Vinegar & Baking Soda Recipes to Clean the Home
Top to bottom, distilled white vinegar and baking soda are THE ingredients I use to clean the Blankenship casa. Here are my recipes:
All-Purpose Cleaner
Fill a spray bottle with 1/2 water, 1/2 distilled white vinegar, and a squirt of liquid dish soap. Shake and then spray on counter and table tops, mirrors, and glass.
Bathroom Cleaner
Spray / pour undiluted distilled white vinegar on dirty sinks, toilets, and bathtubs. Chase with a generous shaking of baking soda. Watch it fizz. Scrub with an abrasive sponge / toilet brush.
Floor Cleaner
Fill the sink with 1/2 to 1 cup distilled white vinegar, a couple of squirts of liquid dish soap, and at least half a sink-full of water. Mix together and use to mop floors. Safe for linoleum, wood, stone, marble, concrete, whathaveyou.
UPDATE 05.13.10: I’ve been adding some baking soda to this mixture because of its muck softening powers; no mess can stand against its strength.
Furniture polish
Mix 1/2 cup white vinegar with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Apply with a clean rag to dust and polish. Reduce the olive oil if wood looks too oily.
Laundry
Add 1/4 to 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to each laundry load to whiten whites, brighten colors, and remove static cling. Soak clothing in full strength vinegar before washing to treat stains. I also use Arm & Hammer’s laundry powder Free of Perfume & Dye–it’s less expensive than all the other green brands and does a fantastic job of cleaning clothes.
Stainless Steel & Cutting Board Cleaner
Spray undiluted distilled white vinegar to shine stainless steel and disinfect cutting boards.
UPDATES 05.13.10
Stove, Oven, and Pots & Pans Cleaner
Sprinkle baking soda, spray undiluted distilled white vinegar, and then scrub with an abrasive sponge. This will take care of every burned oil spot and caked mystery food. Vinegar alone just sort of smears the oily messes, but baking soda absorbs and eradicates them.
Glassware
Sprinkle baking soda and scrub with a damp sponge. I have NO SPOTS on the miscellany of glass items in our home. Incredible!
For further non-toxic cleaning options, read this article by National Geographic’s The Green Guide.