The Under-$30 Cleaning Kit: 8 Basics That Replace a Cabinet of Sprays

Step by step

1. 1

   Clear out the old bottles, one at a time

   Go through your cabinet and set aside anything empty, crusty or unlabeled. Throw each one away in its own container, following its label. Never pour old cleaners together to save space.

2. 2

   Label the new spray bottle

   Write “Washing soda spray. Gloves on. Not for aluminum.” and today’s date on the bottle. University of Georgia Extension says to label homemade mixes with what is in them and the date.

3. 3

   Gloves on, then mix the washing soda spray

   Put on your gloves. Pour 2 cups of warm water into the bottle, add 1 tablespoon of washing soda, and swirl until no powder is left at the bottom. That is the box label’s strength of half a cup per gallon of warm water, scaled down.

1. 4

   Use it on greasy kitchen surfaces, then rinse

   Spray it on a greasy stovetop or counter, wipe, and then rinse the surface with plain water. The label says to wash the surface and rinse thoroughly while wearing rubber gloves.

2. 5

   Put everything away in its own spot

   Keep the powders and liquids in their original containers, with the lids on tight. Leave the peroxide in its brown bottle, because its label says to keep it tightly closed and in a dark place. Store the whole kit up high or behind a latch, away from kids and pets.

3. 6

   Tape the never-mix chart inside the cabinet door

   Print the never-mix chart and tape it where you will see it every time you reach for a bottle. That way the rules are right there in the moment you need them.

When it will not work, and what to do instead

This kit handles everyday dirt, grease, stains and odors. A few jobs still need something from the store.

• Someone in the house is sick, or raw meat juice got on the counter. None of these eight is sold as a sanitizer or disinfectant. The CDC says to sanitize spots raw meat or poultry touched with a homemade bleach solution or sanitizing products. Full tip: Clean, sanitize or disinfect
• The grease is baked on hard. The spray is not strong enough. Use a washing soda paste and give it time: How to clean baked-on grease with washing soda
• The pan or sink is aluminum, or the tub is fiberglass. Keep washing soda off it, because its maker says not to use it on aluminum or fiberglass. Use dish soap or baking soda instead.
• The microfiber stops picking things up. The New Jersey health department says to wash microfiber after every use, by itself, with no bleach and no fabric softener, because softener clogs the fibers.

Why it works

Most cleaning jobs come down to a few kinds of mess. Grease needs soap. Mineral spots need an acid. Stuck-on bits need a gentle scrub, and stains on whites need a mild bleach.

This kit gives you one of each, labeled and ready. Think of it like a basic spice rack. You do not need a separate jar for every recipe when salt, pepper and a few good basics cover most of your cooking.

The two that matter most are the soaps. The American Cleaning Institute explains that the cleaning agents in soap have two ends. One end wants to be in water and the other does not, so they grab oily dirt and let the rinse carry it away. It also calls washing soda a builder, which helps those agents keep working.