One of the most natural cleaning products you can purchase costs under $2. White vinegar is a versatile liquid that will help clean everything from showers to sinks. Heads. If you’re still not using this basic solution to its fullest potential, here’s the information you should know.
While vinegar is a helpful item on the shelf, you should remember that it’s an acid and be careful when using vinegar. For instance, it is recommended not to mix vinegar with hydrogen peroxide or bleach since it will release toxic fumes that can irritate your respiratory system and be highly hazardous. “Mixing vinegar with bleach will create chlorine gas, which is extremely toxic,” Diana Rodriguez-Zaba, director of Service Master Restoration by Zaba, a Chicago-based company. Service Master Restoration Zaba. This is similar to how vinegar and hydrogen peroxide mix to create toxic peracetic acid that may irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs (yikes! ).
Additionally, the versatility of vinegar isn’t without limits. There are certain things that you should not remove with vinegar. Electrical equipment, upholstery, and porous or natural stone (including granite). “Since vinegar is extremely acidic, it may harm fabric, cause corrosion to electronic components, and also etch natural stone and marble,” says Rodriguez-Zaba. Also, don’t attempt to remove old stains using vinegar. They won’t wash away using vinegar on their own, she says.
How to Clean Anything With Vinegar
You can wash most surfaces, even porcelain, using a simple solution of water and vinegar. Mix equal amounts of water and vinegar with a spray bottle, according to Rodriguez-Zaba. If you would like, add 5 to 20 drops of the preferred essential oil, such as lemon or grapefruit, to make the solution smell less vinegary and leave a pleasant scent on your cleaning surface. According to Marilee Nelson, who is a professional in cleaning. Who is the co-founder of Branch Basics? Add half to one teaspoon of dish soap for more excellent cleaning action or more effective dirt removal.
Before you start work, you should identify the container (i.e., “vinegar cleaning solution”) to ensure you know what it is and avoid adding additional ingredients that can harm the solution. After that, you can go to work using this solution to wash dirty dishes (like the stubborn grease-stained dishes), windows, your bathroom, microwave, and many more.
How to Clean Windows With Vinegar
For cleaning windows, use the same half-and-half vinegar and water mixture described above (with and without dishwashing soap). However, there is one modification: use warmer water when you mix it into your solution. This is essential to get streak-free windows, according to Rodriguez-Zaba. Spray your windows with the resolution, then clean them with a microfiber towel. Employing a squeegee to make your glass sparkling clear is also possible.
If you notice streaks, don’t blame it on the vinegar. Streaking can happen for three reasons: The solution is concentrated, the water has left lines of minerals, or the conventional cleaning products leave chemical residues, according to Nelson.
To remove streaks, you’ll have to eliminate the traces by making a cleaning solution: 1/2 cup of distilled water (particularly when dealing with the hard water from your tap), two teaspoons of dish soap, and 1/4 cup vinegar. It could take several clean-ups to remove all old remnants, Nelson notes.
How to Clean the Bathroom With Vinegar
According to Nelson, vinegar is excellent for cleaning bathrooms because its high acidity deodorizes it, dissolves soap scum, and loosens mineral deposits.
You can use the traditional vinegar-water method to clean your bathroom, from showers to toilets (as long as they’re porous stones). Vinegar can also help clean up spots often overlooked in the bathroom, like shower heads and faucets. Add vinegar into a plastic bag, wrap it around the head, and secure it with an elastic band, suggests Rodriguez-Zaba. Allow it to soak for a few hours before removing and washing any remaining residue.
However, it’s important to note that the vinegar-water solution is not a valid choice as a disinfectant or sanitizer per EPA guidelines.
Can You Mix Vinegar and Dish Soap?
Yes. As I said earlier, adding one or two teaspoons of dishwashing soap to the vinegar solution can aid in removing any gunk that remains.
Can You Mix Vinegar and Baking Soda?
It’s not because the two substances block each other out. According to Nelson, due to the acidity of vinegar and baking soda’s basis, you’ll see a lot of water by mixing them. Mixing them in a closed container, vinegar can cause baking soda to become foamy and explode (remember the science projects in junior high school? assignments?). You can use them in succession however you’d like, but do not mix them, suggests Nelson.
Can You Mix Vinegar and Essential Oils?
Yes. Adding essential oils with a fresh scent to the vinegar cleaning solution can help neutralize the acidic solid smell and leave a cleaner, natural, fresh scent behind. Choose citrus oils such as grapefruit, lemon, and lime for the best results. You can also use florals like lavender, which is calming.
Can You Mix Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide?
No. As we said earlier, this mix will result in peracetic acid. It is harmful and corrosive to your eyes, skin, throat, nose, and Rodriguez-Zaba.
Can You Mix Vinegar and Lemon Juice?
Yes. Lemon juice will also aid in reducing the vinegar odor of the cleaning product you use and come in handy when cleaning glass surfaces throughout your home. Add one tablespoon of white vinegar and two teaspoons of juice from a lemon to the empty spray bottle. Add one cup of water and shake the mix. You could also mix 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 cup lemon juice as a spray for kitchen degreasing.