Replace Vinegar for These Household Cleaning Products

Replace Vinegar for These Household Cleaning Products

I’m always looking for ways to eliminate chemicals from our home. Sometimes it’s challenging and other times it is rather quite easy.  Recently, I came across a great post by Amy Bizzarri on SocialMoms.com (a great site full if super information, by the way!) identifying seven (!!) household cleaning products that can be replaced with vinegar. The Silver Linings of vinegar are:

• It is eco-friendly
• Powerful anti-bacterial
• It is inexpensive!

To get you started, Bizzarri offers seven recipes for creating common household cleaning products using vinegar. All of the recipes below call for simple white distilled vinegar.

1. All-Purpose Cleaning Spray. Why pay for a pricey cleaning spray when you can use vinegar as a base and create a cheap and eco-minded disinfecting cleaning spray? In a spray bottle, add 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of hot water, 1 and 1 tablespoon dishwashing soap. Shake the bottle well before use.
2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Mix one cup of vinegar with one cup of baking soda right into your toilet bowl. Leave it for about 5 minutes so the baking soda can react to the vinegar, then scrub with your toilet brush to remove stains.
3. Glass Cleaner. Count on vinegar to give your windows a streak-free shine. Simply add 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water to a spray bottle. Spray on window class or mirrors and wipe down with an old newspaper for an extra touch of eco-friendliness.
4. Stainless Steel Cleaner. Add 1 cup of vinegar, 3 cups of warm water and 3 tablespoons baking soda to a spray bottle. Simply spray your stainless steel appliances with the solution and wipe clean and dry with a lint-free rag.
5. Dishwasher Cleaner. Maintain and sanitize your dishwasher to keep your dishes clean and sparkling with this easy dishwasher cleaning solution: Empty your dishwasher, pour in one cup of vinegar, and run a complete cycle.
6. Fabric Softener. Just say no to costly and chemical laden fabric softeners and make your own using the sanitizing and deodorizing power of vinegar. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar and a few drops of your favorite essential oil (I recommend lavender!) to the rinse cycle.
7. Carpet Stain Cleaner. Carpet spill? First use a sponge to soak up as much of the spill as possible. Then fill your spray bottle with a mixture of half vinegar, half warm water. Spray solution on spill and let stand for about five minutes. Blot with a sponge. Repeat until the stain is completely removed.
8. Kitchen Floor Cleaner. Create your own no-wax floor cleaner by filling a bucket with one gallon of hot water and 1 cup of vinegar. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil; I recommend grapefruit or lemon for a citrus-clean scent.

I’m looking forward to trying these.  Do you have any fun ways to clean without chemicals?