(More) Cleaning Tools You Are Throwing Away Too Soon

1. Empty Spray bottles

This one may be a no-brainer, but hear me out, because there might be a bit more nuance to this than you think. Did you know that it is best to save certain spray bottles for certain uses? As someone who has been cleaning for about half of his life and has used a multitude of cleaners, I have to say that there is a huge waste when it comes to spray bottles.

It isn't news that it is cost and waste-efficient to buy the concentrated refill containers than it is to buy a new spray bottle. Extra points if you can buy the bundle refill/spray bottle combo and then buy the refills after. One big thing to point out is when it comes to harsh chemicals like bleach you have to use a tougher spray bottle. If you put bleach in a Windex bottle, it won't last long.

A good rule of thumb to use when picking the right spray bottle for bleach is if the original chemical mix had bleach in it. If it does it should be able to withstand bleach use. When it comes to reusing these bottles I buy straight bleach and dilute it with water either 1/4 bleach and the rest water or half and half bleach and water.

For the big money saver though, you have to look towards the big box stores. My store of choice is Sam's Club and they have an amazing deal on concentrated disinfectant priced at only $6.36!

One spray bottle of Lysol disinfectant spray costs roughly $2.75 and it only has a quart of juice in it. This Member's Mark gallon makes 64 GALLONS of disinfectant! For you to buy that much Lysol in individual spray bottles it would cost roughly $704! And 256 bottles wasted!

One last thing on the topic of refill containers is you can also reuse the large concentrate containers when they are empty for liquid waste! Anyone else change your own oil or transmission fluid? Ever need an extra container for the used liquid? These work great!

2. Empty Paper Towel Rolls

So, this one might be more for fun than being actually utilitarian but I can't pass this up because it is so adorable. If you have little ones, this is a fun item on the list for you.

I save a few of these from each job I do and bring them home to the kiddos for craft time. It is so much fun putting things together with this kid and in the end, he gets a new toy!

So, save the paper towel rolls and break out the construction paper! Make sure to get the washable glue and add as many googly eyes as their little hearts desire. Once you have the whole thing together, it's time to take it to the outdoors and see what we can see!

3. Your Washing Machine

Wait, what? No really. There is something you can do to extend the life of your clothes washer. Does your washing machine have a little door on the outside like this?

Inside this door there is a tube and a twist out basket, like this;

There are typically instructions on the inside of the door as to what to do next. First, grab a large bowl and place the end of the tube inside it before pulling the plug out of it. Let the water drain completely before moving on to the next step. This water might be pretty nasty so definitely do not use your favorite bowl!

Once the flow has stopped you can untwist the basket on the right of the tube. Removing the basket will reveal any large debris that the washing machine has accumulated. A quick warning that the basket may be wet and can leak onto your floor when removed. I recommend putting a paper towel down before removing it.

When you have cleaned the basket to your liking, replace it by putting it back in the way it was oriented when it came out and tightening it back down. Put the plug back on the tube and push the excess tube back into the machine before clipping it back to its holder and closing the door.

Click here for a video I made of cleaning my customer's washing machine filter!

Thank you for reading! For my last cleaning-related article click here!