Here at It’s Cleaning Time, we love eco-friendly cleaning products, and we use them whenever and wherever we can! Did you know that distilled white vinegar, the same thing you probably use for cooking from time to time, can easily and safely clean all sorts of things around your home? Here are just some of its many spectacular uses:
Clean surfaces
- Clean countertops by spraying them with straight vinegar and wiping it away with a warm, wet cloth. (However, do not use vinegar on granite or marble!)
- Take care of refrigerator spills with a mix of equal parts water and vinegar. You can even store a spray bottle of the solution in your fridge for this purpose. (Just don’t use vinegar on egg spills – the vinegar will actually make them harder to remove.)
- Loosen caked-on gunk in the microwave by placing half a cup of water and half a cup of vinegar in a glass bowl and microwaving for two to three minutes, or until the mixture boils. Then spills and splatters will wipe away with ease.
- Remove stains on coffee and tea cups by gently scrubbing them with a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and salt or baking soda.
- Get rid of lime build-up on a faucet by making a paste of one teaspoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of salt. Apply to lime-crusted areas and scrub.
- Clean a toilet and eliminate odors by pouring a cup of vinegar into the bowl. (For really gross situations, remove the toilet water first.) Let it sit for several hours or overnight, then sprinkle with baking soda or borax. Scrub, then flush.
Clean pipes and moving parts
- Eliminate soap scum and other build-up in your dishwasher or coffee maker by pouring one cup of vinegar into each appliance and letting it run a full cycle. This can be done as often as once a month.
- Get rid of clogs in your showerhead by soaking for fifteen minutes in a solution of half a cup of vinegar and a quart of water.
- Forget nasty drain cleaners that are full of chemicals – pour one cup of baking soda and then one cup of vinegar down a sink, tub, or shower drain. Let them foam up for several minutes, and then flush the pipes with boiling water.
- If your scissors have gotten sticky, simply wipe them down with a cloth dipped in vinegar. Unlike soap and water, vinegar won’t cause metal blades to rust.
Miscellaneous
- If you have a screw that’s so rusty it won’t budge, pour a little vinegar on it. Wait a couple of minutes, and the screw should turn easily!
- Easily and safely get rid of chewing gum that’s stuck somewhere it shouldn’t be, such as on fabric or in hair. Heat a small bowl of vinegar in the microwave for no more than a minute, then pour the vinegar over the gum and watch the mess dissolve!
- Fix worn DVDs that skip or freeze by wiping them with vinegar and a soft cloth. Make sure they’re completely dry before you put them back in the player.
This list is just a sampling of vinegar’s many uses; it can be used for laundry, personal care, pet care, and more! Stay tuned to this blog for more cleaning tips from your Austin, Texas, home cleaning service!
