Use Vinegar for Household Cleaning

Vinegar is a mild acid, which makes it a great multi-purpose cleaner for around the house. As a household cleaner, vinegar can be used to do anything from removing stains, to unclogging drains, to disinfecting, to deodorizing, and it can even be used to remove stickers. You can use it undiluted, combined with baking soda, or as an ingredient in a homemade household cleaner, and every room in your house can benefit from vinegar in some way.

Steps

Making and Using Vinegar-Based Cleaners

1. Make an all-purpose disinfectant. To make a versatile disinfectant with vinegar, simply mix equal parts white vinegar and water and store the mixture in a spray bottle. You can use this mixture to clean:
   • Telephones, doorknobs, and other surfaces: spray on and wipe off
   • Mirrors and glass: spray on and wipe dry with a rubber squeegee blade
   • Freezer and refrigerator: soak a cloth with the solution and wipe the surface to clean and remove odors
   • Microwave: fill a small bowl with the solution and microwave on high for two minutes, then wipe down the inside of the microwave
2. Make an all-purpose cleaner. This all-purpose cleaner recipe is more diluted than the disinfectant, but it’s still great for many cleaning jobs around the house. Just spray the cleaner on and wipe down things like counters, walls, toys, tables, blinds, and other surfaces. To make the cleaner, combine:
   • 3 cups (705 ml) of water
   • 1 cup (235 ml) of vinegar
   • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice
   • 10 drops lemon essential oil
3. Use vinegar to make a floor cleaner. A basic floor cleaner is more diluted than all-purpose cleaners and disinfectants. Make this cleaner as necessary when it’s time to clean the floors. This solution can also be used on counters, tiles, and for other minor cleaning needs around the house.
   • In a large bucket, combine ½ cup (118 ml) of vinegar and ½ gallon (1.9 L) of warm water.
   • Soak a mop or sponge in the solution, wring out the excess, and wipe the floor.
   • Allow the floor to air dry.
4. Create a mattress cleaner. Mattresses are difficult to clean because they can’t go in the washing machine, can't be taken to the dry cleaner, and are too large and unwieldy to wash in the normal ways. But you can make an odor-killing disinfectant with vinegar:
   • In a spray bottle, combine 1 cup (235 ml) of vinegar, ¼ cup (59 ml) of rubbing alcohol, and 10 drops of tea tree oil.
   • Remove the sheets from the mattress and spray the solution over the entire mattress.
   • Let the mattress air dry throughout the day.
5. Polish metal with your own cleaning paste. Polishing tarnished metals with cleaner is a smelly job that requires care because commercial metal cleaners are strong chemical solutions. You can make your own polish for copper, pewter, and brass instead. To make and use this paste:
   • Combine 1 teaspoon (6 g) of salt, ½ cup (118 ml) of vinegar, and enough flour to make a paste
   • Apply the paste to the tarnished metal with an old toothbrush or jewelry brush
   • Leave the paste on the metal for about 15 minutes
   • Rinse under warm water
   • Buff the metal with a dry microfiber cloth
6. Make an all-purpose stain remover. A vinegar-based stain remover can be used to remove stains and tough dirt from carpets, clothes, upholstery, drapes, and even dishware. Simply spray the cleaner on the affected surface, let it soak for two minutes, and then blot the area with a cloth.
   • To make a stain remover for fabrics, combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid laundry soap, and 1 cup (235 ml) of warm water in a spray bottle.
   • To make a stain remover for hard surfaces, combine 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vinegar, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of liquid dish soap, and 1 cup (235 ml) of warm water in a spray bottle.

