20 Ways to Clean with Vinegar and Save Money!

Cleaning products can be pricey and put a hefty dent in your budget. When you are keeping the home germ-free and non-toxic for your family, it is worth the cost right? WRONG.

Get ready to be “WOWed” with this amazing little tip.

Use vinegar.

Yep, that’s it – this cheap, yet effective product can clean your home from the bathroom to the kitchen and everywhere in between.  And it will only cost you a few dollars.

Vinegar is an effective household cleaner because it kills most mold, bacteria, and germs and is a smart way to avoid harsh chemicals. White Distilled Vinegar is the best to clean with and depending on the job, you may want to use full strength or dilute with water. Here are some examples of uses around your home. These all use white distilled vinegar.

Kitchen

• Spray vinegar directly on counter tops, knobs, handles, cutting boards and other hard surfaces to disinfect and deodorize. Just put equal parts water and vinegar in the bottle (add more vinegar for stubborn stains or smells).
• Clean the microwave by mixing ½ cup vinegar with ½ cup water and heat in a microwave-safe bowl until it is boiling. Baked food will be loosened (so you can wipe clean) and smells will be gone.
• Remove grease stains by wiping them off with a cloth dampened with equal parts water and vinegar.
• Use full strength vinegar to clean in and outside of your refrigerator. It will help prevent mildew and help to deodorize. (Still a good idea to keep a box of baking soda in the refrigerator to help it smell clean between cleanings).
• Bitter coffee? You may need to clean the coffee pot with a cycle of vinegar. It will get rid of mineral deposits, but just make sure you run at least 1-2 cycles of just water to rinse the vinegar out completely.

Bathroom

• Spray vinegar (full strength for stubborn stains) to eliminate mildew on almost any surface.
• Deodorize and unclog drains with baking soda, followed by vinegar.
• Wipe down shower doors with a vinegar-soaked sponge to remove soap residue.
• Whiten your grout in-between tile by dipping an old toothbrush in full strength vinegar and scrub away the grime.
• Pour 2 cups vinegar in the toilet bowl without flushing and let it sit overnight. This will help to eliminate odors, and keep away water rings that can appear by the water level.

Laundry

• Pre-treat food stains, such as ketchup, spaghetti or mustard with vinegar and water mixed equally. Wash immediately and you can add 1-2 cups to the wash cycle for those really stubborn stains.
• Stop lint from clinging to your clothes by adding ½ cup vinegar to the wash cycle.
• Add a cup of vinegar to the last rinse to get rid of soap build up, reduce static cling, and make fabrics softer. It will also help to brighten colors and whites.
• Get rid of wrinkles by lightly spraying clothes with 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Let it air dry and it may turn out better than ironing!

Everywhere Else

• Use vinegar to remove the glue from stickers, decals or price tags. This comes in handy with kids that like to put stickers everywhere!
• Deodorize and disinfect lunchboxes.
• Clean windows and mirrors with equal parts vinegar and water mixed in a spray bottle. Use newspapers to wipe clean (yes, this really does work and leaves the surface spotless!)
• Disinfect and deodorize toys safely. Just wipe with your vinegar and water mixture to get rid of all those germs.
• Get rid of stinky hand after chopping onions or garlic by using a vinegar rinse.
• Eliminate pet odor from an accident by wiping with vinegar after you clean it up (great tip when training puppies, too).

There are SO many ways that vinegar can help you clean around your house AND save you money! How else do you clean with vinegar?

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