Green Living Tip Tuesday: Clean With Vinegar

Green cleaning with vinegar

Today one can pick from a wide variety of cleaning supplies the stores offer. There are sprays and powders, gels and liquids that promise to clean any mess imaginable. But by choosing a conventional cleaner we often forget about it side effects. Sure there are cleaners that do a great job taking care of stains, but they are also plain toxic. There are also cleaners that claim to be green, though often, it’s just an illusion at a higher price. And then, there is vinegar! These tips will show you how universal vinegar can be:

• White distilled vinegar is effective for killing most mold, bacteria, and germs, due to its level of acidity.
• Vinegar will clean out deposits clogging a steam iron, coffeemaker or tea kettle.
• Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then one cup hot white distilled vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes and run hot water down the drain.
• A cup of vinegar will clean a washing machine. Run it through a regular cycle — but not with clothes.
• If using vinegar as a cleaning agent, pick the white variety. Brown will stain porous surfaces.
• To create a tub-scum cleaner, mix baking soda and a “green” liquid soap to a honey-thick consistency. Apply it with a little elbow grease and perhaps a splash of white vinegar.
• Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Baked-on food will be loosened, and odors will disappear. Wipe clean.
• Cut the grime on the top of the refrigerator with a paper towel or cloth and full-strength white distilled vinegar.
• Mix up an inexpensive tile cleaner by adding 1/2 cup baking soda, 1 cup white distilled vinegar, and 1 cup ammonia to a gallon of warm water.

As you can see, vinegar has many uses, so next time you are cleaning, give vinegar a try!