New season, fresh start. Right? Not without a little elbow grease, friends. As the last signs of winter begin to fade, and the sun starts shining—so you see how deep the grime actually goes—doling out cash for a cleaning service may be tempting, but cost-conscious it is not. Here are some tips to help you get clean without breaking your budget.

Consider Your Options

While you can certainly opt to stock up on store-bought cleaning products, you can save cash by using homemade and repurposed cleaning products—like white distilled vinegar, baking soda and old cloth rags. Even newspapers can be recycled to clean windows and mirrors—for a streak-free shine. These are inexpensive, safe and environmentally friendly.

Vinegar cleans, sanitizes and kills most bacteria, germs and mold, while baking soda scrubs and shines and can be used to remove stains, buff surfaces and deodorize. Baking soda even removes wax crayon marks and eliminates pet stains and odors.

If you do opt for store-bought products, consider buying in bulk from a warehouse store like Costco or Sam’s Club. Make sure to skip name brands in favor of less expensive store brand options—and always browse the local paper or store websites for coupons before you head to the store.