What used to be more of an afterthought and simply wrapped into your weekly or monthly grocery expenses has now started to eat up a bigger piece of your budget—cleaning supplies costs. As of September 2020, American spending on cleaning, safety and wellness products increased 34% since pre-COVID spending in February 2020. Keep reading to learn more about the costs of cleaning products and how to budget accordingly.
How much should I spend on cleaning products?
The amount you spend on cleaning supplies depends on your lifestyle. For those with kids or pets, you’ll need to clean more often than those without pets or kids (plus, pets often bring with them additional cleaning-related expenses, such as more frequent carpet shampooing and scrubbing muddy pawprints off the hard floors). Additionally, those who travel often will have less mess to clean on a weekly basis. The size of your household also impacts your budget for cleaning products, with more laundry, dishes and overall dirt and dust tracked through the house with more people.
According a 2020 Statista survey, the average American spends $170.28 per year (so multiply that number by the number of people in your house). For example, if you have six people in your family, you can expect to spend roughly $680 on cleaning products.
What is the average cost of cleaning supplies?
The cost of cleaning supplies (as of February 2022) includes some common items such as:
- Laundry detergent (Average cost of 21 cents per load)
- Dishwasher detergent/dish soap/sponges (anywhere from 4 to 18 cents per load)
- Cleaning sprays (the average bottle costs roughly $4)
- Toilet bowl cleaner (also around $4 a bottle)
- Dusting supplies ($5-$15 for a duster and $3.50+ for dusting spray)
- Floor cleaner/mops ($5+ for cleaner and $10+ for mops)
- Stove/oven cleaner ($3 to $15)
- Glass cleaner ($3.50 to $8.50 per bottle or can of spray)
- Paper towels/cleaning rags ($8.50 for a six pack of paper towels or $10 for a 12-pack of reusable rags)
How much should you budget for household cleaning supplies?
This number will vary from person to person and family to family, but an average American family of four can expect to pay at least $680 a year for cleaning products. You can add $57 a month to your grocery budget or make a separate line for cleaning supplies. Alternatively, you can also look through the last three or four months of receipts to see how much you actually spent to get a closer estimate for what you should plan for.
How can I cut my spending expenses on cleaning products?
After you evaluate your spending on cleaning products for the last several months, check for any outliers. Are there any events (like birthday parties or other gatherings) or home improvement projects that led to increased cleaning needs? After you’ve taken out any non-regular cleaning supplies spending, you will have a better idea of what you typically spend on cleaning products in a month. If you have certain products you know you will need, consider watching couponing and sales sites to see when your go-to products are on sale and buy in bulk. Another tip is to check your supply closet and make a list before you head to the store to avoid buying things you don’t need (and forgetting the supplies you’re out of).
Check out our Family Finances blog posts for more tips on managing your family’s costs.
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