DIY

One of the best ways to cut costs without giving up quality (or improving quality) is to do it yourself or DIY. From making your own high quality, effective cleaning products to making a deadringer copycat homemade version of Heintz Ketchup (yes really) all things DIY is a huge fan favorite here at Everyday Cheapskate!

garden seed starting table scape succulents tools gardener gardening hacks

23 Genius Gardening Hacks I Wish I’d Known Sooner, Approved by Experts

So, gardening on a budget. That may sound like an oxymoron—either you garden, or you live on a budget. But
dawn powerwash spray

Dawn Platinum Powerwash Spray Recipe: How to Make the Ultimate Dish Cleaner

After a good deal of testing, sniffing, researching, questioning, and snooping, here it is—a copycat recipe for Dawn Platinum Powerwash

The Handmade Gift You’d Actually Love to Receive

If you’ve never made holiday gifts, that’s going to change right here. And if you’re already the Michael Phelps of
homemade wasp trap from empty plastic bottle hanging in a tree

DIY Wasp Trap That Really Works and More Great Reader Tips

Are you aware that your health insurance may cover the cost of gym membership? Or that everything you need to
coffee make in counter in a kitchen to show how to clean a coffee maker with citric acid

How to Clean a Coffee Maker and How Often You Should

Performing a deep-clean on a coffee maker is important to extend its useful life and ensure you’re brewing the best-tasting

Make It Yourself: Mrs. Dash Salt-Free Original Blend Seasoning

With this copycat recipe and a strategic collection of spices, you'll be all set to clone Mrs. Dash Original Salt-Free
cleaning window with spray

Once You Use Alvin Corn DIY Glass Cleaner You Will Never Look Back

Alvin Corn is a homemade multi-purpose cleaner that cleans glass, mirrors, and lots more. Its funky name refers to its
citric acid in a bowl with lemons in background on white table.

15 Ways to Use Citric Acid to Clean, Descale, and Restore Just About Anything

For several months running, I was on a tear to discover all I could about citric acid. What I've learned,
white bar soap with soap dish on white background

17 Surprising Ways a Bar of Soap Can Make Your Life Easier

If you're a fan of liquid soap for handwashing and prefer to use body wash in the tub and shower,
Jar and bowl with corn starch on table

Amazing Ways to Use Cornstarch Around the House to Save Time and Money

Cornstarch is a low-cost, readily available, humble miracle found in the baking aisle of just about every supermarket and grocery
ketchup with french fries on wood tray

Recipes for “Heinz” Ketchup and Other Favorite Grocery Items

Chances are good you've noticed the price of ordinary grocery items beginning to soar. The Wall Street Journal is reporting these
salad spinners

How to Achieve Perfectly Dry Lettuce Without a Salad Spinner

I used to have a salad spinner. It worked OK, but not as well as the currently popular OXO model.
Dark hardwood flooring in modern living room

How to Clean Wood Floors to Keep Them Looking Beautiful

Of all the choices in home flooring, wood stands out for many as the most beautiful. Add to that, wood
A cup of Pumpkin Spice Latte

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Latte—Cheaper, Better, Faster!

Originally created by Starbucks, Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) has developed a cult following. It is so popular, PSL even has its

Homemade Carpet Shampoo

This is a homemade cleaning solution to be used in your Hoover SteamVac or other carpet cleaning machine.
Woman cleaning refrigerator

Homemade Stainless Steel Cleaner

You can skip the store-bought stainless steel cleaners, and make your own highly effective cleaner and polish using items you
shiny granite counter top

Homemade Granite Cleaner

Here is my Homemade Granite Cleaner that will not stain nor is it acidic so it will not damage the
In-n-Out Burger with fries in the background

How to Make In-N-Out Style Cheeseburgers—Cheaper, Better, Faster!

It happens all the time. Someone asks me if I miss living in California, a question I find truly appropriate.

