Buying Cleaning products to stock your home can be expensive, especially if you splurge on brand names. Whether you’re buying items to stock a new home or are simply replacing the ones you’ve already used up, here are some budget-friendly ways to save money while still keeping your house clean.

1. Go Paper Free

You’ve probably got a ton of paper in your kitchen, not counting printed recipes. Paper towels, napkins and plates are convenient if you’re having a party, but they’re a money sink otherwise. Make your home paper-free wherever possible. Use towels to dry your dishes and rags for cleaning instead of paper towels. These are one-time investments. When they get dirty, you can toss them in the washer and they’ll be as good as new.

When your dish towels start to get tattered, downgrade them to dust rags — no muss, no fuss and plenty of money saved.

2. Make Your Own Detergent

Liquid laundry detergent is more popular than powder, but it’s also more expensive. You can make a batch of laundry detergent for a fraction of the cost of the premade stuff. All you need is washing soda, borax and a bar of soap. Then, just toss in between two tablespoons to 1/4 cup of detergent into the washer with your clothes.

3. Head to the Kitchen

You probably already have a lot of Cleaning Products in your kitchen, and you might not even know it. Items in your pantry and fridge can help your home sparkle. You can make a fantastic-smelling cleaning spray with nothing more than vinegar and orange peels. If you end up with gum in the carpet, you can clean it out with a hairdryer and peanut butter.

You can even polish silver and brass with ketchup. Scrub out your sink or the top of your stove with half an orange sprinkled with salt. The possibilities are endless.

4. Skip the Brand Name

We all know the cleaning product brand names, like Clorox for bleach or Lysol for antibacterial spray. These companies put thousands of dollars every year into marketing so you’ll be sure to recognize them, but they aren’t necessarily any better than the store brand cleaning products. Skip the big names when you’re shopping and save a ton of money. You’ll still get to enjoy a clean home without breaking the bank.

5. Coupon Correctly

The best thing you can do to save money on cleaning is learning how to coupon. There’s more to it than just cutting them out from the Sunday paper. First, learn your favorite store’s policy. Do they accept competitors’ offers? Can you double-coupon? Do they have sales you can pair them with to save even more money? Learning how to do this can save you tons of money — if you do it right, you could even have the store paying you for cleaning supplies.

Shop Smart and Save Some Green

You’ll always need cleaning products, but that doesn’t mean you need to pay through the nose to get them. Skip the brand names, use what you already have in your kitchen and learn how to coupon and you’ll save plenty of money in the long run.

Scott Huntington is a writer from central Pennsylvania. He enjoys working on his home and garden with his wife and 2 kids. Follow him on Twitter @SMHuntington