Green Clean Home - Using Vinegar

 

A responsible homeowner owns a clean home and using all natural, non-toxic cleaning products creates a healthy environment and is especially important to families with small children. A clean home consists of more than just clean floors, walls and windows and vinegar is a versatile, strong substance that cleans and disinfects well.

 

Vinegar is a great cleaner. Mix 1/2 and 1/2 water and white distilled vinegar to tackle grime and other dirt.

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Vinegar is also a great way to remove soap residue when cleaning. It leaves everything that you are cleaning with soap squeaky clean.  

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Vinegar can remove other substances such as lime and calcium deposits around faucets and shower heads. Wrap the fixtures in a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar or put 1/2 cup of vinegar in a plastic bag and cover the fixture securely with the plastic bag and a rubber band. Let the fixture soak for a few hours and then wipe or scrub clean. You can also soak grout for a few minutes with vinegar and then scrub it clean with a toothbrush. This should remove a lot of the grime or mold.

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Deodorize the Home - Deodorizing a home before it is sold is crucial Covering up smells with scents is a waste of time and often scents don't give the home a fresh smell. Getting rid of smoke and other odors can be challenging. Place a bowl full of white distilled vinegar in a room for a day. It will capture bad smells. You can also wave a rag soaked in vinegar around a room and, of course, wash walls. Often kitchen counters easily retain the smell of food. Wash them with full-strength white distilled vinegar using a rag (but don't use vinegar on marble). Deodorize the dishwasher by placing a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the machine and running it through a full cycle. If you want to clean and deodorize the garbage disposal in the most thorough way, then make full-strength vinegar ice cubes and run them through the disposal while running cold water.

 

Shine Metal - Vinegar does a nice job of shining metal such as chrome, stainless steel, brass and copper. To clean metal, make a paste of white distilled vinegar and baking soda. Use a soft cloth to buff the metal.

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Clean Rugs - Spray vinegar on the backs of rugs to prevent mildew and brush the rug with a broom dipped in vinegar to clean dirt and dust. You don't need to rinse this. Stains can be removed with 1/2 cup baking soda or salt and 2 Tbsp. of vinegar. Borax can be helpful to add, if the stain is a tough one.

 

Scratched Wood - Most houses are sold unfurnished, but it is important that the furniture looks nice, when it is being shown. If there are scratch marks on wood furniture, you can cover them up with a mixture of either white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar and iodine. Experiment with the amounts of each substance to achieve the color that matches the furniture. In addition, you can try this on wood paneling or molding.

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Water Rings on Furniture - If you mix 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 olive oil and apply this mixture to water ring stains in the direction of the grain, the ring should fade. If the stain is on leather, then use full-strength white vinegar. Always use a soft cloth in this application.

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Deter Ants - Spray full-strength vinegar in areas where ants travel. This will help to deter them.

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Kill Weeds - Often patios or driveways may be riddled with weeds growing in areas where there are cracks. Pour full-strength vinegar in these areas.

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