ArcaMax

There was a time when I assumed I needed to buy name brand, readymade cleaning solutions and laundry products. If something needed cleaning, fixing, deodorizing or shining, surely there was a brightly labeled bottle for that -- preferably one promising miracles in a trigger spray. I bought them faithfully. And then one day I realized something mildly embarrassing: I was paying a premium for watered-down versions of things I already had at home.

That realization didn't turn me into a homesteader or a pioneer woman. It just made me more stubborn about spending money on products that didn't earn their keep. Here are three everyday items I stopped buying once I learned how easy the substitutes were.

Take glass cleaner. I used to keep a dedicated bottle under every sink, even though it always ran out at the exact moment the windows needed attention. Then I learned what's actually in most commercial glass cleaners: water, a bit of alcohol, and fragrance. So now I mix my own.

In a spray bottle, I combine 1 cup of water, 1 cup of white vinegar, a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and four -- yes, only four -- drops of Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid. That's it. I shake and use it on mirrors, windows and even the glass on the microwave door. No streaks, no residue, no fumes that make me feel like I should be wearing goggles. The cost? Pennies per bottle. The bonus? It works just as well, and I never run out because the ingredients live permanently in my pantry and medicine cabinet.

Laundry is another area where I used to overspend without realizing it. Scented detergent, stain boosters, fabric softeners -- my laundry shelf looked like a chemistry lab, and my husband and sons suffered with itchy skin.

The first thing to go was fabric softener. It's mostly fragrance and a waxy coating that builds up on fabrics over time. Now I pour half a cup of plain white vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser, released during the final rinse. Clothes come out soft, towels stay absorbent, and the vinegar smell disappears once everything dries.

For stains, I mix one part Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid with two parts fresh hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle -- one-third cup Dawn to two-thirds cup peroxide. I spray it on grease, food stains and just about anything else, let it sit for 20 minutes, then launder as usual. I didn't lose softness or cleanliness -- but I did lose extra bottles and recurring expense.

Then there's the product category I call "mystery cleaners" -- sprays for sinks, tubs, counters and appliances. I used to buy different ones for each job because the labels told me I should. These days, I make one all-purpose cleaner and call it good.

In a spray bottle, I mix 2 cups of warm water, 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap like Blue Dawn, and a half cup of white vinegar. It works on kitchen counters, bathroom sinks, stovetops and even the outside of appliances. It cuts grease, lifts grime, and doesn't leave a sticky film. For tougher jobs like soap scum, I sprinkle baking soda on the surface and spray the cleaner over it, letting the fizz do the heavy lifting. Fewer bottles, fewer fumes and one less aisle to wander.

I didn't set out to become "DIY." I just wanted products that worked without draining my budget or cluttering my cabinets. These substitutes didn't require special equipment, rare ingredients or a learning curve. They just required questioning the idea that everything useful has to come in a plastic bottle with a marketing slogan.

Once you learn a few of these swaps, something interesting happens. You stop seeing household problems as shopping opportunities -- and start seeing them as solvable with what you already have.

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Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, "Ask Mary." This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book "Debt-Proof Living."

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