by Peter A. Roos
With rising costs for everything these days, one way to economize is to have less variety in the cleaners you use.
In April’s ECO column we suggested vinegar as a safer weed killer and showed an industrial strength version that is easily accessible. Chances are you have plain white vinegar in the pantry. You might also keep a gallon under the kitchen sink. We do. Try to make vinegar your top choice for cleaning everything. It has the same cleaning strength as commercial cleaners but none of the harsh chemicals that you are trying to avoid. With a pH of 2.0 and the acetic acid content, vinegar is an unfriendly environment for microorganisms, so it is a great cleaner for your home. Just think about how well it does at inhibiting bacteria and mold from growing in pickles. Studies have tested how effectively it kills bacteria and viruses. A 2010 study showed that a 10 percent malt vinegar solution was effective in killing the Human Influenza A/H1N1 virus.1 Other studies have found that vinegar is an effective mycobactericidal disinfectant.
We have found vinegar added to mop water leaves terrazzo floors looking great.
You can clean most every small appliance in the kitchen with vinegar, as well as the dishwasher, the microwave and the refrigerator. It is great on stainless sinks, vents, hoods and even takes stubborn water spots off windows and shower walls. In the laundry room, run the clothes washer empty with vinegar instead of soap and bleach. Use hot water to clean out soap residue. We keep two spray bottles for vinegar, one at full strength and another diluted.
They are really handy when cleaning the car and bikes too.
Emily Thacker wrote “The Vinegar Book” in 1995. It has 58 pages of praise and uses for vinegar. For more recent information “How To Use Vinegar for Green Cleaning” can be found at www.thespruce.com.