Cleaning With Vinegar

Did you know that distilled white vinegar kills bacteria, mold and viruses yet is safe for your body and the environment? A few years back I wanted to get rid of the store bought cleaners tucked under my kitchen sink as I was concerned about their safety and toxicity. Once I learned vinegar disinfects, deodorizes and cuts grease but is still safe to drink* I was sold. It's also very cheap at around $2 a gallon.
*Don't drink vinegar, it tastes bad & will probably make you nauseous.

Vinegar means "sour wine" and is what results when wine or other alcohol is fermented a second time turning it acetic. Vinegar is actually a weak form of acetic acid. There are different varieties of vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar in my hair rinse) but for cleaning distilled white vinegar is best.

My favorite use for vinegar is to make an All Purpose Cleaner. I've been using this for years to clean my house. It disinfects my kitchen and bathroom surfaces while I feel good that my family isn't being exposed to toxic chemicals.

A gallon of white distilled vinegar & a repurposed spray bottle

All Purpose Cleaner
Use a clean empty spray bottle and fill it with equal parts water and distilled white vinegar. Add optional lemon essential oil for scent and cleaning power. Spray on counters and wipe clean.

Other uses for vinegar include: 

*Dishwaher- Add 1/2 cup of vinegar to your dishwasher rinse cycle. It's excellent for removing stains, mineral and grease deposits from glass. 
*Garbage Disposal- Make vinegar ice cubes and put them down your disposal to clean and deodorize it.
*Toilet bowl- To freshen put 2-3 cups vinegar in the bowl and let it sit for a few hours then scrub and flush.
*Windows- Fill a spray bottle with water and 1/4 cup of vinegar, spray on your windows and use newspaper to wipe clean.

There are many more uses for vinegar, too many for me to cover here. The book Vinegar: Over 400 Various, Versatile, and Very Good Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of  details over 400 ways to use vinegar. Many of these uses I never even imagined.

What about you? What do you use vinegar for?