Open the cabinet under my sink a year ago and you would find eleven different spray bottles. Glass cleaner. Granite cleaner. Bathroom cleaner. Kitchen cleaner. Stainless steel cleaner. Floor cleaner. Wood cleaner. Tile cleaner. And three variations of multi-surface cleaner that were all basically the same thing. I had been marketed into buying a separate product for every surface in my house.

Here is what I actually use now. Three products clean ninety-five percent of my house.

Product 1: White Vinegar

Acidic. Removes hard water stains, dissolves soap scum, cuts through light grease, kills some bacteria and mold. Do not use on: natural stone (granite, marble — the acid etches the surface), unsealed wood, or egg spills (vinegar cooks egg protein, making it harder to clean). For everything else: mix 50/50 with water in a spray bottle. Costs about a dollar per gallon.

I use it on: mirrors and windows (vinegar + newspaper, streak-free), bathroom tiles, toilet bowl, coffee maker descaling, microwave interior, refrigerator shelves.

Product 2: Baking Soda

Mildly alkaline and gently abrasive. Scrubs without scratching. Deodorizes. Combine with vinegar for foaming action on drains and tough stains. Do not pre-mix with vinegar in advance — the reaction happens immediately and if you store it, it is just salt water. Mix on the spot.

I use it on: sinks, stovetops, oven interior, grout (paste with water), carpet deodorizer (sprinkle, wait 15 minutes, vacuum), trash can deodorizer.

Product 3: Castile Soap (Dr. Bronner’s)

A vegetable-oil-based soap that cuts grease, lifts dirt, and rinses clean. Diluted, it replaces dish soap, hand soap, all-purpose cleaner, and even laundry detergent in a pinch. Do not mix with vinegar — the acid unsaponifies the soap back into oil, leaving a gross film on everything. Use separately.

I use it on: floors (a teaspoon in a bucket of hot water), countertops, dishes, hands, walls, baseboards.

Three products. Under ten dollars total. One shelf instead of eleven bottles. My house is just as clean and I can actually find things under the sink now.