All-Purpose Cleaner: Dissolve 4 tablespoons of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water.

Disinfectant Cleaner: Dissolve ½ cup Borax in 1 gallon of hot water or undiluted vinegar.

Scrubbing Cleaner: Mix ¼ cup Borax with a vegetable-oil-based soap to form a paste. Blend with a squirt of lemon juice.

Tile Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda on tile, like a scouring powder. Rub gently with a wet cloth, rinse. For buildup, rinse first with undiluted vinegar on a sponge, then scrub with baking soda. For a gentler cleaning, mix ¼ cup vinegar in one gallon of water, wipe and rinse.

Grout Cleaner: Mix 3 cups of baking soda into 1 cup of warm water to make a paste. Rub into grout and rinse.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner: Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then rinse with vinegar. Scrub with a brush. Flush.

Bathtub and Toilet Bowl Ring Cleaner: Make a paste with Borax and lemon juice, cover stain. Let sit, then scrub.

Window Cleaner: Mix equal parts vinegar and water; or, mix ½ cup lemon juice for every 2 cups of water.

That just covers the basics!

 To learn how to make everything from furniture polish and carpet fresheners to rust-stain removers and shoe deodorizers, visit Betty Gearen’s workshops at The Green House. For more information and weekend seminar schedules, e-mail thehawaiigreenhouse@hawaiiantel.net.