Vinegar as a Natural Cleaning Product

I am a fan of Scrubbing Bubbles. I think it’s one of the best commercial cleaning products out there. But whenever I use it, I can’t help but feel a tiny twinge of guilt. It’s not exactly environment-friendly, and I can’t help but wonder if it rinses clean completely.

While I’ve heard of vinegar being one of the best natural cleaners available, I never really took it seriously. I guess I’ve been skeptical about it being better than the commercial cleaners. But this week, I gave it a try. I used a spray bottle with a vinegar-and-water solution to clean my bathroom counter and faucets. I just sprayed the solution on and wiped it off with a microfiber cloth. And, honestly, I was very pleasantly surprised at the results!

I don’t think the faucets have ever been shinier! They’re almost like new. I also used the solution to clean the bathroom mirror, and they were streak-free. Even better than Windex.

So now, I’m a spray bottle-toting vinegar-cleaner convert! The bathroom did have a vinegar smell about it for a few minutes, but it’s not worse than the chemical smell of Scrubbing Bubbles, and much better than the ammonia fumes of Windex.

It’s hard for me to give up my hard-working bubbles. But considering that vinegar is 1) cheap; 2) safe to use; 3) not packaged in an aerosol bottle; and 4) a highly effective cleaner, I think I may have to say goodbye to Scrubbing Bubbles.

Here are tips for making up  your own solutions of vinegar-based cleaners:

* Regular store-brand distilled white vinegar is inexpensive and easy to find.

* Use a new spray bottle for your vinegar solution. Never mix vinegar with products containing ammonia as this could result in dangerous fumes.

* For general cleaning purposes, mix 1 cup of vinegar with 5 cups of water.

* For tough cleaning jobs, use full strength vinegar.