31 Days: Day 23 - I'm Floored!

If this is your first visit I welcome you to my little corner of the world! You might want to start at the introduction of this series. It explains what 31 Days of Change is, and has links to each day's post as they occur. Just click on the 31 Days to Slash Your Budget Painlessly button at the top of my sidebar on the right.

Several years ago we put in laminate wood floors in our kitchen and living room. I later regretted it as every little spot showed. I couldn't use just any old cleaner. The manufacturer specified laminate floor cleaner, or vinegar and water. I tried the latter, but it left water spots, so I had to clean and then wipe dry with a towel on my hands and knees. Just cleaning one room left me tired!

I decided to buy some laminate cleaner. The price varies depending on the brand, but Home Depot carries Zep Hardwood and Laminate floor cleaner, in a 32 oz spray bottle, for $4.98. It worked, but I could easily go through a bottle a month. I decided to try to make my own and found a recipe online. This was several years ago, so I have no idea where it came from.

I loved it! It works very well, is super cheap to make and I use it on all my hard floors now, eliminating the need for other floor cleaners. Here is the recipe:

2 Tablespoons ammonia (not sudsy)
1/2 Cup rubbing alcohol
1/2 teaspoon dish soap
few drops of essential oil for smell (optional)
water

Use a funnel to pour the first 3 ingredients into an empty 32 ounce spray bottle. Add water to fill gently. You don't want to create a lot of suds. Once filled, replace lid and shake to mix. Spray directly on your floor and mop clean. I use a Swiffer mop with my own rags attached.

It costs about .27 Cents to make versus $4.98 for store bought cleaner. Each bottle saves me $4.71. Since I use about 1 bottle a month, I save $56.52/year.

If you are benefiting from this series, I’d love it if you would grab my button from the top of my sidebar. I will be back with another money saving tip tomorrow. I will keep up a running tally of my savings at the bottom of each new post. Just scroll down to the bottom to see. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll be back!

My tally so far:
$2602.52/year
$216.88/month