While vinegar may call to mind the balsamic variety (and listen, we love a good EVOO and aged balsamic combo), white vinegar is an underrated cleaning tool that can help you address issues in nearly every corner of your home. The kitchen sink drain, the couch slipcover, and the mudroom floors can all be tackled with the vinegar sitting in your pantry right now.
From grime-covered appliances and food-contaminated countertops to musty flea market finds and old mattresses, vinegar is the solution to solving all your cleaning woes. With spring cleaning in full swing, there's no better way to tackle messes of every size in a clean, chemical-free (and effective) way. Below, learn more about just how versatile vinegar cleaning can be—and all the places where you can put it to work.
How to Clean With Vinegar
White vinegar's potency as a natural cleaner can be attributed to its unique makeup, which includes the organic compound acetic acid—a natural disinfectant that kills many common germs, including salmonella and E. coli—and an acidic nature that does away with dirt, grease, mineral deposits, and more. While it does have a strong odor, white vinegar can be diluted with water or combined with dish soap, lemon juice, or essential oils to help tamper down the scent (and make it even more effective).
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The best part about vinegar cleaner? Using it could not be more simple! Below, we're rounding up the various ways you can rely on this natural ingredient to spruce up your home, plus the many (many) spots this workhorse solution can be put to work.
How to Clean Your Kitchen With Vinegar
If there's one room in your home that can be cleaned top to bottom with vinegar, it's your kitchen. Between keeping your appliances fresh and shiny and disinfecting cleaning surfaces, wiping down your kitchen with vinegar is a surefire way to keep it looking (and functioning) its best. Not to mention: Because vinegar is non-toxic, you can use it around your food worry-free.
Combine equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and use it to clean high-traffic areas like refrigerator shelves, sinks, or engineered stone countertops (just not on granite or marble—more on that later). If your microwave is splattered with butter or sauce, you can fill a bowl of equal parts vinegar and water, along with the juice of one lemon and microwave the mixture for two minutes, allowing it to "steam" with the door shut for another minute. Doing this will dislodge any food film or leftover scents—you can wipe the entire interior clean like magic with a paper towel afterward.
Good for: Shelves, some countertops, microwave, exterior of appliances, sink and drain, cutting boards, coffee makers, kettles, and more.
How to Clean Your Living Room With Vinegar
If you find yourself contending with dust or battling the smell of wet dog in your living room, vinegar is about to be your new secret weapon. A 50-50 mixture of vinegar and water can tackle any glass surface in your living room, from a gleaming mid-century coffee table to the French doors overlooking your sun room; a bit of baking soda and spritz of vinegar can be sprinkled atop a vintage rug then vacuumed up once dry to remove mild smells; you can even combine vinegar with a bit of olive oil to condition wood furniture and keep dust at bay—when in doubt, do a test patch on an inconspicuous spot on the furniture).
Good for: Carpets, curtains, most wood furniture, upholstery, windows, glass furniture and objects.
How to Clean Your Bedroom and Bathroom With Vinegar
We all want our bathroom and bedroom to feel clean and shiny, and vinegar can help you get there. Bathrooms are prime real estate for mold, mildew, and soap scum, and vinegar is a great way to combat all that plus ban bacteria and those clingy bathroom odors. Your glass shower doors will remain clear with help from a vinegar wipe-down, while your hardware and fixtures (think: sink faucet or showerhead) will gleam from a combo of vinegar and water.
When it comes to your bedroom, nothing will keep bed linens fresher (or softer!) than a bit of vinegar. A half-cup of vinegar in each load of laundry can help amplify the effectiveness of your detergent, while also softening clothes and maintaining the vibrancy of colors. It can even be used in combination with a dusting of baking soda and a vacuum to refresh your mattress annually.
Good for: Linens, clothes, tile, glass, metal fixtures, mattresses, rugs, curtains, and more.
What Not to Clean With Vinegar
While vinegar boasts the ability to clean almost everything, there are a few item you should avoid using this natural cleaner on. For starters, never use vinegar on any natural stone surfaces, including floors and countertops—it can cause etching or dulling of the surface. When cleaning stainless steel appliances or surfaces (like the exterior of an oven or refrigerator), you must always dilute the solution with water to avoid causing pitting on the surface of the steel. Finally, it's a good idea to avoid spritzing straight vinegar on any electronics with vinegar, as it can make a touchscreen less responsive.
