There are so many cleaners on the market, one for every job. What did we do before these fabulous companies came up with a product for everything?
If you bought one of each product the manufacturers want to convince you that you must have in order to have a clean home, you would have a very full cleaning basket.
The list goes on and on. For every stain there is a remover, every substance or surface, a special cleaner. I used to cringe every time I opened the cabinet under my sink; things were always falling out, getting spilled, making a mess.
I finally got past feeling like the only way my house would be clean was if I bought what they were selling. The only thing in my cleaning bucket right now is vinegar and baking soda. I use it for everything.
• Glass cleaner- vinegar and water in a spray bottle, use newspaper instead of paper towels
• Countertop cleaner- vinegar and water in a spray bottle, if the counter needs a little more scrubbing I sprinkle it with baking soda
• Ceramic stove top cleaner- same as above
• Dusting spray- a barely damp cloth, dusting sprays leave a film which attracts more dust
• All purpose spray- vinegar and water
• Bathtub/ shower cleaner– sprinkle the tub and walls with baking soda, spray with vinegar and water
• Grout cleaner- wet grout, make a paste of baking soda and water, spread over grout, let sit, spray with vinegar and water and scrub with a toothbrush
• Toilet bowl cleaner- wet the inside of the toilet with the toilet brush, sprinkle with baking soda, spray with vinegar and water, let sit for an hour, pour in about a cup of vinegar and more baking soda, let sit, scrub as usual
• Floor cleaner- vinegar and water
• Carpet deodorizer- baking soda, sprinkle on carpet, let sit, vacuum up
• Carpet cleaner- I only use vinegar and water in my carpet steamer/shampooer. The vinegar neutralizes odors and doesn’t leave a film on the carpet.
I do occasionally get pulled in by fancy marketing and promises of a house that almost cleans itself. When I get pulled in by those products I’ll be sure to tell you how they compare to my old stand bys.
The best thing about just using vinegar and baking soda is there are no chemicals to affect my family and pets. It really is the greenest way to clean. Some people don’t like the smell of vinegar; it dissipates quickly and takes other odors with it. My house doesn’t smell like anything within an hour or so of cleaning it, and nothing is exactly what clean should smell like.