Put all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to blend.

To use it, spray onto the glass, covering as much as you can finish in a few minutes at a time, scrub as needed with the rough side of a kitchen sponge, and squeegee off. Use a cotton cleaning cloth to dry off the blade of the squeegee between swipes, and to wipe up any liquid that puddles at the bottom edges of the windowpanes. Toss the cleaning cloths in the wash basket, and enjoy your sparkling windows.

Almost Everything Cleaner
2 teaspoons borax
1 teaspoon washing soda (not baking soda)
Hot water
4 tablespoons vinegar
½ teaspoon natural liquid soap
¼ teaspoon tea tree oil
8 drops rosemary oil
8 drops tangerine oil
8 drops lavender oil

Dissolve borax and washing soda (you’ll find both in the laundry boosters section of the supermarket) into 2 cups very hot water, strain the mixture through a very fine sieve, and funnel into a 1-quart spray bottle (or pour in slowly, leaving behind any undissolved powder). Add the rest of the ingredients (you can find essential oils at a health-food store) and shake to blend. Top off with more hot water and shake again.

This spray cuts through even the greasiest grime, and the essential oils help chase away germs and odors while leaving behind a delightful (and healthy) fragrance. The ingredients will cost you a bit more up front than buying a bottle of ready-made cleaner would, but in the long run they will make dozens of bottles of cleaner, costing far less per bottle.

To use, spray onto any hard surface, scrub as needed with the rough side of a kitchen sponge (give really yucky areas an extra squirt and a few extra minutes to soften before sponging), and wipe off dirt and cleaner with a dry cotton cleaning cloth.