It all started with an episode of How Clean is Your House. 

The mean, fat old lady in too much make up cleaned a toilet with LEMONADE!!  It worked.  The toilet got cleaned and sanitized, and a kid can get into the pantry and drink as much lemonade as s/he wants and NOT DIE! 

I have become interested in natural cleaning...cleaning using a lot of normal, non-toxic household products and essential oils.  It's less expensive, works great, and is so much safer for around the kids.  There "recipes" for natural cleaning are only limited by your imagination. 

Things like lemon juice, baking soda, olive oil, vinegar, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lemon oil, and borax (among other things) make great cleaning aids. 

Borax is "natural" but not non-toxic, so it's not something you want to let the baby eat, LOL, but it is a little less worrisome cleaner.  Since I am pregnant, I like using things that are a little safer to handle (I still use gloves with a lot of cleaning items because skin irritation can occur). 

Olive oil and lemon juice are great for dusting and polishing wood surfaces, and completely safe.

Lemon halves and baking soda make great scrubbers for bathtubs. 

A multi-purpose cleaner can be made so many different ways, but my favorite that I've tried is a water, vinegar, and eucalyptus oil solution.  The eucalyptus is a natural disinfectant and gives a clean, fresh scent that overrides the vinegar (that evaporates).

I also use water, vinegar, and cinnamon oil.  The vinegar smell evaporates and leaves a lovely cinnamon scent, but until it evaporates, the smell is strong.

Borax, dishwashing soap, hot water, and a little ammonia (I use windex because I don't have straight ammonia) work wonders on floors.  I had some discoloraton that *never* came up with the swiffer, but the borax solution got it right out.  It works great on baseboards, too. 

Lemon juice is good for windows, too and baking soda is a good cleaner/deodorizer for carpet (sprinkle it on and then vacuum it up). 

Essential oils can work well for different ailments or as aromatherapy as well.  Tea tree oil (in a carrier oil, applying directly to the skin can cause irritation) is great relief for bug bites. 

Unrelated to cleaning, I am wanting to learn to make my own candles.  I *love* Yankee Candles, but at $20 for a medium-sized jar, it's really an extravagance.  Candles can be made at home using a double boiler (or make-shift one), parafin wax or old candles broken into pieces, crayons for coloring the candle, a string wick, and essential oils or perfumes for scent.  I don't have all the materials I need to try it yet, but if I can make a candle that is satisfactory to me, I will probably start making most of my candles at home. 

Does anyone else use natural products for cleaning and home care?  I would love to hear your recipes!