My MiL was sensitive to smoke and to Windex (and other window cleaners). My FiL smoked but since MiL was so sensitive to it, he only smoked at work and in their car on the way to work. But he always had to clean the car out and couldn't use Windex because of her other sensitivites. So he used vinegar to clean their car windows from the smoke.

Their vehicle smelled highly of vinegar and I swear, I'd get nauseated every time I had to ride in their car.

My magic eraser works great on windows, too. Especially those caked with the crusty mix of dog drool and dirt and tiny hand prints.

The smell of vinegar reminds me of Easter egg dyeing. That smell was the only part of the process that I hated.

I'm overcome with magic eraser love. Today marks my first use and I'm practically orgasmic!

I use white vinegar to clean everything...that and baking soda...the smell says 'clean' to me.

Also, tommyrot? Re some total stranger's recent discovery of the proto-Bender? Humph, I say, humph.

Bah. That post was obviously hidden from me... by magiks. Or cyber-toads.

I'm curious to know what other green cleaning methods people use. Do you dilute your vinegar for windows? Do you put it in your own spritzer bottle?

I buy marketed green cleaning products, which have a varying success rate. I like Simple Green, it seems fairly effective and smells nice. I use a green dishsoap, too, which is not a brand I'm familiar with, so I'm not sure how actually green it is. It works fine, but it takes more of it than normal.

I use white vinegar straight, but I'm sure cutting it would still work...and might dim the smell.

I love that I can get a huge bottle at Costco for $2.50. Cheaper and far less icky than a lot of commercial cleaners.

Liese, I can recommend Slug Bread & Beheaded Thistles: Amusing and useful techniques for nontoxic housekeeping and gardening by Ellen Sandbeck. Lots of good tips.

Personally, I let everything grow a crust of fibrous tendrils. Bacteria lives. It has aspirations, and goals. Who appointed me adjudicator of all things living?

All this talk about "green" cleaning products reminds me of last night's Iron Chef America ("Battle Salmon!"), when Alton Brown asked the challenger chef about the squeeze bottle of something bright green. He was guessing it was some kind of sauce, but the chef corrected him with "That's soap, Alton."

You are right Gus. I claim godrights wrongly. But claim them, I do!

I like Simple Green, it seems fairly effective and smells nice.

I want to like Simple Green, but it seems that being in a room with a closed bottle gives me a migraine. Open ones....ack!

Who appointed me adjudicator of all things living?

Yeah, this is the reason I haven't cleaned in mumble, mumble, mumble. It was a thought out, rational decision, not laziness. Yep.