Cheaper Eco-friendly Cleaning

In the interests of making me happier, I think I'm going to start with making the environment a little happier. I've had some thoughts on cleaning, and how much money is wasted on cleaning products.

I find that I spend too much on cleaning products. They can be expensive and I always feel a little bit guilty when the excess bleach, cream cleaner or other such chemical is washed away down my drain. Surely when all of us are using chemicals in cleaning, it must be (just a little bit) harmful to the environment.

I’m planning to cut the cost of my shopping by trying to use vinegar in my cleaning routine. Vinegar is really versatile and can be used on many surfaces to get rid of grime, grease or mildew.

Starting with my drain, I have tipped a few spoonfuls of baking soda into the drain and then splashed down some vinegar. The mixture foamed up, and I allowed it to settle. I repeated the process a couple of time and then left the vinegar / baking soda cocktail for a few hours to do its work. Well pleased with myself, I now have a lovely fresh, clean drain, and have a few more pennies in my pocket.

Another area where I now like to use vinegar as a cleaner is on my kitchen work tops and the top of my cooker. I use a non-abrasive sponge and pour out a measure of neat vinegar. I simply wipe surfaces down and the vinegar cuts through the grease or grim. (Not that I have a greasy kitchen though!) There is no need to wait for a chemical product to work, the vinegar does the trick straight away.

I put my head in the microwave the other day, and instantly wished I hadn’t. I found caked on food residue, stuck firmly to the sides. Armed with my bottle of vinegar, my new weapon against grease, I set about cleaning up the microwave. I took a microwave-proof bowl and filled it halfway with water and vinegar, around 50/50. I put it in the microwave, turned on the power for about two minutes, and let the magic work. The acid in the vinegar sanitizes and eliminates odours while the steam from the water gets to work on the stubborn food residue. After the two minutes, and using gloves, I removed the bowl of hot water. I took a clean sponge, dipped it in the water/vinegar mix and simply wiped around the inside of the microwave. No scrubbing needed, and the surfaces came up gleaming.

I did read that vinegar should not be used on marble, and if using on wood or tiles it should first be tested in case of damage or staining. Common sense is also important, so use gloves when cleaning with vinegar and don’t get it in your eyes, as it will sting.

 
I hope that someone finds this suggestion useful, and starts saving pennies by cleaning with vinegar. I'd welcome thoughts from anyone else for other uses for vinegar (aside from splashing on a portion of chips!)