Health Positive Tip: Cleaning with Vinegar
Household Cleaning with Vinegar
In addition to having a plethora of uses in cooking, and being one hundred percent pure, distilled white vinegar can also be used as an effective non-toxic, all-natural cleaning solution in your home.
Benefits of Cleaning with Vinegar/ Cleaning Uses for Vinegar
Vinegar has a wide range of uses, such as removing odors from rooms, cleaning fixtures in your bathrooms and kitchen, removing stains and spills from carpets, cleaning windows, and much more. Continue reading this article to learn about the many ways you can use vinegar for household cleaning.
Cleaning Tips with Vinegar:
(How to Clean with Vinegar/ How to Use Vinegar for Cleaning)
Removing Odors
- Rooms. As a room deodorizer, place an open bowl of vinegar in any room with bad odors at nighttime. Remove the bowl from the room the following morning after the smell has dissipated.
- Remove strong odors from sinks and garbage disposals. Pour at least 1 cup (236.58 milliliters) of white vinegar into the sink or garbage disposal, then rinse with fresh water after a minimum of 1 hour has passed.
- Clean jars, dishes, and containers with unpleasant odors such as garlic or fish in a mixture of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water, then rinse the jars with fresh water.
- Remove unpleasant odors from your dog. Mix together 1 cup (236.58 milliliters) of vinegar and 2 gallons (7.57 liters) of water in a large bucket. Rinse your dog completely with fresh water, then pour the water and vinegar mixture on your dog being extra careful to avoid his or her face and eyes. Dry your dog off with a towel without rinsing the vinegar solution from your dog’s coat.
Removing Stains and Spills
- Remove and clean carpet spills. Use a sponge or an absorbing cloth to soak up the liquid from the carpet spill. If you’re asking How much vinegar to mix with water for cleaning, spray a mixture of 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar mixture over the affected carpet area. Let the vinegar and water mixture soak into the carpet for at least 2 minutes, then blot the affected area with a fresh towel or sponge to remove the mixture from the carpet.
- Remove stains from carpet. Here’s a good tip on What to mix with vinegar for cleaning – As a stain remover, mix together 1 tsp. (4.92 milliliters) of vinegar, 1 tsp. (4.92 milliliters) of liquid dishwashing soap, and 1 cup (236.58 milliliters) of warm water. Pour the mixture into an empty spray bottle, then spray the mixture over the stain to cover it completely. Allow the mixture to soak into the carpet for 2 minutes, then blot the wet area using a sponge or towel.
- Remove toilet bowl stains. Spray vinegar on the inside of the toilet bowl, then use a toilet brush to scrub away the stains.
- Remove stains from clothing. Tough stains such as ketchup, chocolate, wine, and jelly can be removed with vinegar. Rub vinegar directly on the stain with a soft cloth, then wash your clothes in the washing machine as usual.
Cleaning Surfaces
- Clean windows with vinegar. To use vinegar as a homemade cleaner, spray a glass window with a 50 percent water, 50 percent vinegar solution, then wipe down with a soft cloth.
- Clean and shine floors. Is cleaning with vinegar safe? Vinegar is safe to use on no-wax flooring. Add 1 cup (236.58 milliliters) of vinegar to every 1 gallon (3.78 liters) of water, then use this ratio to clean and shine floors.
- Use vinegar as an all-purpose surface cleaner in the kitchen. Vinegar can effectively clean kitchen counter tops, stove tops, and the tops of refrigerators and other appliances. Spray undiluted vinegar over the surface of appliances and counters in your kitchen, then wipe away using paper towels or a soft, clean rag.
*More Vinegar Cleaning Tips:
- Vinegar is a natural cat repellant and breaks down the proteins in urine. Use it to clean an area that the cat or dog has sprayed or when a child has wet the bed.
- Prevent ants from invading the inside of your home by spraying vinegar along counter tops, window sills, doorways, and other entryways that ants can use to access the inside of your home.
- Which/ what vinegar to use? Buy 100 percent pure white vinegar. Distilled white vinegar is the strongest form of vinegar you can use to effectively clean your home.
- No two recipes are alike! Use two different spray bottles for your vinegar. Some household cleaning chores require undiluted white vinegar; whereas other chores will require you to dilute the vinegar with water. Fill one spray bottle completely with white vinegar and fill the other bottle with a 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar solution and label them accordingly.
- To remove sticker residue from furniture and other items, spray the affected area with vinegar, then remove the sticker residue after 10 minutes have passed.
- In the bathroom, prevent mildew from growing in your shower by spraying your shower curtain and shower walls with distilled vinegar. You can also use it on tile and on the tub.
Adapted from How to Use Vinegar for Household Cleaning.
