Green, Eco-Friendly Ways to Clean Your House With Vinegar

Angela loves researching new facts, especially those about science and history. She feels that knowledge is essential in growth.

Green Housecleaning Tips and Tricks

If you're anything like me, then you hate cleaning. You would rather be spending time with your family, reading a book, or working in the garden than getting your cleaning rags and scrubbing the bathroom tub. Here are four easy tips that help your house to stay clean without excessive elbow grease. The best part is that these excellent housecleaning tips and tricks do not use harmful chemicals, making them safe for little ones—all while protecting the Earth.

How to Clean the Bathroom Tub

One of the worst jobs in the bathroom is cleaning the tub. Not just because of the germs and dirt, but the time-consuming scrubbing that occurs. Here is a natural, non-scrubbing way to get rid of the soap scum and buildup found in most tubs.

To Make Vinegar Bathtub Spray

1. First, make a vinegar and dish soap mixture.
2. Take a half cup of vinegar, warm it up in the microwave for ninety seconds.
3. Then, take a half cup of clear liquid dish soap and mix it. Once mixed, pour it into a spray bottle.

Process Gallery: How to Prepare Vinegar Mixture to Clean Tubs

Supplies Needed: Spray bottle, dish soap, vinegar, and measuring cup.

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Step-by-Step Tub Cleaning Instructions

1. Once the mixture has been made, spray it copiously all over your tub. I have found that it works best if you spray the mixture while it is still warm. Make sure to get all the tough spots. This spray works wonders on shower curtains, sinks, and glass doors as well.
2. Once you have sprayed your entire tub, set a timer for one hour. You'll want it to sit for more than an hour, but less than two.
3. Then take a washcloth and wipe down the tub and glass door. The soap scum and chemical buildup will wipe away without scrubbing. The vinegar removes stains and bad odors. The soap will hold it in place as the vinegar does its magic.
4. After you wipe off the excess mixture, rinse the tub with water. It's easiest if you have a spray nozzle on your showerhead since the mixture is thick. You will see a difference right away.

Cleaning the Microwave With Vinegar

This is also a no-scrub method.

1. Before you begin, make sure you wipe away all the loose food and anything else that can easily be removed from your microwave. There is no need to scrub, so only get the free food.
2. Once you have finished, mix a half cup of vinegar and a half cup of water in a microwavable dish.
3. Once the mixture has been made, place it in the microwave and microwave on high for two minutes. It will boil; make sure that it does not boil dry.
4. Once two minutes have passed, do not open the microwave door; let it sit for another fifteen minutes so the steam can work its magic.
5. After fifteen minutes, open your microwave and clean it. The baked-on food will wipe away! No scrubbing is necessary.

You'll love how easy this works, plus the vinegar will take care of any smell that may have developed. When you have tough baked-on food, you may need to repeat, as it only gets the top layer of grime.

Cleaning with vinegar is not only natural, but inexpensive and effective. By trying to clean more green, we are protecting our earth, our young ones, and our pets from harmful chemicals.

Window Cleaning Tips

The best option to clean your windows is a diluted vinegar mixture, although I hear full-strength works just as well. I usually dilute it half water, half vinegar, which means you could even use the mix you boiled in your microwave. Put this mixture into a spray bottle, then spray your windows just as you would with Windex or another window cleaner.

Using a newspaper, wipe from top to bottom. Newspaper is a good choice since it will not leave lint that paper towel or washcloths can leave behind. As you clean the windows, you will want to look through them carefully and keep wiping until all streaks are gone. Once the window is clean, then wipe your cloth along the edges, which will get the dirt and debris that often collect.

How to Clean Faucets With Vinegar

Around the edge of many faucets, lime, calcium, and many other elements can build up very easily. I've used everything from the Works to CLR, and nothing has worked as well as this natural, easy method.

1. Before I begin, I usually use a vinegar mixture, either the one for tubs or windows, depending on which one is closer. I spray the entire sink and faucet.
2. Then take a washcloth and soak it in vinegar. Wrap the vinegar-soaked cloth around the faucet, trying to cover as much of the hardware as possible.
3. Let the cloth sit on it for an hour. Once an hour has passed, remove and wipe away clean, it works very well.

To clean the internal structure of the faucet, or to clean out a sprayer that has become clogged, remove the faucet and soak it in vinegar for an entire twenty-four hours. Then rinse with water. Your faucet will be as good as new.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

© 2012 Angela Michelle Schultz

Comments

Mister Cleaner from Atlanta, GA on August 17, 2018:

Love this article. Its amazing how much you can do with vinegar. I have a ton of recipes for spt removers that call for it.

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on September 18, 2012:

Thank you for the great encouragement, and its great to meet others who loathe cleaning house. Reading and writing are much more useful anyway! What can you do with a clean house after all!

visionandfocus from North York, Canada on September 18, 2012:

Excellent tips! I hate cleaning too, as it takes away from time I could be spending doing much more pleasant things, like reading or writing. Dirt doesn't really bother as long as I can't see it, and as my eyes are getting weaker with the passing years, I see less and less. lol Still, has to keep up appearances, I suppose. So your tips come in very handy. And I do appreciate that you use vinegar as your main ingredient. Thanks so much for sharing. Voted up!

marvinsmith on September 09, 2012:

Vinegar, baking soda and bleach are able to clean almost all types of dirt and stains. So go through it and try to use these Eco-friendly products. These products are neither costly nor contains any harmful chemicals and also easy in usage.

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Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on July 08, 2012:

I need to use it more. I'm trying to learn new ways to clean green, that actually work. Vinegar seems like the ultimate cleanser!

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on July 08, 2012:

I think it will help more than just the cleanliness of our houses!

Carolee Samuda from Jamaica on July 07, 2012:

I use vinegar for floors, counters, rinsing fruits and veges, and just about anything. Very useful hub.

chrissieklinger from Pennsylvania on July 07, 2012:

All great ideas and I have been cleaning this way for awhile....it works well!

Angela Michelle Schultz (author) from United States on July 02, 2012:

Thank you everyone. Natasha, with that method you don't even have to scrub. It will make your break room smell like vinegar for an hour or so, but then the smell will be better than ever afterwards.

Natasha from Hawaii on July 02, 2012:

I'd never thought to clean a microwave with vinegar. Of course, I don't actually own a microwave, but the one at work could use a thorough scrubbing. Thanks so much for these green cleaning tips!

Penelope Hart from Rome, Italy on July 01, 2012:

Good, practical suggestions, thanks. Helpful tips. Voting.

rosaspen on July 01, 2012:

Thanks for sharing these great tips, I just started cleaning other homes and a lot of these tips have come in handy for me.

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Dianna Mendez on July 01, 2012:

Vinegar has so many uses, and cleaning with it does make a good substitute for the harsh chemical based products. Thanks for all the great tips and suggestions on how to use it around the house.