I'm curious about the suggestion to use a vinegar-water solution for a homemade cleaning spray. Also, I've been reading bits about bleach being very bad for us, so I'd like to stop using it in our wash (I use it for our smelly towels). The vinegar sounds super easy and cheap, but I hate the smell of vinegar. The last thing I want is a bathroom or towels that smell like vinegar! Am I missing something about how to do this?
Thanks!
Thanks everyone for your great input. I am SO pleased with the changes I'm making. NO MORE BLEACH in my house! I just pour the vinegar in the washer with 3 drops of essential oil (I'm currently using wintergreen), and the results are fabulous. Also no more yucky chemicals for cleaning my bathroom -- besides, no matter how many different brands I've wasted money on, I've never seen those little scrubbing bubble men from the commercials zoom around my bathroom making it sparkly clean without any work from me! I put about 12 drops of the wintergreen oil (a bit too much, I think) in my bottle of vinegar-water and it's working great (though I do still like my "magic eraser" too!). For years of soap scum, I spray that on and then scrub with baking soda, too. My shower has not been this clean since we moved in, and all without risking asphyxiation from the chemical fumes! Thanks again.
I use a tablespoon of Baking soda in the wash with my smelly towels. It neutralizes the odor, and it isn't as bad as bleach.
Hi there, V.; Your towels won't smell like vinegar by the time they come out of the dryer. Good luck
I use vinegar to clean all sorts of things. While you are using it you will smell a strong vinegar smell but once the surface or clothes dry they don't smell of vinegar at all. Everything just smells fresh and clean. I don't know how it work but it does!
put more water than vinegar and you wont have that smell and if you do it wont last very long it will just make your home smell clean
White vinegar is what to use and the smell doesn't stay around it disappates (totallly can't spell that word at 6am). Look at the Queen of clean books from your library or buy them she is awesome. She talks about using baking soda, vinegar, ammonia, and lemon juice. Her cleaning methods are wonderfully cheap.
J.
I use straight vinegar myself as an all purpose cleaning spray. I also use it in the wash & don't have pickle smelling laundry-lol Also the smell disepates fast. I use it to spritz in the air if there is an odor of some sort. Also a spray of vinegar then top that with a spray of peroxide will disinfect your counter tops, produce, sinks, toilet exterior, etc.
i use something called Biokleen for my counters, glass and over all surfaces. you can even use it to wash your dishes and laundry. the purposes are endless. i have a 32 oz. bottle of it that is concentrated so you put about 1 1/2 teaspoons in a 32oz. spray bottle with water and spray away. the bottle costs about $5 and will last you forever. it's nontoxic so if my kids drink it all you have to do is have them drink a bunch of water to dilute it : ) then for my floors i use Dr. Bronners Sal Suds. it too is very concentrated and i use about 1 tablespoon to a bucket of water. i use that to clean my showers and bathtubs as well. only need a very small amount to clean with it. it runs about $8 for a 32oz. bottle of concentrated cleaner. i don't use any chemicals in my house because of the kids.
Hey! I just read a recipe for that cleaning solution with a vinegar-water mix from a book called "Green Clean." Just add like 5-10 drops of your fave smelling essential oil and voila! You have a yummy, healthy cleaning product! we actually use the the vinegar-water mix already, I just put in half and half (water-vinegar) but I don't mind the smell of vinegar, but my husband does. So I am about to try it myself, with orange EO or eucalyptus, maybe...
As far as the washing goes, you can add just a touch of the solution (vinegar/essential oil/not much water) to your load instead of bleach. Or try baking soda instead, as an alternative. Another thought is to drop some of the EO scent onto a small cloth and add to the dryer when you dry the towels, to add an extra yummy scent to make sure no vinegar smell comes through. That book also talks about how actual dryer sheets are bad for our dryers because the wax on the sheets leave a build-up on the heating element, causing it to work less efficiently, and shortening its 'life'. So I am also going to try the EO on the cloth trick to see if it works as well.
Good luck on 'green' cleaning :)
Hi V.,
I use it to clean my microwave. Below are the directions from White House Vineger website. I forgot about using it on towels. I'm going to start that next.
Cleaning the Microwave w/ vinegar
Clean and freshen the microwave oven by boiling White House Distilled White Vinegar and water in it. Mix 1/4 cup White House Vinegar and 1 cup water in a small microwavable bowl and heat for 5 minutes. This will remove lingering odors and soften baked on food spatters.
My father...yes a man (he is very special):) Just told me, the other day, a great cleaning tip. Use peroxide in the place of bleach...as he said, you don't smell bleach in a doctors office, they use peroxide. He said it does the same thing without the smell. He had suggested it for cleaning my humidifier in my 9 month old's room. Maybe google it on the internet, it would make sense...Good Luck!!
I use white vinegar (big jugs from Publix) on our towels, and it doesn't ever smell of vinegar afterwards. Unlike bleach, it rinses clean (that stuff that makes your hands so slimy when you touch bleach is the same residue that makes your towels smell like bleach afterwards.)
Vinegar as a cleaning solution is great, provided you're not putting it on surfaces that react negatively to acids (which vinegar is). So, not on marble, granite or other natural stones. If you have Corian or other laminate, I'd look for care instructions, but it shouldn't be a problem in those instances.
It doesn't smell after the laundry is dried - you stuff just smells fresh.
It really works on smelly towels too and when you use the towel you would never suspect vinager was used in the wash.
go buy some essential oil at a health food store. you may choke at the cost, but keep in mind you only need 3-6 drops per entire bottle of cleaner. and if you still can't stand the smell, half/half rubbing alcohol/water works well too (though i still like to put a little lavender or lemon oil in it).
