Plus how to make infused vinegar
I’ve been cleaning my home with vinegar for over 10 years, and I love it. It works so much better than so many regular cleaning products, and it is toxin-free. And you can even create your own unique scents by infusing your vinegar for a deliciously fragrant cleaning routine.
If you’ve never cleaned with vinegar, baking soda, or any of the many other popular natural cleaning products. You might be wondering if they even work. After all, don’t all these companies spend so much effort and money on making really tough cleaning solutions? And why would they do so when cleaning with vinegar works so well? Well, I suspect it is because we want to be told, which product will do what job in the house. Without having to think about what said product actually has to do.
Most messes in the home are either lipid-based or mineral-based. For the lipid-based messes. You can often easily get rid of them by using a bit of soapy water. The soap molecules will stick to whatever oil or grease mess you have and be washed away with a bit of water. Easy as that. For the mineral-based messes that are caused by hard water, vinegar will dissolve the minerals due to the vinegar’s acidic quality. Thereby removing the entire problem. Unlike bleach, where it merely whitens it so that you cannot see the problem. Personally, I feel better about removing dirt instead of masking it, so I prefer to use vinegar.
In fact, it is so safe that my 2-year-old toddler can help whenever she wants without me having to worry about harmful substances.
How I clean naturally
I’ve never thought twice about cleaning with natural products. My parents always cleaned with natural products too. So it was not until I took a part-time job as a teenager, cleaning elderly people’s homes. That I learned about conventional cleaning products. And although I used whatever products they wanted, I was never convinced that these chemical-laden products were better than my vinegar, baking soda, and plain soap. They’ve always worked for me, and I never have to worry if they’re going to harm any aquatic life or damage my lungs.
Cleaning with vinegar, baking soda & soap
All my cleaning is based on three basic products, vinegar, baking soda, and soap. Or four products if you count plain tap water as a cleaning product. I use vinegar when I want to get rid of limescale or if anything needs slight disinfecting. Because vinegar has slight disinfecting qualities which can be nice when you feel a bit more power is needed. Although I often also use plain boiling water to disinfect anything that can handle having boiling water poured onto it. It is a surefire way to clean anything that might have harmful bacteria on it. But for the more gentle disinfecting, vinegar is a perfect alternative. It is also a lot gentler on whatever you’re cleaning.
For anything greasy, I prefer to use soap with some warm water, I find that it works for almost anything. Since the soap molecules will stick to the grease as well as the water. And few things are more satisfying to clean with than a big bucket filled with warm soapy water and plenty of cleaning cloths. For the bathrooms, I sometimes use carbolic soap instead of plain soap. Since it works wonders as a disinfectant. Although you must know that when ingested. Carbolic soap can have very nasty consequences. It is also best to not have your skin in contact with it for too long since it can irritate the skin. But it works great when you want that extra bit of disinfectant strength if vinegar won’t do the trick.
Baking soda is perfect for when you need anything abrasive to get rid of those extra stubborn spots. With some baking soda and some elbow grease, you can get rid of almost anything. It also works wonders at getting rid of that funky smell in your water bottles.
What to clean with vinegar
Vinegar works great for cleaning a whole host of things from cleaning your toilet bowl to deodorizing your fridge. Whether you add a cupful to your bucket of warm soapy water or you add it half and half to a spray bottle. And by using an infused vinegar, you can even make your home smell fantastic.
Cleaning the bathroom
I often use vinegar to clean my toilet bowl. I use a spray bottle to spray it into the bowl and then add about a cup to the bottom of the bowl. Then I leave it to sit overnight. The next morning any limescale that was causing unsightly stains will have been dissolved. Leaving a sparkly clean toilet bowl behind.
I don’t just use vinegar for the toilet bowl itself but also for the entire bathroom. I simply take a spray bottle and spray any surface that needs cleaning. Then I wipe it down with a cleaning cloth. It will get rid of any limescale that might be present, thereby not just masking any dirt but actually removing it.
Laundry with vinegar
For washing any laundry, I also always like to use some vinegar during the rinse cycle. The vinegar will get rid of any soapy residue, as well as making sure that your colours stay bright. The fact that the vinegar bites through any soap scum means it keeps your whites brighter since the soap can leave a yellowish tint to them. While the vinegar at the same time does the same for dark clothes preventing any dullness. But it doesn’t just make your laundry look cleaner it also removes any unpleasant odours as well as actually softening your clothes.
Around the home & windows
Windows can be cleaned perfectly fine, if not better with vinegar than other types of products. All you need is a spray bottle and a cleaning cloth. Ideally, a lint-free cloth, I like to use a linen cloth for this, but you could also use a microfibre one. Then all you need to do is spray on some of your vinegar and wipe it clean. Then with a dry cloth, wipe off any excess moisture to prevent streaks. If your windows are very mucky. Then you might want to use a bucket with some warm soapy water and a good splash of vinegar. This will help cut through that extra grime while still giving your sparkly clean windows.
Lastly, I like using vinegar for general dusting. Since I always wet dust, meaning that I moisten my cleaning cloth with either some water or vinegar and use that to dust the house. Since both my eldest daughter and I are allergic to dust mites. I find this to be very effective against them.
What you should not be cleaning with vinegar
Although vinegar is great for cleaning all kinds of things, some things don’t do so well with vinegar’s acidity. Such as stone countertops like granite, marble, etc. Because the vinegar can damage the stone, which can create pitting and will dull the surface. But not just stone surfaces are better not cleaned with vinegar but also all kinds of metal surfaces and appliances. Since vinegar’s acidity can corrode the metal and can damage the surface and/or appliance. That said, I do use vinegar on my faucets and my kitchen sink, which are made out of metal. Although I do make sure to not let them sit with vinegar on them.
People are also often warned against using vinegar on any wooden items. Now I must confess that I do use vinegar on all my wooden items. But the problem that vinegar can pose for wooden surfaces is that the vinegar can sometimes damage the finish used on the wood. Thereby damaging the look of your wooden surface, so if you’re unsure if the vinegar will harm your wooden item, just use some soapy water instead.
Making infused vinegar for cleaning with a lovely scent
Making your own scented infused vinegar couldn’t be easier. You choose whatever scent you prefer and add it to some vinegar. Do make sure you use a glass jar with a lid that won’t react to the vinegar since it is quite acidic. Leave it to sit for two to four weeks in your kitchen cupboard and strain. Then you will be able to use your scented vinegar to clean your home and make it smell extra fresh.
I often use a small amount of lavender-scented vinegar diluted with some water to clean the bedrooms. Whereas I prefer to use some lemony vinegar for cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. Since the lemon helps boost the vinegar’s cleaning power and makes it smell lovely and fresh at the same time. Another smell I find quite pleasant for in my home is a mixture of some herbs. I quite like to use sage, thyme, and rosemary since they have such a strong and pleasant smell.
Some infused vinegar scents you might want to try:
- Lemon, orange, or other citrus peels
- Lavender flower or other pleasant smelling flowers
- Christmas spices (cinnamon, cloves, orange peels)
- Herbal mix (sage, thyme, rosemary)
- Any mixture of scents you fancy, experiment and have fun
Add plenty of your scent to a glass jar, cover with distilled vinegar, and let sit in a dark cupboard for 2 to 4 weeks. When ready to use, strain and put into a spray bottle 50/50 with some water.
What are your preferred cleaning products?
What are your favourite cleaning products? Do you also love using vinegar for cleaning your home, or do you prefer other products? I would love to know what you prefer to use. Let me know down below in the comments, or send me a DM on Instagram.
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