If I had to swear by one all purpose household cleaner alone it would have to be white distilled vinegar! This is because it is very inexpensive, environmentally friendly, easy to use and effective for cleaning most household germs, molds and bacteria. Oh, and did I mention that it doesn't leave nasty chemical stains on my hands that can contaminate food and drinks?
Vinegar cleaning with various agents such as water and baking soda goes back generations. This shouldn't be much of a surprise since it's both readily available and effective. In fact, it can be used on practically anything from laundry to dishes to gardening and even hair! Its best use though is as a household cleaner and here are a few ways that you can use it in your own home.
The most important part is probably having the right mixture. One part vinegar and an equal part of water can make for an all-around vinegar cleaning solution. This will do great on glass, tiles, and even ceramics. The one thing that you can't use it on would be marble, as the vinegar's acidity can damage its color.
Using it in it's liquid form though isn't the only option. For example, if you want to deodorize and clean a garbage disposal, freeze pure white distilled vinegar in an ice cube tray. Vinegar cleaning with ice cubes can be done by running them down the garbage disposal while flushing them with cold water.
You can also use it with salt to clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter. Just mix an equal amount into a paste and use it as metal cleanser. Another option would be to add enough vinegar two 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to create a paste. You can rub this on and let dry on the metal. Then, wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.
When pets are in the house then pet accidents are sure to follow. What you can do is to blot up the area, then add a vinegar cleaning solution. Blot this again till it's almost dry. Then, sprinkle baking soda over the area. You can vacuum up the next day to make sure that all residues have been removed.
For mildew, dust and stale molds just wipe down the walls with undiluted white distilled vinegar. That's all there is to it!
When vinegar cleaning with the aid of other household items, the thing to keep in mind is that you're work is only as effective as the solution that you use. As long as you have the right mixture and a good amount of pure vinegar along with you for those hard to remove stains, then you're good to go.
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