In my house we’re very frugal and try to live as “green” as possible. It’s not always easy finding earth-friendly products that are cheap and work well. If you’ve ever tried any of the popular eco-safe solutions, you may have been as frustrated with them as I was. They’re usually more expensive than anything I can get at the local Dollar Tree or 99 cents Only Store, they smell weird, and just don’t get the job done.
In my search for cutting corners and cutting down on stress when it comes to time and money, I decided to do some investigating and create my own all-purpose “green” household products. Through trial and error, I actually found a few that work really well. Best of all, they cost pennies to make and you won’t have to have a cupboard full of specific cleaners.
Here are some of my favorite frugal air fresheners:
Garbage Disposals
Anyone that has a garbage disposal knows how smelly these can get. Built up food and water mix together and breed bacteria that can smell like a sewer.
Baking Soda and Vinegar: This method not only leaves the sink smelling better but helps to clear out the pipes too. Pour a box of baking soda down the garbage disposal then add a cup of white vinegar. It will bubble up and get foamy. Let this cheap and safe combination do its job for the next 10 minutes or so. Next, run very hot water down the sink with the garbage disposal running for about 30 seconds.
Citrus: Save your citrus peels since these come in handy for many things such as getting rid of odors in the air and the garbage disposal. To remove odors from sink drains, toss the peel of any citrus fruit into the garbage disposal and add ten ice cubes. Turn the garbage disposal on and run hot water into the sink. This smells great and the ice cubes help to loosen any crud that’s gotten stuck on the disposal blades.
Room Fresheners
I like my home to smell nice and clean, but with three cats and a dog, this can be a tricky feat to accomplish. The following suggestions are two of my favorite “green” and frugal air fresheners.
Citrus: Something that works really well to freshen the air is to grate the peel of an uncut lemon, lime, orange or grapefruit. Do this over a plate or bowl then mix it with 1/4-1/2 cup baking soda. You can then put this mixture in a shallow, decorative bowl and set it out where odors are strongest in the house.
Extracts: Another method that works well is to buy your favorite extract such as vanilla, lemon, mint, or whatever you prefer. Using an empty 8-ounce spray bottle, fill it with water and one teaspoon of the extract. Spray it into the air whenever and wherever needed. I also spray this on rugs and furniture, being sure to cover it with a fine mist rather than drenching the fabric.
You don’t have to settle with inferior and expensive products when it comes to housecleaning. All it takes is a new way of looking at ordinary supplies you probably already have around the house.