Spring Clean (Almost Everything!) With Natural and Safe Vinegar

Like everyone else I just couldn’t wait for the spring equinox. Longer days would mean yard work and gardening (both enjoyable tasks after being cooped up all winter) and best of all lengthy bike rides. Not once did my idyllic vision include spending one of those most anticipated days inside, washing windows and giving the house a spring cleaning, but that’s exactly what I did.
It started innocently enough with a brilliant blue-sky sunny day that blatantly broadcasted the fact that I hadn’t washed the windows in awhile. I grabbed my usual cleaner, gave them a once over and stepped back to inspect my work. Streaks! Loads of them! So I went at it again, with the same results.
Now I was on a mission. I remembered hearing that white vinegar was one of those old-fashioned cleaning cure-alls — and sure enough, it did the trick. A single cup added to a couple gallons of warm water and my windows were spotless.
I was mightily impressed with this all-natural and environmentally friendly cleanser and wondered what else I could do with my jug of vinegar …

Holy smokes, the list is practically endless. From soothing bee stings, to cleaning jewelry, to lightening freckles and age spots, vinegar can literally do it all.
But most notable for my unplanned cleaning frenzy was the multi-purpose use of vinegar as a non-toxic deodorizer and disinfectant in the kitchen.
According to a study done by Good Housekeeping magazine, good ol’ vinegar is 99.9 percent effective against killing bacteria. It can be mixed with water or used straight from a spray bottle. It’s fantastic as a grease cutter, will shine your stainless steel appliances like no tomorrow, and when added to your dishwasher will eliminate hard water deposits and make that glassware sparkle; all with nary a chemical in sight.

Don’t limit this economical workhorse to KP duty, mildly acidic vinegar works wonders on dirty clothes, too. Take it with you into the laundry room to remove even the worst pit stains and safely brighten colors.
In the garden, virgin vinegar, as it is also known, can be used as a non-hazardous herbicide. Spray full-strength vinegar directly on weeds, and watch them wilt away. Cotton balls soaked in vinegar will also help to keep rabbits out of your garden.
And there is no reason to stop there. It can be used as a mild antiseptic for cuts, works as an aftershave for guys who can’t stand the smelly stuff, and even doubles as a base coat to keep your fingernail polish around longer.
Cooking, cleaning, gardening, laundry — is there anything versatile vinegar can’t do?
Well, yes. The mild acid can harm marble floors, soft gemstones and some plastics, so it’s best to test it out before you get crazy, but for most jobs vinegar is harmless.
For two and a half bucks and a little elbow grease I cleaned the entire house, and once the scent dissipated, everything smelled exactly like it looked outside — clean and fresh.
Do you have an economical and “green” cleaning secret? —Karen