How to Clean with Vineagr

Versatile vinegar

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Tired of having ten different products around to clean ten different messes? Worried about what’s safe to use around the kids? The dog? Yourself? Help is as near as your kitchen pantry, in that familiar little bottle of bitter, clear liquid. Okay, put the vodka down. Seriously, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more effective, safer, and cheaper cleaner to use in your kitchen (and your whole house, for that matter) than good old vinegar. Follow the steps below (in no particular order) to get your kitchen looking and smelling great!

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Distilled white vinegar
Spray bottle (optional)

How to Clean Your Kitchen With Vinegar

Step1

Clean the coffeemaker. Fill the pot with water and a cup of vinegar. Run through the normal cycle and let stand until it cools. Then rinse with a cycle of plain water.

Step2

Clean the refrigerator. Use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to wash out grime and food odors.

Step3

Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. This will loosen splattered-on food, which can then be easily wiped off with a cloth or paper towel.

Step4

Clean the dishwasher. Once a month, set a cup of vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher and run through a normal cycle. This will reduce the soap residue on the inner mechanisms and will help keep spots off your glassware.

Step5

Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup of vinegar down the drain once a week. Let it stand for 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

Step6

Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make ice cubes out of a cup of vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray. Then feed the cubes down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through for about a minute.

Step7

Clean faucets and taps. To remove tough mineral deposits on faucets, wrap them in cloths or paper towels soaked in vinegar. Cover the area in plastic wrap to prevent evaporation. Wait an hour or two, and then wash away the sediment with a soft brush or cloth. Rinse and dry.

Step8

Clean the drain board. To get rid of hard water stains, pour a cup of vinegar over the board (or soak it in the sink if easier) and let set overnight. Rub the stains off in the morning.

Step9

Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Then scrub away the dirt and grime easily.

Step10

Freshen a lunch box. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it set in the lunch box overnight.

Step11

Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Then gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.

Step12

Make your oven cleaner. For a conventional oven, rinse with vinegar to remove odor and residue. For a self-cleaning oven, rinse with vinegar to remove dirt and ash left by the cleaning cycle.

Step13

Clean cutting boards. Wood and plastic cutting boards can be cleaned and disinfected by wiping with full strength vinegar.

Step14

Clean your kitchen floor. No-wax vinyl flooring and wood floors clean to a nice shine with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and ½ gallon of water.

Step15

Clean your counter tops and other hard surfaces. Use a solution of equal parts vinegar and water to clean any other surfaces that need it.

Step16

Clean yourself. Rub vinegar on your fingers before and after slicing onions to cut the smell. Remove fruit stains from your hands by rubbing them in a little vinegar.

Tips & Warnings

Plain white vinegar is your best and least expensive option for all-purpose cleaning. Save the pricey gourmet vinegars for your palette.
Wondering about that vinegar smell? Don't worry; it dissipates quickly.
Keep a small bottle of vinegar next to your kitchen sink for quick and easy access.
Fill a spray bottle with a mix of equal parts water and vinegar and keep it handy with your cleaning supplies.
Don't mix vinegar with any commercial cleaning products. It could be dangerous. For example, mixing vinegar with bleach produces a deadly chlorine gas.