Manufacturers want to make money. They rely upon consumers, like you and me to purchase those items. So, when you run out, you buy more -right? They also advertise and “recommend” the amount you need to use in order for it to work properly.
However, did you know that you don’t always have to use the amount recommended on packaging or on commercials? There are several products which you can use less and still get the same quality! When you use less, you do not deplete your product as quickly, which means you are not spending as much money. This is a great way to get even more life out of your products! Here are a few ideas:
TOOTHPASTE. When you see this on commercials or in ads, you see an image of a toothbrush filled from end to end with toothpaste. You actually do not need to use that much. Instead, use a small pea sized amount on the end of your toothbrush. Your teeth will get just as clean and you’ll have used 1/4th as much toothpaste, which makes it last that much longer!
LAUNDRY DETERGENT. Many people do not realize that you do not have to fill the cup to the top line to get the most out of your detergent. All that often does is creates more suds, which makes people feel that their clothes are cleaner. You can usually use around 1/2 of the recommended amount for your load and your clothes and they will get just as clean — without all of the suds. When you use too much detergent, you not only waste money, your clothes also often retain additional soap as it can not get completely rinsed.
SHAMPOO. We see the models with the beautiful long, shiney hair fill their hands with shampoo and lather and rinse. That makes many think that is what you will need to do in order to have your hair look just as sleek. You need no more than a quarter sized amount (less if your hair is shorter). If you have too much shampoo, you will have extra foam, which can make it counterproductive to being able to thoroughly wash your hair.
DRYER SHEETS. You can re-use a dryer sheet for more than one load. If you do 10 loads a week, that is 5 sheets rather than 10 and that can quickly add up to huge savings during the course of a year.
DISHWASHING DETERGENT. There is no need to fill the cup up the top of the dispenser. You can usually just use 2 – 3 teaspoons and that will often be enough to get your dishes sparkling clean. Of course, if you find your machine is not a effective, you might find you need to use a little more, but in most cases, that is enough to get the job done.
DISHWASHING LIQUID. If you do your dishes “old school” and wash them by hand. You can often use about 1 – 2 teaspoons of soap is enough to get your dishes clean. It might take a little trial and error (depending upon the brand you use), but try to use less and see if your dishes don’t come out just as clean!