35 eco-friendly ways to use vinegar for cleaning

Most cleaning products fall into one of two categories: toxic or expensive. While both types will clean just about anything, there is a third option. It is cheap and not toxic. It is multipurpose, one bottle can take care of washing clothes, cleaning the kitchen, even insects and weeds . This “cleaner miracle” is vinegar.

Vinegar is a weak form of acetic acid that is formed through the fermentation of sugars or starches. It is completely edible, and it cannot harm your stomach. And luckily for us, many things can be cleaned with it.

Its uses are almost endless. In addition to cleaning, it is an excellent item for cooking and science experiments at school. The health benefits are many too.

In this article, we focus on the uses of vinegar as a cleanser. Note: plain white vinegar is best for the following uses.

35 eco-friendly ways to use vinegar for cleaning

In addition to your regular bottle of vinegar, a very useful item is a spray bottle. Ideally you would need two – one with pure vinegar, the other with half vinegar, half water. Having it in such a dispenser makes its use much simpler in many cases.

Vinegar for the whole house

1. To remove stickers that have been used to “decorate” furniture and other surfaces, moisten with vinegar. Let it sit for at least ten minutes, then remove.
2. For lingering room odors, place a cup of vinegar in the room overnight.
3. For carpet spills, use a sponge or cloth to absorb as much liquid as possible. Then sprinkle with a mixture of vinegar half water half vinegar. Let it sit for about two minutes, then pat dry with a towel or sponge. Repeat as needed.
4. For stubborn stains, use a mixture of 1 teaspoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of liquid soap, and 1 cup of warm water. Proceed as suggested above. When you’re done cleaning, blow dry on a low setting.
5. To clean the windows, spray with half vinegar, half water. Clean with newspapers or cloth.
6. To clean silver, tin, copper, brass, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of vinegar. Add flour to form a paste (1/4 cup or more). Apply the paste on the metal element, and let it rest for at least fifteen minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and buff with a soft cloth.
7. Unwaxed floors can be cleaned with a solution of 1 cup vinegar per gallon of water for a brighter surface.
8. To clean wood panels, use a mixture of 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1/2 cup of vinegar and 2 cups of warm water. Apply to paneling with a soft cloth. Dry with a clean cloth.
9. To remove mineral deposits that form on irons, spray discolored pipes thoroughly with the vinegar / water solution and let it sit to break up the iron deposits for approximately one hour.
10. Moist/moldy walls: Spray the affected area with pure vinegar and let it sit for 15 minutes. Clean with a little water to remove excess and allow to dry completely.

In the bathroom

11. To remove corrosion or chemical build-up on your shower faucet, bag vinegar overnight.
12. Remove stains from the toilet bowl, apply vinegar spray.
13. To remove accumulated soap from the faucets, clean with a mixture of 1 part salt and 4 parts vinegar.
14. Spray or spray bottle on shower walls and curtain to help prevent mold.

In the kitchen

15. To keep ants away, spray vinegar along doors, windows, countertops – anywhere the ants are likely to appear. If you find an ant trail (repeatedly used ant trail), clean with vinegar.
16. To remove odors from the sink or garbage place, pour a cup or more of vinegar. Don’t rinse again for at least an hour.
17. When washing glasses by hand, fill one side of the sink or sink with fresh water, add 1 cup of vinegar and use it to wash the glasses at the end of the wash to give them an original shine.
18. For a clogged drain, first add 1/2 cup of baking soda. Then add an equal amount of vinegar. When the bubbly mixture is done, rinse with warm water. (Note: some garbage disposals do not react well to this cleaning method, check with the manufacturer first.)
19. Clean hands with vinegar after cutting strong-smelling vegetables. It will remove strong odors like garlic and onion, as well as fruit juice stains.
20. To clean wooden cutting boards, wipe with a vinegar rag.
21. Eliminate strong odors. Rinse jars with a half vinegar and half water mixture to remove garlic or other strong odors. Boil the water with several tablespoons of vinegar to remove the smell of burned food from your kitchen.
22. It is an excellent cleaner for all kitchen surfaces – counters, refrigerator, hob.
23. To clean the microwave oven, put a microwaveable container with 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the oven and heat long enough to boil. In addition to removing any lingering odors, this will loosen any baked goods from the walls of the microwave.
24. To remove coffee or tea stains, clean, with a mix with salt.

Vinegar in the laundry

25. To prevent colors from fading in the wash, soak clothes in vinegar before washing.
26. To reduce lint on clothes, add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
27. Many stubborn stains can be removed with vinegar: coffee, chocolate, tomato sauce, jam, cola, wine. Gently rub the stain with vinegar, then wash off.
28. For whiter and brighter clothes, add 1/2 cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
29. For cooler cloth diapers, add a cup of v. distillate to the rinse cycle. This will break down the uric acid and remove both stubborn stains and scents.
30. To remove burn marks from an iron, rub with a mixture of vinegar and salt.
31. To remove soap residue from the washing machine, run an empty cycle (without clothes) with a cup of vinegar added.
32. To remove the smell of smoke from clothing, add a cup of vinegar to a tub of hot water. Let the clothes hang in the same environment for several hours.

Vinegar in pet care

33. To keep cats out of windows or other surfaces, spray with vinegar. This will also prevent them from scratching rugs (spraying an inconspicuous area of ​​the fabric first to make sure it doesn’t cause a stain).
34. To keep dogs free from scratching their ears, wipe with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
35. If your dog has an encounter with a skunk, use vinegar diluted 50% with water, rubbing the dog’s fur. Rinse with lukewarm water. Repeat as needed.