Dollar Store Cleaning Supplies are Just as Good as the Big Brands.

Chores are one of the banal realities of life. According to this article, women spend an average of 18 hours a week on household duties (men spend less time, but still several hours a week). That’s a lot of cleaning supplies.  Statistics show we spend $42 a month on supplies, which adds up to over $500!! While it’s probably not wise to cut back on cleaning, you can cut costs on what you’re using to get the job done.

Some items you don’t want to skimp on, like a decent vacuum, if you can swing it. Paper towel, vinegar, scrubbing powder and more, however, can be grabbed up for a fraction of the prices you’d find at higher end stores (and sometimes for the exact same brand!). Here’s a short list of the cleaning supplies we think are worth getting at the dollar store.

Paper towels: If you have limited storage, you buy one roll of paper towel, which is great when you can’t find space to store five more rolls. You might find a great deal somewhere else on a pack of 6 rolls, and the price might be about the same (or less) per roll, but if you’re counting your pennies, you might not want to spend that much. If one roll will do, the dollar store is the place to go. If you’re REALLY stuck, newspaper will also work, but it doesn’t hold up well.

Conventional Cleansers: Abrasive cleaners, glass spray, bleach, all-purpose soaps, floor shine, and furniture polish can all be found. They might be in smaller containers or a little diluted compared to big brands, but how much floor wax does one need at one time? Especially if, again, you’re short on storage or live in a small apartment. If you really love the brand names, some stuff you can dilute (window cleaner is a good example), making them stretch, and we bet you won’t see a difference in results.

Natural Alternatives: Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide, salt, and lemon juice are all multi-purpose items for keeping your abode looking good and smelling nice.

Accessories: There are some caveats here. High end brooms and mops will generally last longer than those found at the dollar store. Same goes for cloths, sponges, dish brushes, spray bottles, and the like. However, what you find will serve you well. It’s recommended you throw out sponges after two weeks anyway, so do you really need one that will last 6 months? People on tight budgets or people who aren’t staying in one place for long (students, for example) will also be well served. You’ll still get a year or two from that broom head, it just won’t get passed down to the next generation. Things like rubber gloves and steel wool pads are often the same brands as anywhere else.

What things do you grab at the dollar store to help you with your home?

photo credit: Dollar Store House which also has a great article on this subject.
feature image credit: created by Lanark County Food Bank. Free to use with permission and credit.