5 Easy, Smart Ways to Use Vinegar in the Home

A straight 5 percent solution of vinegar–the white distilled type that you can buy at the supermarket–kills bacteria, mold, and germs.

Studies referenced by Heinz show that it kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses).

Vinegar is very useful in the home for cleaning mold and areas where bacteria can grow (like Australian tea tree oil (see below). It is very cheap–the cheapest natural antiseptic material we know about!

Here are my five favorite formulas for vinegar:

Note: All references to vinegar refer to 5 percent white distilled household vinegar.

1. Toilet Bowl Cleaner
Spray straight white distilled vinegar on the toilet bowl rim.

2. Poison Ivy Killer
Spray straight white distilled vinegar on poison ivy.

3. Cutting Board Deodorizer
Spray straight white distilled vinegar on the cutting board. Let set for at least ½ an hour. Rinse.

4. Window Cleaner
Add ¼ cup of white distilled vinegar to 2 cups of water, and a dab of liquid soap or detergent to a spray bottle.

5. Wood Cleaning Rinse
After washing wooden floors, add 1 cup of vinegar to a gallon of water to the rinse water. The detergent or soap, and many odors, are neutralized by the vinegar, and the floors are left very clean.

Read more: Home, Non-Toxic Cleaning

By Annie B. Bond

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Danuta W.

2:20AM PDT on May 16, 2012

Thank you what a great article.

send a green star

Cathy N.

3:28PM PST on Nov 11, 2011

~There are alot of uses for this old stand by!

Krista R.

1:40PM PDT on May 29, 2011

great info. good old fashioned/tried and true methods used many many years ago. Effective and SO much cheaper and non toxic (to the earth and ourselves) compared to commercial cleaners.

Sheila J.

1:53PM PDT on May 20, 2011

i have washed my laminate floors with it.and no more streaks. works good.

sandra s.

5:08PM PDT on May 12, 2011

will try it ,but i prefer it on my chips.

Sheila A.

4:36PM PDT on May 5, 2011

More good information.

Parvinder k.

2:32AM PDT on May 4, 2011

thanks

Blu A.

9:29AM PDT on Apr 29, 2011

I like the Poison Ivy idea .. I take Blu' outside for walks and there is Poison Ivy along the way .. now I can get rid of it pretty easy.. thanks a bunch oxxoxoxo

Lady K.

5:48AM PDT on Apr 29, 2011

thanks for the info

Melissah C.

3:53AM PDT on Apr 29, 2011