Cleaning with Vinegar

[Anonymous]

I've heard that vinegar makes a great, environmental friendly all-purpose cleaner. I've used vinger and water to clean glass and mirrors and that works very well. However, my question is, can you use vinger and water to clean counter tops, tiles, etc... or is it too acidic?

[maria]

I don't know of any other uses of vinegar other then what you describe. One other thing it does is remove odor - just boil some diluted vinegar and it gets rid of strong smells, like after cooking fish. Also add some vinegar to water and let it boil for few minutes inside of a microwave or a regular oven to help with cleaning.

On counter tops, tiles, sinks, etc I use soda. Just sprinkle some and wipe with damp cloth or sponge. It works well on my flat-top stove and works great on coffee/tea stained cups and mugs. So anywhere you need scrubbing, soda is a big help.

[Anonymous]

I use it everywhere. One part vinegar, four parts water in a spray bottle and it cleans everything well from countertops to spot cleaning the floor. I have never heard of using soda, but it sounds like a great idea, I'll have to give it a try.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to both of you for the information-it's very helpful.

[SurelyYouNest]

I use one part vinegar, 3 parts water, and a squirt of enviro-friendly dish detergent in a spray bottle -- everywhere. Baking soda is fabulous as a kind of scrubber. If you leave it overnight in a paste made with water it will make burned on crud a snap to clean off. You can also use that method to clean your oven in a nontoxic way. Paste works great on tubs. Vinegar naturally fights yeast so if you have thrush, your kid has a yeast infection, it's great to have around as a cleaner. Also, vinegar cuts soap scum. Amazing stuff and you can even let your kids *help* clean.

[Anonymous]

I love this trick:

a bowl of water with lemon in it - about 5 minutes in the microwave, loosens all that gook - just wipe clean

[Anonymous]

I use almost straight vinegar (white) in a spray bottle on everything

[Anonymous]

I use the same trick that 1855 posted - especially at the office's microwave!

I wrote on another post that we used vinegar to get rid of ants that were marching around our dishwasher (after the dishes were cleaned) and throughout the kitchen.

[Anonymous]

The info that came with my Granite countertops say NOT to use vinegar as a cleaner on Granite. Don't know why, but I won't do it!

[Anonymous]

I use a cup of vinegar in the mop bucket for my prefinished hardwood floors. It leaves them shinier than anything else I've tried.

I also use a cup of vinegar in the wash as a fabric softener - no it doesn't smell and yes it works. I just add it with the laundry soap.

[Anonymous]

Does it disinfect? Like, if you're cleaning up raw meat juices from the counter or something? Do you feel it kills the bacteria?

[SurelyYouNest]

I know vinegar is antifungal and I think it is also a disinfectant. Soap and water can handle most anything which is why i throw the soap in my spray. I also read that lemon juice is a good way to disinfect a cutting board. Would stay away from essential oils which are often recommended antibacterial agents (tea tree oil and lavender especially have been shown to be endocrine disruptors ie manboob creators) -- overuse of essential oils is hurting marine life. HTH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it disinfect? Like, if you're cleaning up raw meat juices from the counter or something? Do you feel it kills the bacteria?

I believe that vinegar kills like 98% of bacteria -- the most amazing natural cleaning solution you could possibly find. I use it after I cook with raw chicken etc, but if you're nervous, you could get an anti-bacterial spray to use instead.

[Anonymous]

I also heard that vinegar is a disinfectant. As is turmeric. I use both when I make chicken especially and wash the chicken with water, vinegar, then turmeric and rinse with water again.

The baking soda/water paste works great on cleaning my stainless steel sink - better than the stainless steal cleaners I got.

Anyone know how to clean the edges of shower doors with the calcium deposits and something that could be mold in the grout and caulking?

[Anonymous]

Can you please explain how to make the "baking soda paste?"