TWT: Cleaning with Vinegar

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helping each other be good stewards of all our resources: money, possessions, time, energy, and health

Some people have cupboards full of cleaning supplies.  That costs a lot, takes up a lot of space, and, let’s face it, fills a home with poisons.

We use vinegar instead because it is economical, effective, and safe.

Because it kills mold and bacteria, vinegar is a good disinfectant.  We use it, undiluted, in the bathroom.  It works both in the shower stall and on walls, ceilings, and corners where mold seems to grow.  It’s also great for cleaning up the kitchen, since it cuts grease.

My husband has used CLR in his coffee pot, but vinegar is more economical and safer.  In fact, because it dissolves minerals it is ideal for cleaning out tea kettles, coffee pots and shower heads.

Vinegar removes soap scum from faucets, bathtubs, showers, sponges, and countertops.  Check out this site for details: sometimes you need to soak a rag in vinegar to soak the problem area, and sometimes it works better to mix the vinegar with salt. 

Do your cleaning cloths, plastic containers, carpets, and more smell a bit?  No problem.  Use vinegar.  It also removes odor due to mildew, bed wetting, and pets.  Of course, it has its own odor, but that disappears quickly. 

When I was still washing diapers, I used vinegar in the final rinse to remove soap residues.  That also works for regular clothing and seems to brighten it.

And you know how new clothes smell?  I needed to wash my latest package of Walmart undies over and over and over to get rid of that horrible perfume.   But I found out here that adding ½ a cup of vinegar to the wash water will remove the odor.  Yippee!

Of course, you can’t use vinegar on marble or certain stones, because it dissolves them.  Another thing we have learned is that you need good ventilation if you spray vinegar from a spray bottle–although it is much better than commercial cleaners.  We now prefer using a cloth, and that works for us.

I am happy to use products that save money, health, and the environment all at once.

Please join in and share your Tightwad Tuesday tips, ideas, stories, and encouragement.  Just click on the Linky Tools message below to enter your post. Then enjoy learning from the wonderful ideas of others.  Please remember to link back to Tightwad Tuesday so that others can join in as well.

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For more helpful ideas, see Tuesday’s Tips ,  Tuesday’s Tip Jar,  Works for Me Wednesday, Coupon Teacher’s Thrifty Thursday,  and Melissa’s Thrifty Thursday.