How to Regrow Scallions and Other Vegetables from Scraps

At our house, we're getting much better with storing and using up produce. In fact, we've all but completely stopped
Professional plumber repairing a broken washing machine, the customer is looking at him, repair service concept

Appliance Maintenance You Can Do Yourself to Prevent Disaster and Save Money

It was Christmas Eve. Everything was ready, our overnight company would arrive in a matter of hours. I opened the
hand cleaning car interior

How to Detail Car Interior Using These Homemade Cleaners

Remember that pristine, fresh, clean feeling of slipping behind the wheel of your new car? Cleaning the interior of your car
Stainless steel kitchen faucet and sink. Modern kitchen interior

An Excellent Natural Homemade Stainless Steel Cleaner

Stainless steel has become a popular choice in kitchen appliances, counters, sinks, and other household fixtures for its longevity and
dishwasher detergent

Surprising Other Uses for Automatic Dishwasher Detergent

It's no secret that dishwasher detergents are specifically formulated to be used in automatic dishwashers. What may surprise you is
Flower market with various multicolored fresh flowers

How to Persuade Cut Flowers to Stay Fresh and Beautiful Twice as Long

Whether they come from your garden, the market, or florist, you can persuade cut flowers to remain beautiful for weeks
ceiling fan white hot day cool inside

How to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer—On a Budget!

Are you dreading the heat of summer? Relax while you consider these ingenious solutions to keep your house comfortable without
kitchen hack uses two glasses of water to test if eggs are rotten or fresh

31 More Kitchen Hacks You’ll Wish You’d Known Sooner

Here is a wonderfully creative collection of tips that spotlight my readers' resourcefulness and intelligence in the kitchen and pantry.

DIY Ketchup Just Like Heinz

Heinz Ketchup is about as common a product as any in the Hunt refrigerator. We love it. We've tried other

You’ll Want to Make a Batch of This Effective DIY Upholstery Cleaner

While we have lots of DIY cleaner recipes in our EC arsenal, a good quality, a good reliable upholstery cleaner
a-man-shovelling-snow-in-winter-

Homemade Ice Melt Recipes for Steps, Walkways, Windshields, Locks

Got ice and snow on top of super cold temperatures this winter? At least one of these recipes for Homemade
Christmas DIY $10

10 Best Homemade Gifts Under $10

This is so much fun, no specific skills required. All of these ideas are super doable. More than that? You
female hand in yellow rubber glove holding spray bottle of homemade cleaning solution

5 Essential Cleaner Recipes That Use the Power of Rubbing Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol, commonly known as rubbing alcohol, is extremely useful around the house because it acts as both a solvent
laundry day with clean clothes on hanging rack and dryer in the background

Two Easy Recipes for Wrinkle Release Anti-Static Spray—Cheap, Easy

Unlike myself, not everyone I know loves to iron. I guess I’m crazy that way. There’s just something soothing, calming
Homemade Bisquick biscuits with freezer jam

How to Make Copycat Bisquick Cheaper, Better, Faster!

This is a copycat recipe for Bisquick, but even better than Bisquick, because it includes dry milk, which means that
swiffer wetjet collage

How to Make WetJet Multi-Surface Solution Refills for Pennies

If you own a Swiffer WetJet Spray Mop, chances are you absolutely love it. But let me guess: You're not
Body Scrub and Coconut oil

5 DIY Body Scrubs to Keep Your Skin Vibrant and Healthy

Skincare professionals out there recommends exfoliating to keep our skin looking vibrant and healthy. While there are plenty of pricey
A sandwich sitting on top of a table

How to Make Flour Tortillas—Scrumptiously Delicious and Super Cheap!

Once upon a time, there was a restaurant located in Fountain Valley, Calif. Mañanas’ claim to fame—fresh, hot, homemade flour
Image and Cleaning

How to Make Disinfecting Wipes

To prevent the transmission of the virus, pandemic experts are saying that we must ensure that our hands are free
burglar

Best Inexpensive Home Security System

Several months ago, we had a serious home security wake-up call with the news of a home invasion in our
clean white tile shower water running

How to Make No-Rinse Daily Shower Cleaner—Cheaper Better Faster

The only thing better than making my own cleaning products is when what I make turns out to be cheaper,
sugru moldable silicone clay

7 Cheap Gadgets That Make Life Easy—Fun, Too

I am nothing if not a cheap gadget lover. Ingenious items that make my life easier are great, but when
laundry vignette

6 Ways to Make Safe, Problem-Free, Homemade Fabric Softener, Dryer Sheets

Fabric softeners are designed to reduce static and make laundry come out feeling soft and smelling great. But they can
A pair of glasses on a table

