Buying cleaning supplies is essential for every home, but the costs can add up quickly.
With the current rise in living expenses, finding ways to save a few quid here and there can have a big impact, especially during times when budgets are stretched thin for many. But you don’t always have to splash out on expensive cleaners.
Plenty of common household items and even kitchen leftovers can be surprisingly effective. For those struggling with dirty mirrors, one surprising item offers a solution for that perfect streak-free finish. It’s something many of us use daily and often discard without a second thought — a used teabag.
The team at BunkBeds.co.uk has shared some top tips for homemade cleaning alternatives, including a nifty trick for mirror cleaning.
Adeel from the company said: “January is a tough time for us all and many of us are waiting for payday, the last thing we want to spend our money on is cleaning products so using these homemade items can help us to save money in the long term but also make our money stretch a little longer over the next few days.
“These homemade solutions can be used throughout your home to keep it clean, and some can even be applied to your clothing or accessories.”
He suggests that a used teabag can be a fantastic way to get your mirrors sparkling at home — and it couldn’t be simpler to use this method.
How to clean mirrors with a tea bag
All you need to do is brew your morning cuppa, then pop the used teabag into another mug with hot water and let it steep for an additional 10 minutes. Pour this leftover liquid into a spray bottle and you’ve got yourself a natural glass and mirror cleaner.
Teabags contain tannins, which can bind to smaller particles effectively removing them from a surface. Tannins also have antimicrobial properties which help kill bacteria and microorganisms, making teabags a fantastic alternative for a glass or mirror cleaner.
If you don’t already have teabags at home, a bumper pack of 240 from Asda costs just £3.20 – making each one work out at just over 1p. However, it’s not just old teabags that can be put to good use around the house.
Cornflour
Cornflour, often found lurking in the back of kitchen cabinets, can be used to polish your wooden furniture. Furniture polish can set you back anywhere from £5 to £15 a bottle depending on the brand, while cornflour can be snapped up from Asda for £1.
To use cornflour on your wooden furniture, mix two tablespoons of cornstarch and one cup of water in a spray bottle and give it a good shake. Then you can spritz it on the furniture and buff off as you would with regular polish.
Lemon
Lemon is also a brilliant all-purpose cleaner – it can be used to clean countertops, chopping boards and your kitchen or bathroom taps. The acidity in a lemon can help dissolve grease and kill any lingering bacteria on your surfaces.
To whip up a lemon cleaner, you’ll need the juice of one lemon, a cup of water and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Pop this concoction into a spray bottle and give your surfaces a good spritz.