If you are looking for a safe, non-toxic cleaner and overall household helper, white vinegar is a near perfect solution. This humble substance can be used in a variety of ways to clean and disinfect your home. I love to fill my sink with hot water, pour in some vinegar and a cloth rag, and give the house a through cleaning. I love the smell and wish it would last longer… it just smells so clean without the smell of noxious chemicals. Here are some ideas for how to use vinegar in your cleaning.
1. Deodorizer
Vinegar can help remove odors from clothes and drains. For drains, pour about 1 cupful of baking soda into the smelly drain. Then pour in about 2 cups of vinegar and leave overnight. In the morning, flush with hot water.
For removing odors from clothes, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda to your laundry. You can add this at the beginning of the wash cycle or during the rinse cycle. This mixture has a fabric-softening effect as well. I also used to add a 1/4 cup to my cloth diaper laundry to remove any lingering smell. Worked like a charm.
2. Drain Clog Remover
In addition to eliminating drain odors, vinegar can help unclog drains. Follow the steps in #1 above. The foaming action dislodges many clogs.
3. Toilet Cleaner
To clean and disinfect your toilet bowl, sprinkle in about a cup of baking soda. Then pour in 2-3 cups of white vinegar. You will find your kids more willing to help you clean if it involves a fizzy toilet! Seriously, they will ask if they can clean the toilet. When the fizzing dies down, use your toilet brush to clean as usual. The vinegar inhibits the growth of mold and mildew as well as killing germs.
4. All-Purpose Spray Cleaner
You don’t need to buy chemical spray cleaners. Just mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar with 3 cups of water, 10 drops of tea tree oil, a teaspoon of liquid soap, and 15 drops of your favorite essential oil in a 1-quart spray bottle. Use this disinfectant spray on countertops, sinks, floors, and any surface that needs cleaning.
5. Mold Eradicator
Vinegar is effective against mold. Spray your shower with white vinegar and allow it to soak for about 20 minutes. Then scrub and rinse. Add some tea tree oil to the vinegar for even better effectiveness. Spray your shower after each use to prevent mold from forming again.
For a moldy shower curtain, add a quart of vinegar to the washing machine when you wash the curtain.
6. Weed Killer
Pour or spray white vinegar directly onto weeds. Thoroughly wet the leaves and let the vinegar soak into the ground.
7. Window Cleaner
Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap per cup of water. Spray onto windows and wipe thoroughly, or dip a cloth into a bucket of this solution and wipe. Use a squeegee to scrape off the cleaner.
Many great uses and we’ve only scratched the surface! For more check out Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You’ve Probably Never Thought Of.
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