Archive for the 'Vinegar' Category

April 16, 2008 | Bathroom, Laundry, Kitchen, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips

We’ve just welcomed little Owen into our home, via c-section. And when the discharge nurse came to talk to me and hubbs before we left the hospital, you can imagine my inner joy as she said “No housework for 6 weeks. And stay out of the kitchen for a couple weeks too!” No housework? What does that mean? Apparently, the typical tasks of vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, scrubbing, dusting, etc., all involve (more…)

April 9, 2008 | Vinegar, Cleaning tips

With drain cleaner known to be one of the most toxic household products on the market, what to do with a clogged drain? (more…)

February 25, 2008 | Bleach alternatives, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning products

What do they mean? When you’re looking for a cleaner, what’s important? There are different things you want your cleaner to do. Most of us assume that clean means germ-free, but in reality not all cleaners hit the mark. The use of these words on product labels is regulated by the EPA, and here’s what they say the words mean, along with some natural alternatives to keep your lymph nodes and liver free and clear: (more…)

February 20, 2008 | Bathroom, Laundry, Floors, Kitchen, Vinegar, Cleaning tips, Being Green, Cleaning products

Thanks to Shannon for hosting Works for Me Wednesday. This week I’m going to share the most important tips I have on frugal green cleaning. Let’s face it - stocking up the cabinets with Seventh Generation, Method, and other ‘green’ cleaners can be expensive. But there are ways to do it without breaking the bank. Here goes.

First, raid your pantry. Here are some great cleaners you can make straight out of your pantry: (more…)

November 27, 2007 | Kitchen, Vinegar, Cleaning tips, Cleaning products

How to clean them? The word on the street is that Pledge does an awesome job. And in fact, I’ve used it. It’s true. Shiny, easy to use, no need to rinse. What’s not to love? Well, for starters the petroleum. Mmmm… Just want I want covering the surface of my fridge. And then there’s butane and methane too. More lovely additives to my kitchen. Neurotoxins. Respiratory disruptors. Ok. So maybe that’s not what I want in my kitchen.

The good news? Vinegar does the job just as well, and again - no need to rinse. Make sure if it’s satin finished stainless you clean with the grain of the finish, to preserve the life of the finish. If you’re one of the ones who can’t stand the vinegar smell - even for the 3 minutes it takes to dissipate - add a few drops of a potent essential oil. Tea tree oil will do the trick nicely, and give you the added benefit of inhibiting the growth of mold, bacteria, and viruses.

October 3, 2007 | Kitchen, Kids clean, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips, Cleaning products

Shannon asked for this one. Now first of all, I can do this because my cleaners are 100% non-toxic, safe. If yours aren’t (like, if you use, say Formula 409) then I’d certainly recommend keeping them in their own ugly containers, locked in a cabinet that the kids can’t get to.

But, if you use safe household cleaners, like diluted vinegar with essential oils or Barefoot Home Essentials, most kitchen supply stores sell oil misters. I like to put some olive oil infused with fresh herbs in mine since my Calphalon cookware doesn’t like aerosol cooking sprays. But, you can also use one for your all-purpose cleaner (that is, if it’s non-toxic). The reason I caution you from putting anything toxic in it is simple. Your mother-in-law comes to visit and is cooking in your kitchen and !whoops!, or your kids are playing with what they found on the counter and —EEK— Call poison control!

The one pictured to the right is from Williams-Sonoma, but I’ve seen them in ceramic and all sorts of other pretty appearances in kitchen stores and even grocery stores.  If you use something toxic as an all-purpose, by all means keep it locked up tight. But if you use all-naturals, or if you’re willing to try it, put some diluted vinegar in there. Add some orange zest and a cinnamon stick, and you’ve got a pretty, sweet-smelling cure for most germs and grime.

That’s what works for me. Head over to Shannon’s place for more ideas.

September 7, 2007 | Bathroom, Kitchen, Vinegar, Cleaning tips

Q: I was wondering what you use on satin finished faucets, etc./ fixtures in kitchen/ bath. I don’t want to ruin the finish (as some other not so natural cleaners have in the past!).

