Dr. Bronner's Sal Suds

I was raised by a southern housewife who placed cleanliness a little above godliness — so trust me when I say 1) I take cleaning seriously and 2) my entire conditioning predisposes me against any type of all-purpose solution. And yet. Sal Suds is my holy grail.

This ultra-concentrated, plant-based household cleaner is involved in 90% of my household chores. I’m talking dishes, windows, bathrooms, wood floors, laundry. In the kitchen, it cuts through grease while remaining completely non-toxic and biodegradable. A teaspoon of it mixed with water and vinegar is more effective on the countertops than anything else I’ve tried. There’s a Sal Suds recipe for every application, and they all work. It also has only a very subtle natural pine scent, which you can creatively augment with a few drops of essential oil (citrus, sandalwood, rosemary, and eucalyptus are all nice, or the Thymes frasier fir oil for extra piney-ness!). And since it’s ultra-concentrated, one bottle can last for ages — even when you use it as frequently as I do (although admittedly I gleefully committed to The Big Jug — 88 oz!).