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Green Cleaning: Vinegar

5/10/2013

7 Comments

 
After my recent research on phthalates and phosphates and all that good stuff, I've decided to give it a go with green cleaning. Due to its acidity, vinegar kills most mold, bacteria, and germs (scientific studies show it does a great job, however not quite as good as the commercial cleaners). So, armed with a gallon of distilled white vinegar and a spray bottle, here is a simple list of recipes and cleaning tips for the budget & eco minded housewife in us all (go here for a much longer list):

Disinfect & Remove Mold, Grime, etc: Spray with or wipe with a cloth soaked in undiluted white vinegar, then wipe clean with water-dampened cloth. I think the vinegar kills something like 98% of germs, whereas commercial cleaners are about 99.9%? So, I plan to use the good old clorex wipes to clean up after preparing raw chicken or if it's flue season

Clean the Microwave: Mix half a cup of white vinegar and half a cup of water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it til boiling. Apparently it will loosen caked in messes and deodorize it. Wipe clean.

Clean the Fridge: half water half white distilled vinegar

Clean Grout: spray with undiluted white vinegar, let sit, then scrub with toothbrush

Clean Floors: 3 drops dish washing liquid, 1/3 part white vinegar, 1/3 part alcohol, and 1/3 part water. WARNING: do not use white vinegar on marble!

Disinfect Baby Toys: add white vinegar to soapy water and wash, or wipe down with undiluted white vinegar and wipe clean with damp cloth (if it's something they'll be teething on, you'd be sure to wash off the vinegar well, or else little one might be quite offended by the taste).

Clean Produce: use 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water. For smooth produce (ex. apples) spray with the solution and wash clean. For un-smooth produce (ex. lettuce or broccoli), let it soak in a bowl of the solution for at least 2 minutes, then wash clean. You should clean produce even if you won't be eating the rind (ex. melon), since cutting it would introduce any bacteria from the rind into the part you'll eat. *TIP* Soaking produce for 5 minutes in a half vinegar half water solution will help remove the wax and underlying pesticides.

Do NOT use vinegar in you dish washer or washing machine, as it eats away at your rubber hoses and seals.
Picture
After picking up the vinegar from my super market and the spray bottle from the dollar shop, I came home and got to work! Soaked some brussel sprouts, strawberries, and nectarines in the 1-to-3 part solution. *WARNING* If you have any cuts on your hands, it will BURN! Yowza!!
Picture
Vinegar is great beyond cleaning. Here is a list of home remedies for whatever might ail you! You can even use it to wash your hair! But I'm not quite there yet...
7 Comments
Kelsey link
5/10/2013 04:43:36 pm

I use vinegar ALL of the time. Esp. for laundry. No bleach in this house, just pour vinegar and some baking soda in with those whites to make them bright. My Dad taught me that trick!

Reply
Jennifer Roberge link
5/11/2013 01:43:23 am

Yay! So happy to see you going greener in all aspects of your life. Nasty chemicals are everywhere you'll soon see :(

Reply
Daniel link
6/3/2014 09:10:15 pm

Vinegar is a great weapon for cleaning!

Reply
Sarah Bolger link
3/4/2015 12:54:07 am

Perfect addition to the cleaning kit, vinegar is anti-bacterial as well and perfect to clean and disinfect floors, bathroom tubs, sinks, toilets, microwaves, among other things. It’s also extremely economical and a jug of vinegar can last a while. The smell also doesn’t last – once it’s rinsed you won’t smell it at all (or you could always add lemon juice).You could either douse a cloth or sponge with it or use a spray bottle to clean. Either way you’re saving money and the environment.Hatchend Carpet Cleaners Ltd.

Reply
maria
8/24/2015 02:24:48 pm

I use a solution of one part vinegar and 3 parts water to soak my fruits and veggies. It's a great <a href="http://goldenshine.com" title="San Diego Cleaning Services">green cleaning</a> solution.

Reply
Rosaria Puskarich link
5/2/2017 05:02:25 pm

Wow! Vinegar as a cleaner? very cheap and handy. But I am bothered, wouldn't it smell?

Reply
cleaning solutions link
11/18/2020 05:24:44 am

Mostly I have found great techniques and developing the wonderful pest control thoughts and allowed the cleaning solutions as well. Thanks for sharing us effective cleaning topics.

Reply



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