Mean on clean

Lorraine from Hamilton writes

Now that I’m unemployed I’ve become the queen of mean. I spend lightly over $10 p.a. on cleaning products plus dishwashing liquid (single use). This is how I do it:

Cleaning Products p.a.
$3.00 2L bleach
$2.40 homemade laundry liquid (@ .04c per wash x 60 washes p.a.)
$2.00 2 x bars Sunlight laundry soap
$1.70 Earthwise fabric softener (1/3rd of a bottle p.a.)
$1.00 Select 1.25L disinfectant (1/3rd bottle)
Total $10.10 p.a.
This is how I use the products:
Bleach – laundry, shower cubicle, toilet bowl, kitchen
Homemade laundry liquid – laundry, floor and window washing
Sunlight soap – 1 bar for homemade laundry liquid, 1 bar as a laundry pre-treater for stains and handwashing
Fabric softener – tiny amounts as per usual
Disinfectant – toilet seat, toilet floor, handbasin

Notes on use:
I try to cycle through my cleaning products as much as possible. For example, with the bleach I will use 1/2 bucket water with bleach and detergent added to whiten fabrics or remove stubborn stains on tea towels, clothing towels (this product works for colourfast items only so colour test first or risk ruining if you haven’t used bleach before). From the laundry I’ll take my bucket into the shower, then when I’ve finished cleaning the shower I will empty the bucket down the loo and clean that too!

Homemade laundry liquid has washing soda, borax and Sunlight soap in it. Sunlight soap can be used in the kitchen sink so fine with glass. As my washing machine drains I grab a half bucket of the laundry liquid water and use that to wash my floor or windows. I also grab a half bucket of this water for any handwashing I have except whites.

Fabric softener – I only use on static prone fabric/clothing. I don’t have a problem with hard water or hard towels. I’m lucky in that my washing machine has a drip-dry or ‘hold’ feature that stops it just before the final spin. I pull out the items I want to use fabric softener on and dunk them in half a bucket of water with a tiny amount of fabric softener added. Then I drain and lower the water level in the washing machine and throw the polyester items back in and spin them dry with the rest of my washing.

In the kitchen, because there’s only me and it doesn’t get very dirty I just wipe marks off with a damp cloth. Stubborn spots I use undiluted dishwashing liquid on. I don’t use the oven because I don’t like cleaning it!

That’s it.