I was just reading a thread about a foreclosure & the people (gasp) had been washing dishes by hand. I wash dishes by hand about 1/2 the time. The dishwasher is only a convenience because I don't like to dry dishes & don't like to leave them out.
Anyway, tips for cleaning? I'll start:
I've cut back tremendously on how much I spend on cleaning products. Other than laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, and dish soap, I go very generic.
Big bottle of ammonia is only $1. Mixes with water. Enough to make multiple gallons. I don't waste money on windex & crap, because it cleans just as well. If I'm cleaning through a lot of the house, wiping down woodwork, etc., I'll mix it with a gallon of warm water in a bucket. Otherwise, I just use a spray bottle. Newspaper works great on most surfaces, works better than paper towels (which saves about $1 per roll) or cloths because it's lint free.
Orange Glo. Smells nice. People with stainless steel appliances always complain about how hard it is to keep fingerprints off. We used to purchase special stainless steel cleaner. The orange glo works at least as good, if not much better. It also polishes up granite surfaces really well, saving me from getting those special wipes for that. I'm happier with the results.
Anyway, tips for cleaning? I'll start:
I've cut back tremendously on how much I spend on cleaning products. Other than laundry soap, dishwasher detergent, and dish soap, I go very generic.
Big bottle of ammonia is only $1. Mixes with water. Enough to make multiple gallons. I don't waste money on windex & crap, because it cleans just as well. If I'm cleaning through a lot of the house, wiping down woodwork, etc., I'll mix it with a gallon of warm water in a bucket. Otherwise, I just use a spray bottle. Newspaper works great on most surfaces, works better than paper towels (which saves about $1 per roll) or cloths because it's lint free.
Orange Glo. Smells nice. People with stainless steel appliances always complain about how hard it is to keep fingerprints off. We used to purchase special stainless steel cleaner. The orange glo works at least as good, if not much better. It also polishes up granite surfaces really well, saving me from getting those special wipes for that. I'm happier with the results.