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Face it: Your cleaning cabinet is riddled with hokey, superlative-laden labels claiming mystical virtues as if each and every one of them somehow single handedly invented the very task of cleaning itself.
In spite of almost each and every one of them, though, there's a perfectly natural and ubiquitous solution that takes care of 99% of your household sanitation woes: white vinegar.
White vinegar and distilled white vinegar (the more food-friendly variation) both reduce most pathogens and will get pretty much every surface in your house shiny clean. They're also cheaper than many chemical-ridden agents to which entire grocery aisles are dedicated. Vinegar will run you about $0.09 an ounce, whereas you can expect to pay closer to $0.27 per ounce for all-purpose cleaners like Mrs. Meyer's.
Short of sensitive electronics and stainless steel appliances, white vinegar is a safe cleaning agent for the kitchen, the bathroom, and anywhere else that requires regular wipe downs.
Here's how I use vinegar as a cleaner in my home:
For big messes
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For big tasks like cleaning floors, I mix 1/2 cup of vinegar to 1/2 gallon of warm water, and a squirt of dish soap for good measure. If you need more cleaner, you can more vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
For small messes
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The same 1:1 vinegar to water ratio works smaller tasks like wiping down the table, too. You can fill a spray bottle with water and vinegar, or dab a cotton swab with vinegar for getting into tight spaces.
For cleaning produce
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Spraying or soaking your vegetables with distilled white vinegar is a great way to remove bacteria (as opposed to simply rinsing and straining).
For clogged drains
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Pouring a quart of boiling-hot water down the drain followed by 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of vinegar works almost as well as pricey name-brand solutions.
For windows
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You can use that same 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar to clean your windows and leave them steak free. We outline the method in this guide.
What NOT to clean with vinegar
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While it's perfectly fine for your sink, faucet, and fittings, you'll want to avoid putting vinegar (especially 6% cleaning-grade vinegar) on any metal or rubber that you can't thoroughly remove it from, as it will eventually lead to corrosion.
For stainless-steel appliances that won't get a good rinse, I use Barkeeper's Friend instead.
You should also never mix vinegar with bleach, as it can create toxic chlorine gas.
The bottom line
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For anything that poses a serious threat, such as raw meat, you may want to break out something with ammonia in it. Short of that, distilled white vinegar is a one-step disinfectant for just about everything in your household, and, in my humblest (yet experienced) opinion, the single best way to declutter your cleaning cabinet.