5 Ways to Clean and Freshen Your Kitchen Appliances with Vinegar

Keeping your kitchen appliances sparkling clean and fresh with vinegar saves money while avoiding the use of harsh chemicals that threaten the safety of your children and pets. Although it isn't a cure-all for all cleaning needs, it does cut grease, break up hard water deposits and deodorize.

Coffee Pots
Coffee pots have a way of malfunctioning just as you need that cup of Java the most. With white vinegar, you can prevent the buildup of hard water deposits and keep your coffee maker running smoothly. Fill the pot with two cups of white vinegar and top it off with cold water. Run ½ of the pot through a brew cycle. Stop the coffee maker and allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Turn the coffee maker on and allow the remaining pot of vinegar and water to brew. Refill the pot with cold water and run it through the coffee maker to rinse away any vinegar residue. Cleaning the coffee maker with vinegar regularly prevents deposits from building up and clogging the water line.

Microwaves
Cooking food in the microwave often causes a greasy film to form on the sides and top of the oven and may leave unpleasant odors. To cut away the grease and eliminate the odor, clean the oven with distilled white vinegar. Simply place a saucer of white vinegar in the microwave and heat until the vinegar boils. Turn off the microwave and allow the steam from the vinegar to melt away the grease and food residue. Wipe down the top and sides with a soft damp cloth for a sparkling clean microwave that smell fresh and clean. Once the odor from the vinegar dissipates, your microwave is odor free.

Oven Vents
Oven vents collect residue and can becomes sticky or greasy but are often difficult to clean. To clean them, saturate a cloth of white vinegar and white down the surface. If additional grease buildup is present, remove the vents and soak them in a 3 cups water and 1 cup of vinegar. Allow them to set for 30 minutes and scrub them clean with soft brush or an old toothbrush. Rinse and dry the vents and replace them.

Refrigerators
Wipe down the inside of your refrigerator with cloth saturated with white vinegar to remove food particles or residue, but don't stop there. Wiping down the door seals and vents not only cleans them, it prevents mold or mildew from forming, too. Make it a regular routine to wipe the seals once a week to keep your refrigerator looking like new.

Dishwashers
Vinegar cleans and freshens the dishwasher while breaking up hard water deposits, too. Add ½ cup of white vinegar to the dishwasher and run it through the rinse cycle once a month to keep you dishwasher fresh and operating smoothly.

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