With COVID-19 hitting the U.S. by storm you’ll definitely want to disinfect your entire homestead. The numbers of asymptomatic patients are rising.
That’s why I’m sure many wouldn’t want to go to the grocery to buy disinfectants or bleach. It’s good to know that a vinegar cleaning solution is useful in so many different ways for effective disinfection.
From disinfectant to personal ailments to food preparation, it seems like there is nothing your vinegar can’t do.
RELATED: 7 DIY Natural Cleaning Products | Simple Home Solutions
Disinfect Your Homestead With a Vinegar Solution
How to Make a Simple Vinegar Cleaning Solution
What You Need:
- Spray bottle
- 1/2 cup white vinegar (distilled)
- 1/2 cup water
- 12 to 24 drops of essential oil (optional)
Step 1: First, mix equal parts of water and vinegar in an empty spray bottle.
Step 2: You can also add any type of essential oil into the mix if you desire, or any other type of solution around your house.
Final Step: Shake the spray bottle, and mix them thoroughly.
Watch this tutorial and learn more ways to make a vinegar cleaning solution:
You can now use your vinegar cleaning solution to help eliminate dirt, soap scum, sticky spills, and hard water. Take note though that some of the items below require additional ingredients.
1. Eliminates Dirt in Wooden Furniture
I have to admit I’ve never used a vinegar cleaning solution to clean my wood furniture. I’ve always thought it would damage the wood. I was wrong! Not only is it a great green alternative to chemical cleaning solutions, but it’s also really effective.
How to do it: Mix equal parts vinegar with olive oil and apply it to the surface of the furniture. Use another clean cloth to wipe the stain.
2. Disinfects Surfaces and Items
With many establishments being disinfected right now to get rid of the coronavirus, you too can create your own disinfectant spray.
How to do it:
- Mix the vinegar and water with one part lemon juice and then spray the solution on anywhere you want to disinfect.
- Start on surfaces, and then move toward tables and chairs, and doorknobs.
- You can even use your makeshift disinfectant spray on your mobile phone, or any of the items you often touch.
3. Removes Stains in Carpets & Rugs
Carpets and rugs can add depth to your living room but if marred with stains, what can you do?
How to do it:
- Hold on to your trusted vinegar and with just a mixture of mild dish soap, shake it and then spray directly on the stain.
- Let it soak the carpet for about two minutes and then wipe it with a clean cloth.
For water stains on plumbing fixtures and showerheads, meanwhile, mix the vinegar with washing soda to create a paste for scrubbing.
4. Cleans Toilet Bowl
These days you just can’t go out to buy household bleach for your toilet bowl. You’d have to improvise and this is where your vinegar comes in.
How to do it:
- First, pour plain vinegar and water mixture into your toilet bowl and leave the solution overnight.
- Next, brush the bowl the following day and you’ll see how effective the vinegar solution is in removing the dirt, and the smell.
5. Cleans Wall & Floor Tiles
Of course, you’ll need to clean your walls and floors as well. The vinegar cleaning solution is perfect for cleaning grimes on your wall and floor tiles or porcelains.
How to do it:
- Just mix 1 gallon of warm water with 1/4 to 1/2 cup white vinegar.
- For walls, simply put the solution in a sprayer.
- If you’re cleaning the floor you can put the vinegar solution in a water bucket so you can easily dip the mop on it.
Tip: It’s important to sweep the floors with a broom or vacuum them to remove accumulated soil or debris before you mop with the vinegar solution.
6. Softens Water for Hand Washing or Bathing
Never has washing of hands — or taking a bath — been so important these days than now. But what if water that’s coming out of the faucet or the bathtub feels slimy and a little bit dirty?
Well, if you plan to take a bath and you want to soften the water, just follow these steps.
How to do it: Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar into your bathtub. See how it softens the water.
Interestingly, this concoction also makes your skin glow.
7. Cleans Coffee Pots and Cups
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Of course, you always want your coffee fix but you can’t drink from a dirty pot or cup.
How to do it: To get rid of the stains, pour some vinegar on a sponge that can remove the stains, and make your cups and coffee pots shine.
