Basic Supplies

• Baking soda
• Bon Ami cleanser
• Borax
• Cornstarch
• Lemon juice
• Liquid dish soap
• Vegetable oil
• Salt
• Washing soda
• White vinegar

Alice's Wonder Spray all-purpose cleaner:

1/4 cup white vinegar

2 tsp. borax

3 1/2 cups hot water

20 drops lemon or lavender essential oil

1/3 cup liquid dish soap

In a 32 oz. spray bottle, mix the vinegar, borax, and water thoroughly. Add essential oil if desired. Add dish soap last.

Floor Cleaner

1/8 cup liquid soap

1/3 to 1/2 cup white vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 cup herb tea (Peppermint has antibacterial qualities.)

Combine ingredients in pail with 3 gallons of warm water. Swirl until it is sudsy. Rinse with 1 cup of vinegar in 3 gallons of cool water.

Wood floor cleaner

Use 1/2 cup vinegar per gallon of water. Wipe dry.

Carpet spot remover

Blot immediately. Sprinkle with baking soda, cornstarch, or borax and let dry. Wash with club soda and vacuum.

Wood cleaner

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon liquid soap

a few drops olive oil

Combine the ingredients in a bowl, saturate a sponge with the mixture, squeeze out the excess, and wash surfaces. The smell of vinegar will dissipate in a few hours.

Furniture Polish

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice

Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe onto wood surfaces.

Window Cleaner

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent

2 cups water

 Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle, and shake to blend.

Oven Cleaner

1 cup or more baking soda

a swuirt or two of liquid soap

Sprinkle water generously over bottom of oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda so surface is totally white. Sprinkle more water over the top. Let sit overnight. Wipe up the grease the next morning; then with a bit of liquid soap on a damp sponge, wash remaining residue from the oven.

Soft Scrubber

1/2 cup baking soda

enough liquid soap or detergent, to make frosting-like consistency

5 to 10 drops antibacterial essential oil, such as lavender (optional)

Place baking soda in bowl; slowly pour in liquid soap, stirring continually. Add essential oil. Scoop mixture onto sponge, wash surface, and rinse.

Rust remover for sinks and tubs

Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the rust, squeeze a lime over the salt until it is nicely soaked in lime juice. Leave the mixture on for two or three hours. Use the leftover rind as a handy scrubber. Rust is gone.

Unclog drains

Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda in and around the drain opening. Follow with a cup of white vinegar. Repeat if needed and finally flush with very hot water.

Toilet bowl cleaner

1 cup borax

1/2 cup white vinegar

Pour into bowl and let sit for several hours or overnight. Use brush if necessary.

Bacteria, mold, and germs

A straight 5% solution of vinegar - such as you buy in the supermarket - kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of germs. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar in your kitchen and in your bathrooms.

Basin, tub, and tile cleaner

1/4 cup baking soda

1/2 cup white vinegar

Combine and use with soft cloth for cleaning.

What is washing soda and where can I find it?

Washing soda is not the same as baking soda. Washing soda SHOULD NOT be used in place of baking soda. Washing soda is harmful if swallowed. It releases no harmful fumes, and is generally safe. Washing soda can be found on the laundry detergent aisle of your supermarket. It comes in an Arm & Hammer 55-ounce yellow box. If you are having trouble locating this product, ask your local store manager to order it for you, or you can call 1-800-524-1328. The UPC number is 33200-03020 or 033200-030201.

For additional recipes, www.care2.com and www.thegreenguide.com