Castile soap

He started making peppermint castile soap in his Pershing Square tenement in 1948.

Since the 10th Century, zaitoun — olive — has been transformed into these creamy bricks of castile soap.

A few drops of dish detergent or Castile soap in a bucket of warm water, a microfiber cloth, and a free afternoon are all it takes to restore your walls to their former glory.

"When I started the Sustainability Concierge in 2017, there were no good low-waste, non-toxic cleaning products to recommend to my clients, so I told everyone to clean with castile soap, baking soda, and vinegar," says Friday Aplaski, a consultant who helps homeowners green their homes in the Bay Area.

You can also dampen the cloth with water if you've neglected your plants for years, or try Cross' routine: mix together neem oil, castile soap, and warm water in a spray bottle and wipe down with microfiber gloves.