The Thrift Store Find You Should Be Nabbing For Your Cleaning Chores

Got rags? If you don't, then you should head to the thrift store. Don't waste money on new cloth rags when you can find them for cheap! The thrift store is the first place to look for budget-friendly cleaning supplies. The store may not have cloth rags, but it should have a plethora of goods that you can repurpose into cleaning rags. Pillowcases, old bedsheets, and shirts are superb if they're in good shape. If they're not, you can use the materials as sewing scraps to make new rags. You'll save money when repurposing these household items. Better yet, you'll prevent excess waste by not buying new materials when there are plenty available already.

You may already have these extra scraps, like old towels. Cutting up your towels into small cloths is but one of many useful ways to repurpose old towels for cleaning. If you're out of scraps, check your local thrift store for any section with fabrics. If there aren't any bedsheets, pillowcases, or towels available, simply head to the clothing aisles to find cotton t-shirts. When this fails, scour the section with window curtains to find lightweight materials. While perusing, look for decorative fabrics if you'd like your cleaning supplies to pop with designs or color. Is your kitchen lemon-themed, or full of apples? You may be able to find fabrics with bright fruits on them.

At the secondhand store, search for fabrics made with 100% cotton. They'll absorb spills more quickly than synthetic materials, and they biodegrade naturally, unlike synthetic fibers. Synthetic fibers are less absorbent, pushing liquids over your counters and floors instead of wicking them up. Leave them on the shelf and opt for cotton, linen, and other plant-based fabrics, like bamboo, hemp, or cellulose, if you can find them.

Before putting those cheap cloths to use, wash them in your washer or hand-wash them in the sink. Who knows where they were before this! A wash cycle will remove any dirt or debris from previous owners. If you have one, try using a salad spinner to easily hand-wash your laundry. Then, arrange them throughout your house according to the rooms' themes. Or, just keep a box full of them in case of spills and messes. Storing them is a better option if they're ugly or have simple colors and you don't want them on display.

After repeated use, cotton inevitably breaks down and begins to fray. The beauty of cotton is that it's an organic material that decomposes readily. You may compost the rags when you're through with them, or bury them underground and let them break down naturally. Alternatively, breathe new life into your well-loved dish rags with a handy kitchen ingredient.