"This is a list of the housekeeping equipment and cleaning products that I find useful. I have no need for anything more. Mine is a small but friendly cleaning-product cupboard. I lead a small but friendly life."

1. Beeswax polish
2. Baking soda, in industrial quantities
3. Borax
4. Chamois leather, for cleaning windows and rubbing off pet hair
5. Distilled white vinegar, in industrial quantities
6. Natural, ready-prepared cleaning fluids and detergent powder (such as Ecover)
7. Enamel buckets - a good selection, preferably vintage. Why buy new ones when so many are available from flea markets and secondhand stores?
8. Feather or lambswool duster with a long handle for reaching cobwebs and behind furniture
9. Jam jars with screw lids
10. Lemons, for various cleaning purposes
11. Muslin, for food covers, straining jelly, etc.
12. Old toothbrushes, for cleaning awkward corners
13. Rags, for use as cleaning cloths. Make these from worn-out cotton dresses and t-shirts, towels, dish towels, and bed linens that are beyond mending. Cut the cloth into squares. Wash or boil used rags regularly. You may never need to buy another dustcloth; most people have enough rags to last a lifetime.