I’ve been making this all-surface cleaner for a while now, and I like it for a couple of reasons.  It’s very mild, doesn’t leave a residue, and really is great on every surface I’ve used it on.  It cleans stuck-on crud from stovetops and counters better than any other product I’ve used, but works quite well to dust, clean, and shine up wood surfaces, too.  Simplification is good (especially in a small home), so the fewer cleaning products I own, the better.  Between this and toilet bowl cleaner, I can clean pretty much everything in the apartment.

This recipe includes borax, which I know is controversial.  I have done some research, and with what I know about its pros and cons, I am okay with this recipe, especially since the amount of borax included is pretty minimal.

All-surface lemon cleaner

2 T. white vinegar
1 T. borax
2 cups hot water (distilled is best, but tap works fine for me)
1/4 c. castile soap
10-15 drops lemon oil*

Combine ingredients one at a time (in the order listed) in a a spray bottle, shaking or stirring well after each addition.

*Note: you could use another oil, like tea tree or eucalyptus, depending on what you intend to clean.  I use lemon because I like the smell and it works well on wood surfaces.