Homemade Cleaners Made with Vinegar

White distilled vinegar is one of the most common ingredients found in homemade cleaners. And for good reason. It’s safe, and effective, has hundreds of different housecleaning uses, and can often take the place of harsher cleaners like bleach and ammonia.

Here is just a sample of what homemade cleaners made with white vinegar can do.

Homemade Cleaner #1: Vinegar All-Purpose Cleaner

White vinegar dissolves dirt, cuts through grease, and acts as a strong disinfectant, making it a great ingredient in all-purpose homemade cleaners, and homemade window cleaners.

White vinegar is also used in homemade cleaners for the bathroom, because it can clean soap scum, mildew, and hard water and lime spots. You can use white vinegar to clean the toilet bowl, the sink, the tub, ceramic tiles, and the shower door.

Here is a recipe for an all-purpose homemade cleaner.

In a spray bottle, combine one part white vinegar and one part water. You can use this homemade cleaner in the kitchen and bathroom to disinfect and deodorize. You can also use this homemade cleaner on windows and mirrors.

Homemade Cleaner #2: Vinegar Air Freshener

White vinegar is a natural deodorizer, so it’s commonly used in homemade air fresheners and deodorizers. Unlike most commercial air fresheners, that temporarily cover up odors, white vinegar actually neutralizes and absorbs odors.

Here’s a recipe for a homemade air freshener.

In a spritzer, a spray bottle that produces a fine mist, combine 1 teaspoon of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and two cups of hot water. (The hot water will help the baking soda dissolve.) Spray this homemade air freshener in any room to neutralize odors. And don’t worry about the vinegar smell. It will fade pretty quickly.

Homemade Cleaner #3: Laundry Brightener and Fabric Softener

In the laundry room, white vinegar makes and excellent fabric softener, water softener, stain remover, and clothes brightener.

Add one cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle to brighten your clothes. Then, add a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to soften clothes, and remove the soap residue that can cause skin irritation.

Do not use vinegar if you’ve used bleach, because this can produce dangerous fumes.

With a single bottle of white vinegar, you can create homemade cleaners for a multitude of household tasks. And, since you don’t have to by a different, and costly, commercial cleaner for each job, using white vinegar to make homemade cleaners will also save you money.