, this can be orange oil, tea tree oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, pine oil; the combinations are endless. Have fun with it and play around with what you think smells the best for your personal space.

An extra tip to make the smell of essential oils extend longer is to put a few drops on the inside of your toilet paper roll. Every time the roll is turned on its holder, it will release a nice smell to the user close by.

Conclusion

Maintaining a clean bathroom does not have to break the bank. There are a variety of options, from choosing a non-brand name to buying products at a different store, or even on sale. You can even choose to make your own products and buy some of the base products in bulk to save on cost. Try one of our suggested methods and save yourself some money on a clean bathroom without the cost of an unclean bathroom.

This post has been submitted by Sammy Dolan of Home clean expert

Sammy is a proud parent who loves nothing more than spending time with his family and teaching them the ways of the world. He loves writing about any topic related to home life.  He currently runs the blog at Home Clean Expert.