Cleaning with White Vinegar
Many of us may have white vinegar laying around in our cupboards, but did you know it’s a powerful cleaner.
Distilled white vinegar is an great eco-friendly, biodegradable natural cleaner. Not only is it an affordable alternative, it has a multitude of uses for everyday cleaning such as cutting through grease and grime, to breaking down limescale.
Is white vinegar a disinfectant?
Although white vinegar has disinfectant properties, it is mainly used as a cleaner. Vinegar contains acetic acid, a natural disinfectant which can kill some common bacteria such as E.Coli and salmonella. However, if you want to guarantee all bacteria are killed, it’s best to use an antibacterial cleaner in addition to white vinegar.
Doesn’t white vinegar smell?
The vinegary scent actually dissipates quicker than you think! However, if you are concerned about the smell you can simply add some essential oils or citrus juice/ peels to the vinegar. In fact, there are brands which sell scented white vinegar such as Miniml. I use their Sorrento lemon white vinegar, which I highly recommend!
What can you use white vinegar for?
Cleaning glass & windows: The acidic nature of white vinegar means its can break down any dirt or grime accumulated on yours windows/ glass with ease. All you need is a spray bottle and fill equal parts hot water and white vinegar. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice also, to add a little extra cleaning power and a fresh scent. Simply spray on the area, and wipe with a microfibre cloth or squeegee, leaving streak free glass.
Laundry: An unusual one, but here me out. White vinegar has many properties making it a great addition to washing your laundry. It has natural fabric softening and static removing properties, just add 125ml into the softener drawer along with your detergent. Not only that, it can eliminate odour-causing bacteria by removing build-up product from your laundry. White vinegar can also work as a stain remover. Just soak stained laundry in vinegar for 15-30 mins (maybe longer for those stubborn stains) then wash as usual.
Shower-head & taps: Similar to using lemon juice in the last blog, white vinegar is excellent at dissolving limescale build up. For the shower-head, either spray the head directly or pour vinegar into a bag and secure it around the head. Leave for 30 minutes to an hour, then rinse. Note, if the shower-head is coated in brass leave no longer than 30 minutes to avoid damage.
This same process can be applied for taps.
Kettles & Coffee Machines: Continuing the descaling topic, white vinegar can also be used to remove limescale build up in your kitchen appliances. Pour one part water, one part white vinegar into the kettle or water reservoir. Boil the kettle/ run the solution through your coffee machine, then rinse thoroughly. Make sure to boil the kettle and run water through machine a few times before use. You don’t want your tea or coffee tasting of vinegar.
Fridge: After a while, your fridge can harbour some odd odours. A mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar will sort that right out, and neutralise those unpleasant smells. Spray or wipe the solution on the inside surfaces of the fridge, leave for 5 minutes and wipe away with a damp microfibre cloth. Those odours will be long gone!
Chopping boards: Over time, chopping boards can harbour some funky smells even when you’ve washed them. Spraying white vinegar can get rid of odour-causing bacteria, leave for 5-10 minutes and then rinse.
Microwave: To remove grime and odour inside your microwave, pour equal parts water and white vinegar into a Pyrex bowl/ jug. I like to add half a lemon too for some extra cleaning power and for a citrus scent. Put it into the microwave for 3 minutes, or longer if desired, then remove and wipe the inside with a cloth. The steam created helps dislodge any grime or food residue.
Dishwasher: To help neutralise odours and shift grime, put a bowl of white vinegar into an empty dishwasher and run a cleaning cycle. Avoid getting vinegar on the rubber seal of the dishwasher. As white vinegar is acidic, it can damage and deteriorate the seal which is essential for keeping in steam.
What shouldn’t you use white vinegar on?
Although white vinegar is a powerhouse natural cleaner, there are limitations on what you can use it on and surfaces you should keep well clear of using it on. Here’s a few things to avoid cleaning:
Stone worktops: Avoid using white vinegar on any natural stone, marble, quartz, granite or similar worktops. As white vinegar contains acetic acid, it can etch the stone and slowly dissolve any seals that have been applied. Instead, it’s best to use a mild cleaner or special stone worktop cleaner.
Clothes Iron: White vinegar is great for descaling certain appliances, however it may not be so safe for your iron, or its internal components. It’s always best to check the manufacturers manual before causing any unnecessary damage.
Electronic devices: Our everyday devices can get pretty dirty. Did you know on average, there are 25,000 bacteria per square inch on your phone?! But you should steer clear from using white vinegar to clean them! The screens on your mobiles and laptops have a protective film layer, which could be damaged by acetic acid in white vinegar. It’s best to use a specially formulated screen solution to clean your devices.
What shouldn’t you mix white vinegar with?
While you can mix white vinegar with water and essential oils or fruit peels, there are some products you shouldn’t mix it with and can have severe damaging effects on your health.
Bleach: DO NOT by any means mix white vinegar with bleach or any products containing bleach. This can create a toxic chlorine gas which can irritate your eyes, throat and nose. Severe exposure can cause respiratory difficulties and chest pain. Eeekk.
Hydrogen Peroxide: Mixing white vinegar with hydrogen peroxide, creates peracetic acid; a highly corrosive acid. This can not only cause damage to any surface it’s applied to, but also harm your skin, eyes and respiratory system.
Check out my white vinegar cleaning video here.