8. Gets Rids of Rusts
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You’d need your garden equipment such as shovels and pots to always be in perfect condition, especially when doing a DIY chicken run, for instance. Fortunately, you can mix vinegar with linseed oil, or more commonly known as the flax oil which is a colorless and yellowish substance that comes from the seed of the flax plant.
When mixed together to form a vinegar cleaning solution, this can clean any garden equipment that’s already getting rusty.
9. Clears & Cleans Drains
@cleaningaddictHow to clean your drains… 😍 ##hinched ##hinching ##cleaningaddict ##foryoupage ##fyp ##featureme ##viral ##whitevinegar ##bicarbonateofsoda ##cleanhome♬ Say You Won’t Let Go – James Arthur
How to do it: Place a 1 cup of baking soda inside the clogged drains, then follow through with two cups of white vinegar. After it bubbles, flush the drain with boiling water.
RELATED: Cleaning With Lemon, Vinegar and Baking Soda | Natural Household Cleaners
10. Eliminates Plant Weeds and Makes Flowers Last Longer
For eliminating weeds in your plants, use pickling vinegar — which is stronger than white vinegar — on your plants.
How to do it: Apply the affected areas with this vinegar cleaning solution. Meanwhile, if you want your flowers to last long, you can add one teaspoon of sugar and two tablespoons of vinegar to a quart of warm water, and then spray your flowers with this.
11. Gets Rid of Fleas
How to do it: To get rid of the fleas, bathe your pets with 50/50 solution of apple cider vinegar and warm water. Afterward, bathe your pet thoroughly with warm water.
Important Note: Make sure to only use this vinegar solution if your pet has no open wounds because it’s definitely going to sting.
12. Cleans Counters and Other Surfaces
How to do it: Add three cups of water with one cup of vinegar, two teaspoons of lemon juice, and 10 drops of lemon essential oil and you can now use this solution to wipe your countertops, blinds, toys, table, and other surfaces.
13. Eliminates Dirt & New Stain in Mattress
How to do it: In a spray bottle, mix 1 cup of vinegar, ¼ cup of rubbing alcohol, and 10 drops of tea tree oil.
Use this to clean your mattress, and let the mattress dry throughout the whole day. For stain elimination, take note that this solution is only effective on new stains.
14. Cleans & Brightens Tarnished Metal
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Not only for your gardening equipment, but you can use vinegar for metals around the house.
How to do it:
- Mix one teaspoon of salt, ½ cup of vinegar, and enough salt to make a paste.
- Apply the solution to tarnished metal using an old toothbrush.
- Leave the paste onto the metal for fifteen minutes, and then rinse under warm water.
- Scrub with a clean cloth.
15. Cleans Windows
You can clean your windows by directly spraying the plain vinegar. However, the pungent smell of the vinegar could be too much most especially if you are in an enclosed area, thus mixing it with water is a better option.
This solution will surely get rid of all the dirt and grim on your window.
16. Removes Dirt From Blinds
It is not enough to only clean your windows, you need to clean your blinds too.
How to do it:
- First, mix one cup ammonia, ½ cup white vinegar, ¼ cup baking soda and 1 gallon of warm water into one spray bottle.
- Next, spray on your blinds and do it thoroughly.
- Lastly, use your cloth to wipe your blinds, and then rinse with warm water.
17. Gets Rid of Ant Trails
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Ants can be annoying pests, especially when they crawl around your homestead at any time of the day. Fortunately, you can get rid of these pesky ants, as well as their ant trails.
How to do it: Directly pour vinegar on them or on their nests.
The strong smell of the vinegar turns them away. Just make sure to wipe the trail with a clean cloth later on.
There are still many ways to use a vinegar cleaning solution. You can experiment with mixing vinegar with other components, and see the results!
Do you know other ways a vinegar cleaning solution can disinfect your homestead? Share them in the comments section below!
Fellow homesteaders, do you want to help others learn from your journey by becoming one of our original contributors? Write for us!
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Vinegar is a natural fabric softener & odor-killer & color-brightener for laundry as well! Just toss 1/4 cup in with the wash