There is rarely a lot of thought put towards the expensive nature of cleaning the home, but it is a really rather costly process. No one really bats an eyelid as they purchase the materials needed, as they are deemed completely essential. No one wants a dirty home, and it is not suggested that you should save cash by cleaning less, but there must be a way in which you can reduce your outgoings by doing things differently rather than spending all of this cash on such a regular thing. The nature of the cleaning materials industry is based on a very ‘throwaway’ attitude, which is the reason that the industry is so pricy as well as being so dangerous for the environment. Everyone knows that they throw plastics and paper away in the form of old sponges and paper towels, but no one seems to understand the implications of how badly this can affect both the planet and the wallet! Taking a look at the ways in which you consume commodities, especially in a cleaning sense, can be the start of a realization that will lead you to being more responsible about your spending habits as well as your impact on the planet.

First off, why bother with buying brand new paper towels and J-cloths and sponges, when you could be using reusable ones each time? Chucking a tea towel into the wash means that you can use it over and over again, so why not apply this to all of your cleaning methods? Using cut up old clothes will give you a great source of cleaning materials for an effective but cost efficient clean. Materials like wool, flannel and other thicker cottons will give you a good alernative to sponges, and the varying textures in these materials will mean that you can use them for all sorts of different things, form smooth surfaces to tougher stains in the carpet.

Do you have a dustpan with a crack in it? Plastic dustpans seem to be the most broken thing in the house, and this is because they are made cheaply. The nature of plastic tools is that they are inexpensive but do not last long. This may seem good at first, but in reality, it is much more cost efficient to get a metal one what will last you a lifetime than buying new items every few months. The same goes for other plastic cleaning materials in the house, which are not as long lasting as their more traditionally made counterparts. Investing in decent tools will give you a long term cleaning ally.

Steam cleaning is another way of doing things that has a decent cost efficiency in the long term. The process only uses water, and whilst the cost of the equipment is a lot at first, you will no doubt find that the lack of payments after this initial outlay means that you can save more in the long run that you spent initially. Steam also negates the use of chemicals, as it’s cleaning power is in heat and pressure, which break down the sticky bonds in dirt and kill bacteria, making a surface wipe clean-able. This means that you are more planet friendly, as well as saving cash in the long run, a win win situation. Be careful to do your research first however, as you may need different sized equipment for different jobs, which could be more expensive than anticipated.