Is It Cheaper to Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies?
In an effort to be more sustainable, many of us have turned to making our own cleaning supplies. DIY cleaning supplies can be better for the environment while also helping you cut down on your plastic waste.
But does it really make things more cost-effective compared to buying cleaning products readymade? That’s what we’ll explore below. Read on to find out if it’s cheaper to make your own cleaning supplies.
Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Cleaning Supplies?
It absolutely can be cheaper to make your own cleaning supplies than to buy them readymade, but this isn’t always the case. The cost-effectiveness entirely depends on what you’re making, where you source your ingredients, and what you’re replacing.
For example, you can get a bottle of antibacterial kitchen spray for under £2 in most supermarkets. You could replace this with white vinegar, which can be very cheap when bought in bulk. However, white vinegar won’t perform as well as a commercial antibac spray.
On the other hand, something like bicarbonate of soda can be used for loads of cleaning jobs and is incredibly cheap. It’s a great abrasive and can be used for cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, removing smells, cleaning your washing machine, and more.
And this is where DIY cleaning supplies become cost-effective. By replacing multiple cleaning products with a good all-rounder, you’ll end up saving quite a bit of money.
How Much Does it Cost to Make Your Own Cleaning Products?
There are loads of factors that can affect price, but expect to pay less than £1 per bottle or product for DIY cleaning products. It’s difficult to provide an accurate price comparison because it depends on what you need and where you buy it.
A quick online search will show you that a standard household cleaning spray (1L bottle) can cost anywhere from £2-£4 depending on the product and store. On the other hand, 5L of white vinegar costs around £6-£8. As you can see, it’s considerably cheaper and can be used for a wide range of cleaning jobs around the home, such as:
- Deodorising
- Cleaning glass, mirrors and chrome
- Killing bacteria (such as salmonella and E. coli)
- Grease busting
- Limescale remover
Think about the price of buying all these products individually. You could expect to pay at least £10 for 5 or more different products compared to the £6 you’d pay for 5L of white vinegar.
What Products Make DIY Cleaners?
There are quite a few products you can use to make your own cleaning supplies, including:
- White vinegar
- Bicarbonate of soda
- Lemon juice
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Borax
- Rubbing alcohol
Some are much cheaper to buy in bulk than others. For example, bicarb and vinegar are inexpensive, whereas hydrogen peroxide can be a bit pricey depending on where you buy it. That said, you won’t need it for as many household jobs.
Pros and Cons of DIY Cleaning Supplies
Price can be an important factor when making your own cleaning supplies, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you consider. In fact, it should be secondary to the following benefits.
Pros
- Can perform as well as commercial cleaners.
- Helps save on plastic waste.
- Easy to make a wide range of cleaners from the same 2-3 ingredients.
Cons
- DIY cleaners often involve more actual cleaning because they don’t contain as many fast-acting ingredients.
- It can be dangerous to mix certain products together, which is easier to do when making your own cleaners.
- You might have to spend a lot of time sourcing cost-effective ingredients to actually make the process worth it.
Are DIY Cleaners Worth it?
So, is it worth making your own cleaning supplies? The short answer is yes, regardless of whether cost is your main focus. Buying bulk amounts of vinegar and bicarb lets you tackle a wide range of cleaning jobs for very little money. What’s more, you should be able to refill the containers at a local zero-waste shop.
However, it’s important to realise that DIY cleaners can’t do it all. There are some jobs you won’t want to compromise on, such as disinfecting toilets and cleaning baby supplies. As such, you’ll want to continue buying things like household bleach, although you can get greener versions.
You can also use the money you save from using your homemade cleaning supplies to hire a house cleaning service to come clean your home with your new cleaning supplies.
The bottom line is that DIY cleaning supplies can help you save money on easier jobs while also cutting down on your plastic waste. But you’ll want to balance this against the extra effort involved to decide if it’s truly worth it.
