If you want to use fewer cleaning chemicals in your home, try using vinegar.
There are so many ways to use vinegar for cleaning around the home. Vinegar is a mild acid, so it is effective for dissolving grease and stains. It also has anti-microbial properties, which is why it is traditionally used for preserving food by pickling.
Here are some of my favourite ways to use vinegar for cleaning.
A note
As always, before you try these recipes, test a small inconspicuous area first to check they are suitable for your surfaces. And read on for a few places where you should not use vinegar in your cleaning routine.
1. Antoinette’s wood polish
This is my favourite way to use vinegar for cleaning. It’s perfect for getting a lovely clean shine on wood furniture. You will need:
- 1 part vinegar
- 1 part oil (almond, olive or my favourite – walnut)
- A few drops of essential oil for fragrance.
Mix the ingredients together. Use your polish straight away, or store in a bottle.
Apply the liquid to your wooden furniture using a soft cloth and rub into the surface.
2. Nancy Birtwhistle’s All-Purpose Cleaner
This recipe is from Nancy Birtwhistle’s book Clean & Green. It’s a great buy if you want to discover more planet-friendly cleaning recipes and tips.
To make this all-purpose cleaner, you will need:
- 60 ml white vinegar
- 150 ml water
- 40 ml surgical spirit (you can buy this from your local pharmacy)
- 20 drops of essential oil (lemon or lavender are perfect, or choose your favourite).
Pour the ingredients into a 300 ml glass bottle with a spray attachment. Shake thoroughly.
Use this cleaner on kitchen and bathroom surfaces, mirrors and glass.
3. Grandma’s window cleaning method
Ask your grandma, and she will almost certainly tell you to use vinegar for cleaning windows.
Brush the window and frame first with a soft brush to remove loose dirt and cobwebs. Wash with soapy water (eco-friendly washing-up liquid is perfect), then spray the glass with vinegar and polish quickly for a streak-free shine.
Grandma will probably recommend using scrunched-up newspaper for a final polish, as it doesn’t leave lint behind like some cloths.
4. Laundry day problem-solver
Try adding vinegar to your laundry day toolkit. If you have shirts with stubborn underarm sweat stains and odours, a spritz of vinegar could do the trick. Spray undiluted white vinegar onto the stain and leave for 10 minutes, then wash as normal.
White vinegar is also an effective fabric softener. Add half a cup to the final rinse cycle, in the fabric conditioner drawer. However, using vinegar in your washing machine too frequently can cause damage, so only do this once a week.
If your washing machine smells musty, try running it empty on a hot cycle with half a cup of vinegar in the fabric conditioner compartment. The vinegar dissolves residues which can cause stale odours.
5. Wooden Floor Cleaning solution
Add one third of a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water to mop sealed wooden or laminate floors. Be careful not to get the floor too wet, and use a soft cloth to dry the floor after mopping, for a great shine.
When not to use vinegar for cleaning
Avoid using vinegar to clean natural stone surfaces or tiles in your home. The acid in the vinegar can react with the surface of the stone causing permanent damage. Check with the manufacturer’s recommendations for specialist cleaning products suitable for your surface.
Vinegar can also damage rubber, so avoid using it to clean seals on your fridge, washing machine or dishwasher.
Never mix vinegar with bleach as it can release dangerous chlorine gas.
Stick to these guidelines, and you can find lots of ways of cleaning with vinegar – which means fewer plastic bottles, fewer chemicals and a naturally clean space for you and your family.
