Vinegar V. Bleach V. Pinesol for Disinfecting

I avoid bleach and Pinesol because I get symptoms from inhaling the smells that can disrupt my breathing and sleep for days. Also, bleach commonly produces dioxins when it contacts wood and certain other organic materials, and dioxins are incredibly toxic and don't go away.

Vinegar or baking soda are my go-to cleaners, and the results are extremely satisfying. Don't mix them, though, or they foam impressively, but neutralize the cleaning action of each other (vinegar is acid; soda is base). A bit of soap can be added for additional grease-cutting, if needed.

I also LOVE Citri-solv for greasy cleanups. Non-toxic, and smells like oranges.

Where we live mice carry Hanta Virus, so if you get them in your house, you have to clean up with bleach. Normally I never use bleach...I use vinegar and some environmentally friendly products. But if I get mice, I break out the bleach.

I use vinegar for most household cleaning...BUT...

If I wanted to get myself over the rodent issue (both in terms of ACTUAL removal of nastiness and psycho-emotional rebooting) I'd probably use something harsher. Actually, if it were me, I'd probably fork over a couple hundred bucks and hire cleaners to come in and do it for me!

The cdc link posted by pp, says bleach or disinfectant, so I'd go that route.

Yuck!

FWIW my mother's house, which is immaculately clean ALL the time recently had a mouse issue! (Turned out there had been a mouse colony INSIDE a garden wall between her house and the neighbor... and when the neighbors sprayed for pests, the mice moved her direction). Try not to let yourself be TOO creeped out. We all live on the planet together, it's a wonder we don't cross paths more often! But still... YUCK!

vinegar will make your house smell like a pickle for a few hours, bleach like a swimming pool and pinsol like a forest? lol

for a rodent situation i would use bleach. i love me some vinegar but if i want it rodent cleaned i would bleach that sucker! i am sure vinegar would work but bleach would be hospital clean for me...which is what i do when those little rodents think they could just come inside!!!

Here is a website that will tell you how you should clean and disinfect.

http://www.cdc.gov/rodents/cleaning/

Bleach is toxic. Pinesol is almost as bad. Stick to vinegar. It give you just as much clean, but is much much much better for your health (and that of your child).

I don't know much about vinegar's cleaning properties but I know it is supposed to be good to use. I know you can soak/rinse strawberries in water and vinegar to clean bateria off and make them last longer (and it does work).

I KNOW that bleach is a pesticide so while it does disinfect it is also not a product I use. The smell can be overwhelming so you know the chemical is potent.

I know that pinesol cleans (not sure about disinfecting) but I hate it. The smell is overwhelming and really bothers my sinus and triggers my allergy induced asthma. My hubby made that mistake one night when he went to the store and used it before I got home.

Of the options you listed, I would go for the vinegar. Personally, I use Sol U Guard for disinfecting.

You could investigate using hydrogen peroxide too.

What I know is the best way to get rid of rodents is to get a cat or two. Our first house had mice in the attached garage and moles in the yard. WE moved in the first weekend of March. Our young cat (less than 5 yrs old) began work on the mice - it was like we bought her the best toys in the world - she was obsessed and spent her days peering into cracks & crevices where she heard the mice until she brought them to me as giftsi. ;o) She had that done by the end of the Spring. She then spent the Summer and Fall working on the moles in the yard. By the time the Winter came there wasn't a rodent to be found.

Different surfaces use different things. Wood can be washed and cleaned but might need something like Murphy's Oil Soap. Tile and other hard surfaces can use bleach water. Then some surfaces can't use anything harsh.

I use bleach water to mist toys and other items that can handle that. I use the old child care formula. A couple of tablespoons of bleach to a gallon of water. You can google the correct "recipe" for bleach water for disinfecting toys.

I will fill a bucket with hot, hot water, add PineSol, and then add bleach. I figure it that doesn't disinfect it, nothing will. (That's actually what I use to mop my hardwood floors in between the times I use my steam mop.)

I don't know, but I've heard Pine Sol is very toxic and it hurts my lungs when I breathe it. I would consider the areas and who is going to be breathing the fumes, etc. Ventilate well. Vinegar would be the least toxic, but I don't know how effective it is.