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Cloth diapers Once the babies are out of these, save them and use them to clean with. You already know that they are absorbent, so use them to clean up any surface, with your homemade all purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, or use them as dusting cloths. Don't have babies? Stock up on cloth diapers at yard sales if you can find them.
Old towels When they are too holey to use in the bathroom, cut them up and use them as washcloths and dishrags. You can edge them with lace if you like, or finish on the sewing machine with a zigzag stitch.
Old socks or t-shirts Use for dusting or dirty jobs (where you can throw them out later), use in place of paper towels.
Mops from socks This wonderful idea comes from the Tightwad Gazette. Make a mop head out of socks for the old clamp-style mops. Stitch toes together and clamp as many pairs in the mop as will fit.
Cleaning apron Jeff Campbell and the Clean Team suggest using a cleaning apron to organize your stuff. You can make one from old jeans or other clothing. Just cut out a big rectangle, finish the edges, then fold width-wise so that ends are uneven and form a pocket. Sew vertical lines to create more pockets. You can also add additional fabric if you want even more pockets. Add loops to hang cleaners and waist ties.
Old toothbrushes use these to clean in those hard to reach areas and small areas
Old windshield wiper you can use this as a squeegee to clean your windows
Newspapers They really do a great job on windows and other hard surfaces!
Dust mops make a cheap dust mop to reach those high places by putting your old socks on the end of an old broomstick
Old milk jugs these make good carryalls if you cut off the top, but leave the handle on; you can also use these as small buckets
Baskets use to carry supplies and organize things. You can also put a basket in each area you clean with the supplies you need for that room. You can have a bathroom cleaning basket, a kitchen basket and a garage basket. This makes the cleaning go faster if you have everything you need in an easy to find place.
Kim Tilley is the mother of three boys, ages 8,5 and 1. She is also a tightwad at heart. Her interests include cooking, crafts, gardening, computers, and saving money! When not typing away at the computer, she entertains herself by chasing kids and finding ways to create something out of nothing!
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