A Cleaner For Every Surface?

Not too long ago, I used to be a girl who never cleaned, but who had a shelf-full of cleaners. Toilet cleaner, bathroom cleaner, kitchen counter cleaner, carpet cleaner, floor cleaner ... you name it, I probably owned it.

Gradually, over the course of a year, one cleaner would run out, and I wouldn't bother to replace it. Instead, I would, quelle horreur! use the same cleaner to clean my kitchen counters and my bathtub.

You will be shocked to learn that my counters still came out clean.

It is the job of a marketer to convince us that we need a shelf full of cleaners. Over the years, they have done an extremely good job. We may clean the bathroom sporadically, but darn it, we have six different kinds of cleaner for when we do clean it!

The truth is, though, that all those multiple cleaners are generally unnecessary. All you really need is one good cleaner, and it can work for everything.

Now I just have one bottle of all-purpose Ecover. I use it to clean all my surfaces, and when I run out, I can get it refilled at my local bulk foods store. So not only am I saving on plastic bottles and toxic chemicals, but I'm also saving money in the process.

How many cleaners are on your shelf? Do you think they're necessary?