When trying to make sure that the cleaning products you use are not negatively impacting your family's (including pets) health, making your own cleaning products may be the safest and least expensive option. The following recipes serve as suggestions for homemade cleaning products. Mix and match preferred ingredients and double or triple the recipes to suit your individual cleaning needs. Store them in plastic spray bottles or, better yet, empty glass jars. Mix them well, label them, and keep them out of children’s reach. Lastly, exercise caution when trying a new homemade product for the first time; try testing it out in a small area first before cleaning your house top-to-bottom with it. 

• All-purpose cleaner - mix 1/2 gallon of water with 1/4 cup baking soda (or one tsp of Borax), lemon juice or 1/2 cup vinegar, and possibly soap. Store and use for removing water deposit stains in bathroom surfaces and on windows.

• Glass cleaner - mix 2 tsp white vinegar with 1 liter of warm water. Add rubbing alcohol for a streak-free shine.
  

• Shower/tub/sink/stovetop cleaner - for general cleaning, simply sprinkle baking soda on the wet sponge or bathroom surface and scrub; add soap if you wish. For stained, moldy, or mildewed surfaces, scrub first with lemon juice or vinegar (remember that vinegar can break down tile grout over time, so use sparingly).

• Toilet-bowl cleaner - mix 1/4 cup of baking soda and 1 cup vinegar, pour in toilet bowl, and leave it for a few minutes before scrubbing (can help relieve stress about pets drinking out of the toilet). Alternately, use 1 part lemon juice mixed with 3 parts Borax.

• Tile / vinyl, linoleum floor cleaner - mix 1 cup vinegar with 1 gallon of warm water. Add a few tsp of Borax for tougher jobs.
  

• Wood floor cleaner - mix 1 part vinegar or lemon juice with 1 part vegetable oil & apply to floor (at the risk of the room smelling like salad dressing; also remember that vinegar and lemon juice are acidic, so don’t wash hardwood floors too often); another option is to fill a spray bottle with water and add a few drops of unscented liquid soap. For painted wood, mix 1 tsp washing soda with 1 gallon hot water.
  

• Laundry detergent - mix 1 cup soap with 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 Tbsp for smaller, and 2 Tbsp for larger, loads.
  

• Dishwasher soap - mix equal parts washing soda and borax and use in place of commercial detergent. Use more washing soda if your water is hard.
  

• Disinfectant - mix 3 cups of hot water with 3 tsp of Borax and 4 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice. For antibacterial action add tea tree oil, and for more cleansing, add soap. Less, but not non-toxic, rubbing alcohol is another alternative.
  

• Furniture polish - use warm water with a few drops of lemon oil on varnished wood, then dry with a soft cotton cloth. For unfinished wood, mix 1 part olive oil with 1 part lemon juice and apply with soft cotton cloth.
  

• Metal polish - not only are salt and vinegar a tasty combination on French fries and potato chips (which, of course, you should avoid), but they can be used to clean copper, as can a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice. Vinegar alone is great for stainless steel and chrome.
  

• Drain cleaner - for light clogs, add 1/2 cup salt to 4 liters of hot water and pour down the drain. For heavier jobs, directly pour 1/2 cup baking soda, then 1/2 cup vinegar down the drain to create a reaction that will break down some clogs; wait 15 minutes, then pour boiling hot water down the drain to wash away cleansing agents. You can also use 1/2 cup Borax followed by boiling water. It’s important to use these latter two options only in metal pipes, as boiling water can melt plastic tubing. Also, be sure not to try the baking soda / vinegar mixture immediately after using a commercial drain cleaner, or you may risk exposure to toxic fumes. 
  

• Air freshener - rather than chemical sprays or plug-ins, try simmering water with cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peels on the stove. Keep many house plants. Sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of trash cans, and keep small bowls of baking soda or vinegar in corners of the home to absorb odors. Grind small pieces of orange or lemon rind in the garbage disposal.