Go green, save green by making your own cleaning products

Isn't paying lip service to the environment a standard part of every college application essay? Prepare to put your money where your mouth is, as the following green cleaning products make a serious economic and ecological impact.

Tree huggers tout baking soda and vinegar as replacements for every cleaning product in your cupboard. Yet it has to be said – some homemade cleansers simply aren't effective enough and aren't worth the prep work. The following are a couple of recipes I've tested on my own. They've managed to get red wine stains out of clothes and remove crusted-over mac and cheese from countless stove tops. The savings are as real as the results; all prices listed are for brand-name products at Target.

Before beginning, invest in a few empty spray bottles from the dollar store. Better yet, save old Windex bottles and jelly jars to maximize your savings and minimize your impact.