If you gotta clean, clean it right.

List of natural cleaning supplies and mixes that I often use. I did not write all of this but wanted to compile a list so I can do an article on natural cleaning for my MOPs presentations next year.

Basic supplies, many you probably already have in the pantry are:
Baking Soda
Baking soda is made from soda ash and is slightly alkaline (its pH is around 8.1; 7 is neutral). It neutralizes acid-based odors in water and adsorbs odors from the air. Baking soda can be used as a gentle, nonabrasive cleanser for kitchen countertops, sinks, bathtubs, ovens, and fiberglass.
Washing Soda
Similar to baking soda, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is much more strongly alkaline, with a pH around 11. It releases no harmful fumes and is far safer than a commercial solvent formula. Washing soda cuts grease, cleans petroleum oil, removes wax or lipstick, and neutralizes odors in the same way as baking soda. Washing soda is found at some supermarkets in the laundry section. (only Kroger carries it around here)
Vinegar
Vinegar kills bacteria, mold, and germs. It is the opposite of baking and washing soda; it is acidic and therefore neutralizes alkaline or caustic substances. A straight 5 percent solution of vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses).
Soap vs Detergent
Both soaps and detergents are washing compounds that mix with grease and water. Soaps are made of materials found in nature, detergents are synthetic. There is little doubt that soap is better for your health and the environment than detergents. Detergents are very toxic to fish and wildlife. However, washing with soap has a big drawback, in that it reacts with the minerals in water and leaves an insoluble film (ie soap scum). Detergents react less to minerals in water and thus are the product of choice for laundry. You can ensure the least possible damage to the environment by selecting the most biodegradable products. Or you can make you own laundry soap with washing soda.
Mold killers and Tea Tree Oil
There are 3 natural ingredients that kill mold: tea tree oil (can be bought at Walmart), grapefruit seed extract, and vinegar. Vinegar is by far the cheapest. Tea tree oil is more expensive, but it is a broad-spectrum fungicide and kills all the mold families it contacts. Grapefruit seed extract cost more, but has no smell, unlike TTO which has a strong scent.

Now what you can do with these supplies:
Creamy Soft Scrubber
½ cup baking soda
liquid detergent
Pour the baking soda into a bowl and add enough liquid detergent to give the mixture the texture of frosting. Scoop it onto a sponge to wash surfaces. This is the perfect recipe for cleaning the bathtub.
Window Cleaner
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups water
Put all the ingredients in a spray bottle, shake it, and use as you would a commercial brand.
Oven Cleaner
1 cup or more baking soda
water
squirt or two of liquid detergent
Sprinkle water generously over the bottom of the oven, then cover the grime with enough baking soda that the surface is totally white. Sprinkle more water over the top. Let the mixture set overnight. You can easily wipe up the grease the next morning because the grime will have loosened.
All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
1/2 teaspoon washing soda
dab of liquid soap
2 cups hot tap water
Combine the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake until the washing soda has dissolved. Apply and wipe off with a sponge or rag.
Furniture Polish
1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix the ingredients in a glass jar. Dab a soft rag into the solution and wipe wood surfaces. Cover the glass jar and store indefinitely.
Add water to make this a wood floor cleaner.
Vinegar Deodorizer
Keep clean spray bottles filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board and in your bathroom, and use for general cleaning.
Mold Killers #1
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine tea tree oil and water in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and use to clean. Do not rinse. Leave in the bottle-it has a long shelf life.
Mold Killer 2:
citrus Seed Extract, 20 drops
2 cups water
Combine the citrus seed extract and water in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and use to clean. Do not rinse. This also has a long shelf life.
Mold Killer 3:
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle and apply to moldy areas. Let set without rinsing, if you can put up with the smell, which will subside in a few hours.