I keep reading about vinegar in all of the best articles about cleaning, particularly green-cleaning. I was intrigued. How many uses are there for cleaning with vinegar? I made my way to the Vinegar Institute where they list a ton of great ways to use vinegar in your household cleaning. Not only is vinegar completely natural with no chemicals, it costs next to nothing! Here are some of the uses that I borrowed from the Vinegar Institute.
- No-wax floors: To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water. (I used a vinegar/water solution to clean my hardwood floors, too.)
- Streakless windows: Simply wash with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. This solution will make your windows gleam and will not leave the usual film or streaks on the glass.
- Garbage disposal cleaner: Garbage disposals may be kept clean and odor free with vinegar cubes. Vinegar cubes are made by filling an ice tray with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray and then freezing it. Run the mixture through the disposal, and then flush it with cold water for a minute or so.
- Coffee maker cleaner (automatic): White distilled vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers from hard water. Fill the reservoir with white distilled vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished. (Be sure to check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.)
- Clean the microwave: Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
- Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards: Wipe with full strength white distilled vinegar.
- Ant deterrent: Ant invasions can sometimes be deterred by washing counter tops, cabinets and floors with white distilled vinegar.
- Cleaner dishes and glasses: Pour 1 ½ cup to 2 cups white distilled vinegar in the bottom of dishwasher, along with regular dishwasher soap. Wash full cycle.
- Shower doors: Rub down shower doors with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar to remove soap residue.
- Toilet bowl cleaner: Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.
- Clothes washing magic: Clothes will rinse better if 1 cup of white distilled vinegar is added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, but strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents.
- Deodorant stains: Deodorant and antiperspirant stains may be removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with white distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.
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