how to clean your house without chemicals

The biggest inspiration for my green mission is also the littlest. Now that my son is crawling, its more important than ever to have clean floors. I realize I can't control everything he touches or puts in his mouth (which is anything he can get his hands on) but at the very least I can control what I use to clean the floor he's crawling all over. So I'd prefer not to use a chemical cleaner which will leave a residue, which he will then get on his hands, and then of course...into his mouth. I've done quite a bit of research on alternative non-toxic homemade cleaners and created a few solutions I've been using and love.These cleaning recipes are my own unless noted otherwise! Please feel free to try them and let me know what you think.

Believe it or not, for medium to dark toned hard wood floors I've found that tea is a great alternative to the chemical based commercial cleansers. I seem to collect boxes of tea and always have some flavor I try and don't care for that sits for months (or years) on the back shelf of the pantry. Almost any tea will work, I've been using a white tea with vanilla and apricot that smells much better than it tasted but the tannins in regular black tea will help cover scratches as well as bring a nice shine to the floor.*Don't use tea on specially varnished or sealed floors.

Hardwood Floor Cleaner

1 tea bag for every 2 cups of water
Prepare tea in glass measuring cup or pitcher. 
Allow tea to steep for 10 minutes or so.

Pour tea into spray bottle, spray onto floor as you mop. (I have a rectangular head mop, check out my Products to Green Your Clean page for awesome homemade mop heads I found on Etsy.com)

 Tile or Laminate Floor Cleaner
1 Part Distilled Water
1 Part White Distilled Vinegar
3-4 Drops Essential Lemon Oil for every half gallon of solution
*Don't use vinegar on marble, the acidity can damage the stone surface.

Carpet Deodorizer
1 Cup Baking Soda
3-4 drops Essential Oil (I like Lemon, Grapefruit, or Orange)
Mix baking soda and essential oil in airtight container. Sprinkle on carpet, gently brush into carpet and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Vacuum well.