White Vinegar-A cheap alternative

credit:sanja gjenero

I have been busy cleaning all week. My parents are moving to my hometown in a few weeks. While their new home is nice, the previous residents did not clean often, if ever. There is at least a years worth of grime on every surface. The white baseboards were particularly dingy and I was afraid I would have to repaint all of them! Thankfully, I was able to clean them up and get them sparkling again with a diluted solution of white vinegar.

Most of us have probably heard of cleaning with white vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar cuts through grease and grime but is mild enough that it doesn’t damage paint, tile or woodwork. Vinegar is cheap, too. In my area a gallon of the stuff sells for less than $1. Much cheaper than most commercial cleaners, and better on your skin and the environment. Here are a few ideas for vinegar cleaning in your home:

• Mix 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle. Use this solution to wipe away soap scum in the bathroom or grease in the kitchen.
• Use undiluted white vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of nasty rings. It works just as good as commercial toilet bowl cleaners without all the chemicals or odd blue coloring. You can also use it to get rid of scum rings in the tub.
• Wipe down shower heads, faucets and other chrome work with pure vinegar to get rid of lime and hard water deposits. It unclogs the shower head quickly and easily. It is also great for getting rid of lime scale in kettles.
• Add a cup of white vinegar to your laundry during the rinse cycle. It works as a natural fabric softener and help get the soap out of the clothing. It also helps towels become fluffy again, especially those that have been coated with laundry softener scum.
• Run vinegar through your coffee pot to get rid of all the build-up. Run a few cycles of clear water through after the vinegar to get rid of any residue. The next cup you brew will taste excellent after this treatment!
• Mix up a paste of 1 part vinegar and 1 part table salt. Polish brass, pewter and copper to a shine with this concoction.
• Soak a cloth in white vinegar then use it to remove the sticky residue from stickers or price tags. Works in seconds and doesn’t damage the surface underneath.
• Pour white vinegar between paving stones or in the cracks of a driveway to kill weeds and wayward grass.

These are just a few of the things white vinegar is capable of. What are some of your favorite uses for vinegar. I’d also love to hear about some of your favorite homemade cleaners. Let me know in the comments!

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