When it comes to general, all-purpose household cleaners, the best one you can use is the one you’ll make yourself: best for your wallet, best for the environment, best for your health.

Recipe # 1:

All you need is borax, water and a spray bottle. Borax is a naturally-occurring mineral that disinfects, bleaches and deodorizes.

Dilute 1/8 cup borax to 1 quart of hot water, making sure the borax has completely dissolved before spraying. Wipe clean with a sponge or rag and voilà!

Recipe # 2:

You'll need 1/2 teaspoon washing soda*, a few drops of liquid soap (choose any environmentally-friendly you like), 2 cups of hot tap water and a spray bottle.

Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle and shake well, until the washing soda has dissolved. Spray onto your dirty surface and wipe off with a rag.

*(also called Sodium carbonate or soda ash, harmless to the environment and also used in the food industry as an additive (E500) as it is an acidity regulator, an anticaking agent, a raising agent and a stabilizer. Contrary to what some websites might tell you, it is a bid hard to find, depending on your location. In Los Angeles, try art stores such as Graphaids or craft stores: these stores carry soda ash in their textile supplies aisle as a dye fixer.