Love for Vinegar and Dr. Bronner's

For the past week I've been using some homemade concoctions as all-around household cleaners. Taken from posts on the Green Families forum on Diaper Swappers, I've taken to task the following recipes:

Spray Bottle #1
1/2 white distilled vinegar
1/2 water

Spray Bottle #2
1-1/2 tbs OxiClean Free
16oz hot water
2 tbs Dr. Bronner's (Peppermint)

I've been keeping bottle #1 downstairs and #2 upstairs. Since I have to wipe down the baby's high-chair and kitchen counters several times a day, I'm more comfortable using the more natural of the cleaning solutions. (Vinegar is non-toxic and kills most household germs and bacteria. Plus, vinegar is super cheap!)

The smell of vinegar does dissipate eventually, but I can smell it while cleaning and shortly after. Still, while it's not the greatest of scents, it hasn't been overpowering and it's a small, small price to pay to be able to clean things naturally and economically.

With bottle #2 I've tackled mostly the bathrooms upstairs. So far, so good. The toilets and counter tops look (and smell good). My only complaint is that the chrome fixtures are a bit streaky. I think maybe I need a different cloth to dry them with.

Overall, I've been happy with both cleaners. Even though I had already been using "green" commercial cleaners before (like Method and Seventh Generation), now I clean without worrying every time my kid chomps on his high-chair tray.