A: Apple cider vinegar will clean and disinfect. But if you have stubborn buildup or something that the vinegar isn’t removing, you’ll want to purchase some Bon Ami. It’s gentle enough for your stainless (and your Calphalon pots too), but it’ll remove any stuck-on ickies. What’s important is that you scrub with the grain of the satin rather than across it, to preserve the life of the finish.

Happy cleaning!

September 2, 2007 | Floors, Vinegar, Essential oils, Cleaning tips

I just had new hardwoods installed in my living room and dining room - and they’re gorgeous. Lush, warm, all nice and shiny… I love ‘em. So naturally I’ve developed a renewed interest in maintaining them. I had a recent post on cleaning hardwoods, but I tried something new this weekend.

A healthy splash of apple cider vinegar (it kills germs and bacteria better than white vinegar) in the mop bucket, fill with water, add 5-7 drops Tea Tree Essential Oil. The tea tree oil serves multiple purposes - it overpowers the vinegar scent, inhibits mold growth, conditions wood, and inhibits bacteria and viruses. After mopping the floors looked great, the rooms smelled awesome, and I know that the tea tree oil is working its magic.

And that little additive is perfect for people who don’t like the way vinegar smells - a few drops of tea tree oil and you don’t smell the vinegar at all.

July 4, 2007 | Bathroom, Vinegar, Cleaning tips

We usually participate in Shannon’s Works for Me Wednesday weekly tip over at Rocks in My Dryer, but in honor of Independence Day, Shannon’s canceled it this week. However, seeing as how Broom Huggers has been out of commission for about a week now for this site transition, and seeing as how we’re all about cleaning tips over here, I’m doing it anyway. It’s okay - it’s only 6:50 AM. By the time the day really starts I’ll be off my computer to celebrate the 4th. I promise. But first… want an easy way to clean your shower curtain?

Remove it from the curtain rings and take it outside. Lay it flat in direct sunlight, and let the sunlight kill the mildew. It’ll do all the work for you! If your shower curtain, uh, needs some extra love (you know what I mean), spray it down with some vinegar outside and then a little lemon juice. Scrub if you like, or let the sun do the work for you.
That’s what works for me. Head over to Shannon’s place next week for more tips.

June 19, 2007 | Bathroom, Laundry, Bleach alternatives, Vinegar, Cleaning tips, Cleaning products

A full 50% of the searches that lead people here have to do with bleach. I have a feeling there are people out there who are bothered by bleach (for health or ecological reasons) but don’t know how to clean without it. So, here are some suggestions. The main purposes for bleach are to whiten and disinfect. So here it is:

• To whiten stained spots on clothing: put some lemon juice on the spot, rub in a bit of salt, and leave it in the sun for an hour or two. It lifts the stain.
• To clean spills from health contaminants (raw meat or eggs in the kitchen, urine in the bathroom): Straight vinegar is a great disinfectant. I advise keeping a sponge with vinegar near your cutting boards for frequent use.
• To whiten laminate counter tops: Bon Ami - it’s a powder found at the grocery store in a canister - usually right next to Bar Keeper’s friend (which also works relatively well. But we prefer Bon Ami - it uses less elbow grease, and less elbow grease means more cleaning stamina!). We’ve removed coffee stains, raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry stains, and marks from the bottom of pots and pans.
• To disinfect:
  • Borax: buy it in the supermarket where they sell detergents - in my grocery store it’s next to the powdered dishwasher detergents. Borax is a powder and is safe to mix with virtually anything. Combine it with some vinegar, lemon juice, or just plain water to clean virtually anything. It’s completely harmless and safe to use. Gloves and ventilation not required (as opposed to bleach).
  • Vinegar: it disinfects, kills mold, bacteria, and germs. (As an aside: bleach does not kill mold - it just whitens it so you don’t see it. But bleach will leave living mold spores that will continue to grow.) Vinegar’s potency is released when combined with salt, so for a nice strong disinfectant add some salt to your vinegar, dilute with water if you’d like, and spray away. I just used it to clean the toilet seat in the bathroom where my little girl is potty-training. It works remarkably well.

Any more alternative uses you need for bleach? Let me know and I’ll fill you in!