When I first heard how great vinegar was, I thought my mother was nuts – it smells terrible! However, I quickly learned that once its dry it doesn't smell at all! We use apple cider vinegar & white distilled vinegar regularly now. Here are a few of my favorite cleaning uses for vinegar.
Cleaning with Vinegar
Windows & Mirrors – Fill a 16 oz. spray bottle with ½ vinegar and ½ water to clean windows and mirrors then wipe down with newspaper for a streak-free shine.
Microwave – To clean out a dirty microwave put 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes and wipe out with a damp cloth. This will loosen the food particles for easy cleanup.
Dishwasher – To help remove the film left over from your dishwasher soap you can fill your rinse dispenser with vinegar and your dishes will come out squeaky clean.
Refrigerator & Counter Tops – Keeping a spray bottle on hand filled with ½ vinegar and ½ water makes it easy to grab to clean the counter tops. Use it to clean out the refrigerator on a regular basis too. You won’t have to worry about using this solution around your food because it is non-toxic and all natural.
Coffee Pot – To keep your coffee pot free from nasty buildup, use a full pot of straight vinegar and run through a normal brew cycle. Then run two regular pots of water through the brew cycle. Do this once a month and your coffee pot will thank you.
Underarm Stains – To get rid of these unsightly stains many people just throw the shirt away but you don’t have to. Use full strength vinegar in a spray bottle to soak the stained areas. Leave in for 15-20 minutes before washing as usual and you should be rid of the underarm stains and any associated odor.
Fabric Softener – You can use vinegar in place of your normal fabric softener in the rinse cycle for the same (or better) effect for a lot less.
Toilet – pour in 1 cup of full strength vinegar, leave it for 10 minutes and clean as usual. Your bowl will be clean and fresh.
Tub/Shower – Use vinegar, the half and half mixture in a spray bottle, to keep your shower clean. Just grab it when you’re done showering and spray down the shower, tub and shower curtain, let it dry and voila! Even when cleaning around babies’ bath toys, you won’t have to worry if any get on them because it’s safe to use.
These are just a few of the ways you can use vinegar to make your home green clean!
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I think that the only way we can avoid catastrophic consequences for our lives and our planet is to go green. Vinegar is a very good way to clean everything without the toxins and other harmful elements in most cleaning products. And by combining it with baking soda and lemon juice you can even clean very greasy and stubborn stains.