Using Vinegar to Clean: How Vinegar Can Help Clean and Save You Money

Cindy Thomas
Long before store shelves were lined with various cleaning products, there was vinegar. Women used vinegar to clean in a number of ways. Rather than spend loads of money on different types of cleaners, you can save money by using vinegar to clean.

Make your own window cleaner with vinegar and water. You can save a lot of money doing this instead of buying commercial window cleaning products like Windex. Adding one third cup of vinegar to a quart of water in an empty spray bottle will leave your windows sparkling when used to clean the windows and mirrors. Add a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol to help dry faster.

Do you have copper plated bottoms on your pots and pans? Copper bottom cookware tarnishes quickly with use. To clean the tarnish frugally, use a mixture of vinegar and salt to form a paste and scrub the copper area.

Adding a cup of vinegar to a gallon pail of soapy mop water will keep your no wax floors nice and clean with that added shine. Mopping with this solution saves money by not buying floor cleaning products.

If you have a whirlpool tub, you know how the water jets can get icky and gunky after time. To prevent this buildup, pour a one gallon bottle of vinegar into the rub filled with water and run it. If you use the whirlpool tub often, you will want to do this about once a month at least. The vinegar will help remove the soap scum and buildup in the water jets.

Vinegar cuts grease. Use either a mixture of water and vinegar or straight vinegar to clean range tops and venting hoods, cabinet doors near the stove, and greasy dishes from fried foods, etc. Vinegar works great to cut the grease on items like electric griddles before washing them.

Coffee makers usually end up stained with coffee strains after a lot of usage. You can clean the stains away with vinegar by filling the water reservoir with vinegar and then running the pot as you normally would (without the coffee ground), then rerun it with clean water two times after the vinegar is used. Your coffee pot should be spotless again.

Vinegar will get rid of hard water stains. Soak paper towels or washcloths in vinegar and place over the hard water stains that need to be cleaned. Leave these in place either overnight or for several hours. After the time has passed, remove the paper towels or washcloths. The area should wipe clean.

You can clean your microwave without purchasing cleaning products for it. Put a bowl of water with a tablespoon of vinegar in the microwave and turn it on for about four minutes, bringing the water to a boil. Leave it for a few moments. The steam from the water will soften any cooked on residue and you will be able to wipe the microwave clean.

Published by Cindy Thomas

I am a freelance writer and graphic designer. I've been writing for many years and have recently discovered the joys of graphic designing. Follow BlondieWrites on Twitter @Blondie_Writes  View profile

3 Comments

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  • Amber McElroy3/26/2011

    Did you know that you can also use white distilled vinegar to kill mold? It works great! Plus it removes the stains left behind. I also add it to my laundry to help get the underarm smell out of my hubby's work shirts. Give it a try sometime!

  • tami11/4/2007

    does it work cold and hot?

  • me7/24/2007

    I use vinegar to clean with, it works great at getting rid of odors. Put it in a spary bottle and sprary throughout your house, the vinegar smell will go away.

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