This Homemade Silver Cleaner Removes Tarnish Like Magic

There's no shortage of commercial silver cleaning products on the market these days. Those that I've tested generally do the
A person smiling for the camera

Finally the Mystery of Hair Conditioners Solved

Hair conditioners fall into general categories according to what they do and the problems they solve. Using the wrong product for
ants building a house

15 Ways to Get Rid of Ants Quick and Easy Using Ordinary Stuff In Your Pantry

Despite how fascinating ants may be, control and management around the home are important for both health and safety reasons.
A cup of coffee on a table

6 Awesome Gifts of Summer to Make Now for Christmas

Even if you didn’t have an abundant garden this year, don’t worry. You can still make these beautiful gifts of
ingredients for natural cleaners

14 Best Homemade Cleaners That Really Work

Items in your pantry like baking soda, vinegar, cream of tartar, lemon juice, and even tea bags, can work as
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4 Easy Ways to Fix Surface Scratches on Glass

Our homes are well accessorized with glass from windowpanes to shower doors, tabletops, and glassware. While glass is both beautiful
A woman sitting on a table

How to Make Homemade Natural Furniture Polish and Get Rid of White Rings

Some time ago, I got a request from EC reader Kelly for a homemade furniture polish recipe. She said that
A person in a kitchen

How to Clean Gunk and Grime from Kitchen Cabinets

Got grimy kitchen cabinets? Don't think you're the only one. Unfortunately, wood cabinets—painted or natural with a clear finish—are prone to all
cleaning products in a bucket on white table

Favorite Household Cleaners You Can Make for Just Pennies

Knowing how to make cleaning products for pennies rather than spending dollars for them at the store just makes me
sink drain unclogged with clear water running freely

6 Ways to Unclog a Drain Without Using Caustic Chemicals

A plugged-up sink, shower, or tub drain sends most people running for either a bottle of caustic drain cleaner or
spa day at home mother daughter manicure hot rollers on couch

DIY Spa Day at Home: 6 Easy Treatments to Pamper Yourself

If you don’t happen to have an extra hundred bucks to enjoy a day at the spa, don’t sweat it.

DIY PooPourri Spray Makes Sure You Always Leave a Fragrance

I have something really fun to share with you today about fragrance, but first a story. About my friend, Herta.
Recipe for Grout cleaner

5 Homemade Cleaners that Perform Better Than Expensive Brands

Why bother? Why go to the trouble of homemade cleaners when buying commercial products is so much easier? Here are
A person holding a baby

How to Clean and Restore Carpet Even if It’s Old, Stained, and Disgusting

If you hate your carpet because it's old, stained, and bordering on disgusting, I have great news. There are steps

How to Use Castile Soap to Make Natural Cleaning Products

From time to time, I hear from readers who have sensitivities or allergies to our beloved Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid.
young casual woman with paint roller sitting on floor and looking at half yellow painted wall

Redecorate on a Dime

Changing your environment can greatly improve your outlook. And it doesn't have to cost a fortune. The key to great
cleaning supplies: cleaning spray bottle with plastic dispenser, protective gloves, sponge

14 Ways to Use Cheap Rubbing Alcohol Around the House and Garage

Rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol is more than a medicinal cooling and soothing liquid for external application. Pour it into a good spray
boxes of cake mix on marble counter for cake mix hacks recipes

3 Sneaky Ways to Hack a Cake Mix So No One Has a Clue It’s Not From Scratch

When cake mixes are on sale, I load up. And that's a good deal provided you like the taste of
spring cleaning creative bright concept. tools, bottles, flowers, chalkboard with words hello spring

The Best Spring Cleaning Products & Tools to Make Your Home Shine

There's an illness that has been documented by poets for centuries and I’ve got it. It's Spring Fever, that wonderfully
copycat collage 1

Most Requested Copycat Recipes

Here for your mixing pleasure are the four copycat recipes most frequently requested by Everyday Cheapskate fans and followers. Whether you
A close up of a egg

How to Make Wool Dryer Balls

Whenever I write about the benefits of using wool dryer balls in place of laundry softeners, I get a few
Roasted steaming coffee beans

How to Roast Coffee at Home to Save Money and Enjoy Really Great Coffee

It all started about 10 years when I had a conversation with Dax Wilson, who’d recently taken up this hobby
dirty pan to clean pan

How to Conquer Burned-On Oven Crud

I don’t know how else to describe what happens to beautiful sheet pans once they take up residence in my
Cup of Coffee and Pouring Creamer

Make it Better Yourself: Homemade Coffee Creamer

Cream. It's coffee's perfect mate. And when that creamer comes flavored in a handy bottle from the dairy case, even more perfect, right? Oh,
washing soda borax on white laundry

Help! I Get Clumps of Crystals in My Homemade Laundry Detergent

Several times over the past years, I have wished with all my heart I could call Mr. Migaki, my favorite
edible garden growing in burlap bags.

