Organic Cleaning Part 1: Vinegar the great

As promised yesterday, I’ll try to post a few of the more organic solutions I’ve been using around the home to clean with. I started out by naming this blog ‘Organic Cleaning.’ Then I realized I was writing so much about vinegar that I’d probably have to do more than one blog on this topic! So here we are with Organic Cleaning Part I: Vinegar.

Vinegar is one of my favorite all-purpose, around-the-house and outside staples now. I either use straight vinegar or a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water. I have it stored in spray bottles at my kitchen sink and in every bathroom. Vinegar is also a disinfectant. Click here to get more information on using vinegar as a disinfectant.

I’ll list some of the more common things I use vinegar for (as well as caveats) here…

I spray my shower lightly with the 50/50 solution after I shower to prevent soap scum and mineral build-up, making cleaning a breeze. When I clean the shower, I use baking soda and vinegar. I either sprinkle some baking soda on the tub and then wipe it down with a washcloth soaked in vinegar, or I spray it down with vinegar, then sprinkle baking soda and use a damp rag to wipe it down. Works wonderfully. 

Vinegar acts as a disinfectant. Before I eat vegetables or fruits with edible skins, I wash them off and then hit them with the straight vinegar.

I add a 1/2 cup to the rinse cycle of my laundry to keep whites staying whiter. I accomplish this by putting the vinegar in the fabric softener receptacle in my washing machine. Vinegar also acts as a fabric softener, so I eliminated dryer sheets from the drying cycle. It is important to make sure you don’t over-dry clothes. Over-drying is part of what creates static cling, especially when lycra, nylon, or polyester are present. 

Vinegar is great at removing mold and mildew. I had some green growing on my deck where the sun can’t reach it so I sprayed with vinegar, waited a few moments, then wiped it up with a towel. It hasn’t grown back.

Vinegar can be used as a weed-killer instead of the nasty chemicals they sell in the stores. It’s safer for our environment too. ) I just spray straight vinegar on the weeds and wait a few days – voila. When doing this I have to be careful not to spray it directly where I’d like to keep the grass or allow my plants to grow – vinegar can affect the pH of soil and make it difficult to grow anything. Driveways, walkways, etc. are the types of places to use this as a weed killer.

I use vinegar instead of glass cleaner on mirrors, windows, glass, etc. It is a great glass cleaner. I use straight vinegar but you can also use the 50/50 solutions. If working in a delicate area (e.g. the glass on a picture frame), I spray it on the rag first then wipe. If you try this method and you’ve been using store bought glass cleaners for a while, it may take a couple of vinegar applications before all the residue comes off. Commercial glass cleaners contain some kind of chemical that leaves a waxy residue (I think it might be wax but I can’t remember where I saw that). Once that residue is gone, you’ll have shinier glass and mirrors than ever before.

Things to be aware of:

The vinegar smell dissipates shortly after using it. When spraying in the shower I find it more pleasant to hold my breath while spraying then immediately walk out of the shower. I’ve read that you can infuse the vinegar with natural oils, but I haven’t done this as the smell doesn’t bother me that much, and it really does go away. The less ingredient mixing I have to do, the better.

I use WHITE vinegar only. I buy the regular household strength (5%) solution. I make sure the bottle says the vinegar is “made from grain”, otherwise it may be petroleum based. Heinz sells made from grain white 5% vinegar in giant jugs at places like BJs’ and some supermarkets. These are what I pick up. They last a long time, even with 5 spray bottles hanging around the house.

As mentioned above, if you have been using lots of chemically-based cleaners in your house you may find the first couple of times you use vinegar that there is a film on the things you clean. That will go away eventually.

DO NOT USE VINEGAR on calcium based stone such as marble or granite. They can cause staining (as can any acetic food such as lemons and fruit juices). You can use it to clean the grout between tiles, but make sure it is diluted and rinse thoroughly afterwards otherwise it can start to break down the grout.

There are hundreds of other ideas for uses of vinegar in one of my favorite reference books: “Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You’ve Probably Never Thought Of” by Vicki Lansky. I highly recommend it. Everything is indexed to make it easier to find. I also recommend “Green Housekeeping”  (also sold as “Organic Housekeeping”) by Ellen Sandbeck. Many of the cleaning tips I use now I found in these two books while I was researching greening up my house. 

I also just happened upon a website located here, that claims to give 1001 uses for vinegar although I have not checked it out thoroughly yet.

Of course I need to add the disclaimer that you have to use these tips at your own risk, because what works for me might not always work for you.

Happy greening!!