Let's talk money - cleaning stuff and toiletries

Loosely, anything we can buy at PnP is classified as groceries so things we don't get there and get at Clicks/ Dischem are:

1. our prescriptions
2. some vitamins
3. make-up, etc.

Again, if PnP stocks it, we get it there for three reasons: 1) we don't like the schlep of multiple stores  2) it often costs you more (your time is worth more than paying R1-2 more at PnP, and the inevitable things that land in your trolley from going to Clicks)  and 3) Vitality points are higher at PnP than at Clicks!

(still I get about R360 in Clicks club card points every 3 months so we still shop there quite a bit! note to self - stop buying nail polish!!!)

Right, so onto the cleaning stuff.

I am a marketer's dream. I could walk down that cleaning aisle (and often do, which is why this month I'm doing online shopping to keep me out of the shops!) and buy everything just to try out new products.

I LOVE A CLEAN HOUSE!!!!

Here are the things we do buy:

1. toilet rolls (obviously)
2. the stuff in the photo (except the Mr Muscle and the Handy Andy bottle - I'm working through my "stash" of cleaning things). As you can see, D is obsessed with killing insects :)
3. bleach
4. toilet cleaner - the gel
5. washing powder
6. white vinegar
7. stuff in the photos below

TIPS!

1. I buy one Mr Muscle kitchen cleaner that lasts us forever because I dilute it 1 part: 3 parts water... and yes, it's still strong enough to do its thing on my kitchen counters. My current one is from Oct and we still have to use the last bit in the original bottle.
2. I use white vinegar instead of fabric softener. No, it doesn't make your clothes smell. Your clothes just smell... clean. I use 1/4 cup per load. I haven't made washing powder yet and that's only because I wouldn't know where to buy borax (remember, if PnP doesn't stock it, it mostly doesn't exist for me *the shame*). I'm not fussy with washing powder because I haven't seen a marked difference in results, so I take the PnP brand. Maybe the vinegar makes a difference here?
3. I use these things. My goal is to transition to just a few essential cleaning products so I don't need a bathroom cleaner, shower cleaner, kitchen cleaner, etc.

 

You use just 5 ml in a 750 ml bottle of water. Shake it all up and go clean.
 

We've been using this stuff over a year and my original bottles are still mostly full. They cost about R75 initially (for both) but look how long they last.

(it's also kid-friendly and kind to the environment, etc, etc. if you're concerned about those kinds of things. I am slightly hippy so I am)

Initially I bought these things at work because we were still having toilet training accidents and have I told you I'm obsessed with clean bathrooms?! 

Now I see PnP sells them too so all is good with the world.

The fabric and carpet cleaner I use for the sweat marks on my t-shirts (I know none of you have those!) and other fabric stains before we need to do laundry.

And that's it.

I know that we save a lot of money with this kind of thing.

Years ago I used to buy Handy Andy (the white liquid), the gel for bathrooms, stuff for our clothes, stuff for the carpets, stuff for the windows, etc, etc. Now I have TWO bottles to take care of it all.

Once I finish those two on the top.

I will still have separate toilet cleaner (see clean bathroom obsession above) but that's the aim.

Any shocks?
Any tips you can share with me?
How much do you spend on cleaning stuff in a month?

(I don't know how much we spend but probably if I had to average it out, I'd say R150 a month. We go through a bag of 9 toilet rolls for the kids' bathroom once a month and another bag of 9 rolls in our bathroom once every 6 weeks. It will change now I'm home probably to also once a month)