How to Grow An Edible Garden Just About Anywhere

Even if you don't have time to tend a full-size garden; even if you don't have time or resources to
washing soda sitting on a wood table

11 Ways to Use Super Washing Soda to Make Your Life Easier

Washing soda and I go way back. I've been using it as a laundry detergent booster for decades. For years,

The Original Homemade DIY Tub Tile Shower Cleaner (30 Years and Counting!)

Quite possibly one of the best tips to ever land in my mailbox came from a guy who is a
Ugly, grimy, black lines on carpet that are from filtration soil

How to Clean the Dirty Edges of Carpet

My Dear Readers ... Dark, shadowy, dirty lines on the carpet along baseboards, under doors and draperies, along the edges,
collage showing bedbugs in bed on sheets and mattress

Bedbugs: How to DIY to Get Them Out and Stay Out Naturally

Got crawling insects like centipedes, spiders, bedbugs, ants, silverfish, cockroaches, fleas and all other creepy crawlies trying to take over
bowl of cilantro lime rice

Cilantro-Lime Rice Just Like Your Favorite Restaurants

I have no idea why on the one hand I seriously do not care for cilantro but on the other
DIY muffin liner homemade tulip baking lavender cutting board shadows

DIY Tulip Muffin Liners: A Genius Hack for Perfect Muffins Every Time

I'm about to give away all my secrets for how to make muffins that are so great your friends and family will
clean outdoor windows in minimal modern living room

How to Get Outdoor Windows Sparkling Clean—Cheaper, Better, Faster!

You can pay a fortune to have your outdoor windows washed professionally, or let me teach you how to do
blue cheese wedge salad with salad dressing tomatoes bacon crumbles

17 Quick and Easy Recipes Homemade Salad Dressing From Scratch

Let me show you how to make 16 of the BEST homemade salad dressings you can imagine—from scratch! Chances are

Our Top 5 Favorite Homemade Cleaners (Cheap, Easy to Make!)

If there’s one place you can really cut household spending, it’s cleaning products. The cost of most home cleaning products

Three Generic Cleaners Same as Brand Names but Cheaper

Most people are well familiar with the term “generic” when it comes to medications, a term referring to any drug

How to Remove Years of Kitchen Cabinet Grit and Grime

When did you last look at your kitchen cabinets? Not a passing glance, but an up-close visual study—paying particular attention
Washing machine

How to Wash a Down Comforter

If you’ve ever wondered if it's okay to wash your down comforter instead of taking it to the dry cleaners,
A close up of a rock

Hands Down the Best Way to Kill Weeds and It’s Not Roundup

If you think there’s no way a DIY homemade weed killer could possibly be effective, even potent, against weeds, think
Summer drinks with blur beach on background

These Fabulous Frozen Summer Treats are Cool—and Cheap!

In these sizzling days of summer, it’s tempting to load up the freezer with pricey frozen treats. Or to duck
an air conditioning unit in a window, viewed from exterior

Window Air Conditioner: How to Fix It, Clean It, and Make it Like New

The heat of summer is giving millions of window-mounted air conditioners a real workout. Undoubtedly, many owners of said units
soft spreadable butter on brown bread

How to Make Soft Spreadable Butter

You’ve seen the little tubs of “spreadable butter” in the dairy case of your supermarket. In fact, you may purchase
A sandwich sitting on top of a table

Bake Bread to Cut Food Costs and Soothe Your Soul

Fifteen years ago, I became a bread maker. I read a book, gave it a try and found immediate success.
cleaning products in a bucket in the bathroom

Know Your Cleaning Products to Protect Your Health and Wealth!

Two women, different locations, same accident. Both, while using an ordinary commercial toilet bowl cleaner, were not satisfied with the way