Plus, when you put them together, the reaction is kind of a kick with the volcanic eruption you get. just the big kid in me, I guess....
Baking soda is still cheap, but vinegar seems to be going through the roof for some reason.
If there is a store near you that sells Mexican products, there is a Mexican vinegar, I _think_ it is labeled Di Primo, that is always nearly a dollar cheaper. Just this week, my local grocery store, an IGA, had a special on vinegar for $1.88/gal as a loss leader, since it is pickling season. Also, Sam's sells 4 packs of vinegar for a nice discount, which I cannot recall exactly at the moment, but 4 gallons would last the average person a long time.
If you add the peels from an orange to a quart of white vinegar and let it steep for a few days, you can then use it mixed with water and a drop of dish detergent to clean anything. I don't use it straight, though, as the orange oil can leave a film. You need to experiment with mixing it with water and detergent. Different mixtures are useful for different applications. A quart of orange vinegar will make several gallons of cleaning fluid.
I use 1/4 cup of ammonia with a couple of gallons of water and some dish soap for floors, straight ammonia for built up grime and washing soda mixed with a little water (and nothing else) if I need a scrub.
I am pretty sure that the proprietary cleaning products are all just the common chemicals mixed with water and coloring and scent and a dash of detergent.