Cleaning with Baking Soda and Vinegar

1. Clean around the house with a cleaning paste. Vinegar and baking soda cleaning pastes are great for carpets, tough dirt, baked on grime, stovetop grease, getting crayon off walls, pet accidents, and other hard-to-clean messes. Just stir together 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vinegar and ¼ cup (55 g) of baking soda until they foam and become a paste.
   • To use this cleaner, apply a small amount to the affected area. Rub in the paste with an old toothbrush or non-abrasive scrubber. Blot the area with a damp sponge to remove dirt and excess cleaner. For carpets, vacuum when dry.
2. Clean showers, sinks, and tubs. Showers, tubs, and sinks are prone to mineral deposits, mold, mildew, soap scum, and other household cleaning nightmares. But you can use these two simple ingredients, baking soda and vinegar, to keep these surfaces sparkling and clean. To do this:
   • Saturate a cloth or sponge with pure vinegar
   • Sprinkle liberal amounts of baking soda on the sponge
   • Scrub showers, shower doors, bathroom and kitchen sinks, and tubs with the sponge
   • Re-soak the sponge and add more baking soda as necessary
   • Rinse with clean water
3. Unclog your drains. Clogged and slow-running drains are never fun to deal with, and commercial drain cleaners are dangerous and corrosive. Instead, try baking soda and vinegar to unblock your drains next time you're facing a clog. All you have to do is:
   • Fill the affected drain with 1 cup (220 g) of baking soda
   • Pour in 1 cup (235 ml) of vinegar
   • Let the mixture bubble and foam for 30 minutes
   • Pour a kettleful of boiling water down the drain to flush it out

Cleaning with Straight Vinegar

1. Dissolve mineral deposits and clogs. The acid in vinegar makes it perfect for dissolving the mineral deposits and other clogs that can block up shower heads, coffee makers, and even filters. To use vinegar in this way:
   • Showerheads: Fill a plastic bag with vinegar. Wrap the bag around the showerhead and use an elastic to hold it in place, so the showerhead is soaking in vinegar. Let it soak overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and rinse the showerhead with water.
   • Coffee maker: Fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir with vinegar and run the machine through a brew cycle. Dump out the vinegar. Run the machine again with just plain water to rinse it out.
   • Humidifier filters: Remove the filter from the humidifier. Fill a large shallow pan with vinegar and submerge the filter. Let the filter soak for one to two hours, or until the deposits and clogs dissolve or come loose.
2. Remove stickers. Sticker residue can seem nearly impossible to remove from certain surfaces, especially if the sticker was there for a long time. To remove a sticker with vinegar, peel off as much of the sticker as you can with your fingers. Then, apply vinegar to the area with a paint brush or sponge. Let the vinegar soak for 10 minutes, and then scrape the residue with a plastic scraper.
3. Boost your dish and laundry detergent. You can increase the cleaning and washing power of your dishwasher and washing machine by adding vinegar to their regular cycles. Not only will you have cleaner dishes and clothes, but you'll also get the stain-removing and deodorizing benefits of vinegar.
   • For the dishwasher, add 2 cups (470 ml) of vinegar to the bottom of the dishwasher before starting the cycle.
   • For the washing machine, add 1 cup (235 ml) of vinegar directly into the drum during the rinse cycle to help break down stains and soften clothes.
4. Clean your cutting board. Cutting boards can harbor bacteria and organisms that can make you and your family sick. To kill these and keep your cutting boards clean and disinfected, dampen a cloth with vinegar and wipe the cutting board after each use. Allow to air dry before using again.
5. Prevent mildew. Mold and mildew can form easily in the bathroom and other areas that are often damp. To prevent mildew from growing on your shower, sink, and tub walls, wipe them down with a squeegee after each use and then spray the walls with plain vinegar.
   • To prevent mildew on the shower curtain, shake off excess water after a shower and then spray the curtain with vinegar.
6. Disinfect the toilet. The toilet is another place in your house where dangerous bacteria can linger, so vinegar can come in handy here too. To clean and disinfect the toilet, pour 1 cup (235 ml) of straight vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit overnight. Scrub the bowl in the morning and flush to rinse it out.
   • You can also spray straight vinegar on the toilet seat and around the outside of the bowl. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, and then wipe the surface with a damp cloth or rag.
7. Clean the litter box. Litter boxes can stink and can harbor bacteria, so it’s important to keep them clean. Every time you change the litter, dump the old litter, rinse the pan, and fill the bottom with ½ inch (1.3 cm) of vinegar. Let the vinegar sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse out the pan with clean water.
   • Let the litter pan air dry before filling it with fresh litter.

Warnings

• Don’t use vinegar to clean granite, marble, spilled egg, irons, and blood or grass stains. Be very careful when using vinegar to clean hardwood floors, and always dilute the vinegar and do a test patch before cleaning.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make a Damp Paper Towel
• Dilute Bleach
• Clean Hardwood Floors Naturally
• Clean Ceilings
• Clean a Plasma Screen
• Clean a Toilet With Coke
• Make a Natural Disinfectant
• Kill Mold With Vinegar
• Remove Hard Water Spots
• Clean the Showerhead with Vinegar

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