All-purpose cleaner

A gentle castile soap and water spray for counters, tables and sinks. It's for everyday cleaning, not disinfecting.

This cleans but doesn't disinfect. For raw meat or illness, use a registered disinfectant on its own.
Never mix castile soap with vinegar or lemon juice in the bottle. The acid splits it into a greasy curd. Keep vinegar cleaners in a separate bottle.
Never mix any homemade cleaner with bleach. Bleach plus vinegar or acid releases chlorine gas, bleach plus ammonia releases chloramine, and bleach plus rubbing alcohol can form chloroform.
Never combine hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in one bottle. It forms corrosive peracetic acid.
Label the bottle with its contents and date, and keep it away from children. Use it within a month, because it has no preservative.
Spot-test on sealed wood, stone and delicate finishes first.

Steps

Funnel the distilled water into the spray bottle first, so the soap doesn't foam up.
Add the castile soap.
Add the essential oil, if using.
Cap and tip gently to mix. Don't shake hard, or it foams.
Label it with the contents and the date.
Spray and wipe with a damp microfiber cloth, then buff dry. Rinse food-prep surfaces with a clean damp cloth.
Swirl before each use. Make a fresh batch every few weeks.

Streaks or a hazy film: Too much soap or hard water. Cut the soap to 2 tsp and use distilled water. Buff dry with a clean cloth.
Mix went cloudy with greasy flecks: Acid (vinegar or lemon) got in and split the soap. Pour it out and keep acid cleaners in a separate bottle.
Smells musty after a few weeks: Water-based mixes spoil. Make smaller batches and use distilled water.