Does Making Your Own Cleaning Products Save Money?

*This is a collaborative post on whether making your own cleaning products saves you money

Considering we all (theoretically) clean our homes, cleaning products are something we all buy. Depending on how many you need – and how often – this can add up to quite a big expense.

So, does making your own cleaning products save money? Is the upfront cost of the ingredients worth the investment in the long term? Let’s take a look.

Does making your own cleaning products save money?

The short answer is that yes, making your own cleaning products will generally save you money. However, the longer answer is a bit more complex because you have to weigh up a few factors.

First, adjust the question slightly. Ask yourself, “Is making my own cleaning products worth it to me?” Note that this is less about the financial cost and more about the time and effort commitment it can take. While buying a bulk bottle of white vinegar is great for a lot of cleaning tasks, do you really want to start making your own dish soap?

For many, the answer will be no. You’ll need to buy some sort of foaming agent, essential oils, and a few other ingredients. Then you’ll need somewhere to store all the extra ingredients where they won’t spoil.

There are some benefits to making your own cleaning products that go beyond saving money. These include:

It can be fun

Making your own bars of soap or other cleaning products can be fun. Provided the ingredients are safe, you can get the kids involved, too. You can also get pretty creative with colours, scents, and more.

You can choose the ingredients

Making your own cleaning products allows you to choose the ingredients. This can be helpful if you have an allergy or other requirement that prevents you from using commercial products.

For example, some people are sensitive to sodium lauryl sulphate, a common foaming agent. They may find it easier to make their own SLS-free products rather than searching around for a potentially expensive alternative.

Knowing when to buy and when to make

If you’re interested in making your own cleaning products to save money, the first step should be to do a cost analysis. You should already know the general cost of the products you buy, so weigh this up against bulk buying ingredients. Remember the following:

•   You might need the up-front cost of bottles, storage containers, etc.
•   Zero-waste shops can be a great place to get vinegar, bicarb, etc.
•   Buying large quantities of ingredients can seem expensive, but try to figure out how long each will last you (it could be months)

It’s worth thinking about more complex ingredients that you might need, too. For example, washing up liquid recipes often involve one or more types of soap. By this point, you might as well have bought a bulk bottle of normal washing up liquid!

On the other hand, some homemade products are a no-brainer. Perhaps the best example is glass cleaner. Most store-bought products use a vinegar base because this is one of the most effective products. So, “make” your own by buying white vinegar in bulk!

Knowing when not to cut corners

As mentioned, you should think about the time and effort commitment to homemade cleaning products. Let’s look at shower cleaners to illustrate this. The homemade product will likely contain an abrasive, such as bicarb, and maybe a limescale remover, such as citric acid.

While this’ll be pretty cheap to make, it’ll take a lot more effort to clean the shower than most bought products. These usually contain ingredients designed to break down grime quickly and efficiently, meaning you can just rinse them off. In this instance, the store-bought product wins.

Equally, you shouldn’t look to compromise on products related to food safety and hygiene. Toilet bleach and anti-bacterial spray are good examples of this. While vinegar can kill bacteria, it won’t be as effective as a bottle of Dettol, for example.

When to make your own cleaning products

So, what’s the answer to whether you should make your own cleaning products to save money? In short, go for it, but think about the bigger picture. It makes sense for glass cleaner, odour eliminator, and so on, but is less worthwhile for, say, cleaning a toilet.

You should also think about buying products in bulk if your objective is to save money. Along with zero-waste shops, companies that sell water-free products are often much cheaper. The bottom line is that flexibility and planning are key to saving money here, but if you need some extra help and are willing to spend money, then you can look for cleaners East London.