You can spend your time at the grocery store reading dozens of ingredients on labels, trying to decipher the threat of words like butyl cellosolve, or you can take matters into your own hands and concoct your own earth-friendly cleaning products at home. That’s what many eco-diehards do. It’s also what women did back in the day, long before mass-produced household cleaners hit the grocery shelves.

• White vinegar is an amazing, natural all-purpose cleaner. It kills mold, bacteria and germs without the harsh chemicals. You can use it as needed to clean just about anything, from counters, tile and toilets to appliances and chrome. There are more than 1,001 uses for vinegar in the home, and it’s even a home remedy for minor ailments.
• Lemon juice is great for combating soap scum and hard water deposits. It can also get brass and copper shiny and new-looking again. One trick is to grind up lemon peels in your garbage disposal after use — your kitchen will smell delicious afterward.
• Baking soda has a mildly abrasive quality that’s perfect for scouring dirty dishes, pots, sinks and tubs. Try it as a deodorizer in your refrigerator or run it down a slow-running drain with hot water to get it moving again.
• Borax is a chemical that occurs naturally and can handle a variety of jobs: laundry, deodorizing, cleaning carpets, killing mold and mildew and exterminating insects.