Cut the Cost of Cleaning Your Home
Almost every Canadian household has a bottle of rubbing alcohol tucked away in the back of their medicine cabinet or sitting at the bottom of the family first aid kit waiting to help heal a muscle ache or scraped knee. But did you know that a inexpensive bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol (Rubbing Alcohol) can be used for countless chores around your home?
From your kitchen and bathroom to the laundry room and office, rubbing alcohol is a frugal alternative to the countless brand name household cleaners you use buy to make your home sparkle and shine.
One bottle of Isopropyl will run you about $0.99 at your local dollar store, and because it great at sanitizing and cutting grease there are countless uses for it around the house. Here are just a few ideas to help you cut the cost of cleaning your home:
Cleaning Mirrors & Glass
Mixing alcohol, white vinegar and water together in a clean spray bottle makes a quick evaporating glass and mirror cleaner that can compete with any brand name product on the market.
In a clean spray bottle mix together:
- 1 cup of rubbing alcohol
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
This mixture will clean so effectively that even the most stubborn fingerprints will come off quickly. You will also find that it doesn’t leave streaks or a cloudy film on your mirrors and windows the way store bough cleaners do.
Note: Be sure to label the bottle as rubbing alcohol cleaner and store it where curious pets or children will not have access.
Disinfect & Clean Your Office
Rubbing Alcohol can be used as a super -solution to remove buildup and grime from dry erase boards and electronics. Pour a small amount of isopropyl onto a dry cloth (a little bit goes a long way) to clean everything from your keyboard, monitor, phones and televisions. The surfaces in your office will be cleaner and home to fewer germs.
De-Grease Your Kitchen
Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cloth to wipe down your stove, vent, teapot, microwave, coffee maker and dishwasher. This works great and costs much less than the arsenal of cleaning products marketed to do the same thing.
Clean your Bathroom
While the mixture of rubbing alcohol, water and white vinegar cannot be used to clean your tubs, toilets and sinks – it is a great cleaning product for the rest of the bathroom. Mirrors, the outside of toilets, shower doors, the handles of doors and even the faucets can be cleaned up with this mixture. It easily cleans up soap scum and will leave your bathroom clean and disinfected – without having to use several different store bought cleaners.
In the Laundry Room
Rubbing alcohol can also be used to tackle stubborn stains on carpet or clothing. Either blot rubbing alcohol onto a small stain, or soak the spot for several minutes before rinsing.
If you have any other tips on how to cut the cost of cleaning your home, please feel free to share them. I always love to get great tips and advice from my frugal friends!