Cleaning on the Cheap

For most surfaces, Ivory soap and water cleans just fine.

For windows, take a bucket of warm water, add a small squirt of dishwashing liquid and swish to mix.

Wipe on windows with a cloth, then either use a squeegee or another cloth to dry. I generally clean all of my windows and mirrors at once using this mixture.

I tried using Ivory Soap to wash dishes and while it cleaned fine it left a bit of a film on the glasses after rinsing them. I am wondering if I'm not using enough vinegar in the rinse water.

Back in the old days people used just regular soap like lye soap or Ivory Soap to clean almost everything, so I'm trying to learn from them and save money in the process.

Also if I can eliminate a bunch of cleaners from under my sink that will simplify my life greatly!

As I use up these cleaners I don't plan to replace them. Instead I want to use things I already have to do the same job.

I gave my sister a bar of Fels Naptha and she now swears that it is the best grease cutter she has ever used, so I will have to try it.

Does anyone have any ideas for not only simplifying the cleaning process, but eliminating the huge variety of cleaners we are told we need?