Have you recently renovated your kitchen and need something to help you with residue left after cabinet refacing, newly installed countertops, and upgraded flooring? Or perhaps you just want to arm yourself with eco-friendly cleaning products that will cut down on dirt, grease and grime? Odds are you need to look no further than your kitchen pantry, because white vinegar is practically a miracle cleanser. When mixed with water - and sometimes salt or baking soda - vinegar cleans countertops, sinks and even mirrors for a fraction of the price of commercial cleansers.
Vinegar: One of the Safest Natural Cleansers
Around
Here's a little tutorial on how to use vinegar safely for cleaning the kitchen. However, there is one caveat: the acid in vinegar can degrade certain sealants and calcium-based stones such as marble, limestone, or travertine. The vinegar will etch the stone. If you want to design a green kitchen and prefer to use vinegar- or other homemade cleansers - we recommend working with your kitchen designer to choose surfaces that can handle it..
In the meantime, here are tips for using white vinegar as an all-purpose cleaning solution for your kitchen.
Tough tasks? Use it undiluted.
Straight vinegar will kill almost every germ, bacteria, mold and fungus that comes in contact with your kitchen surfaces and it eliminates odors too. We recommend keeping a spray bottle on hand filled with undiluted vinegar for the toughest jobs:
- Grease
- Cutting boards (especially the ones used to cut meat)
- Grimy countertops
- Stained sinks
- Dirty floors
- Food storage containers
Lunch boxes
Try putting undiluted vinegar in your dishwasher in lieu of the secondary rinsing agent and you'll be amazed at both the results and the waste of money you've been spending on rinsing agents all these years!
More Minor Stuff? Do a 50/50 Combo.
For your average everyday cleaning, keep a second spray bottle filled with equal parts vinegar and water. This will be plenty strong enough to clean and sanitize your average kitchen mess, spill or light clean-up. This mild 50/50 vinegar and water mix can be used to clean your cabinets as well. Just make sure to wipe them completely with a soft, dry cloth afterwards and don't leave any moisture drops behind.
Oven-safe
Spray tough cooked-on grime with undiluted vinegar and let it sit for an hour. The acid will cut right through it and most of the gunk should wipe away fairly easily. If not, re-spray the spot with undiluted vinegar again and let it soak a little longer. Then, mix 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon of liquid soap to make a scouring cream. Scrub a dub!
Eliminate hard mineral deposits
Sometimes, the addition of straight vinegar and a little time is enough to dissolve the bulk of the deposit so you can scrub it away. If that doesn't work, mix a paste of course salt and a little bit of vinegar. Together, they will remove touch mineral deposits, soap scum and bathtub rings too.
Looking for experienced cabinet refacing & other kitchen upgrades
near you?
Ready to design an eco-friendly kitchen worthy of your new vinegar cleansing know-how? Contact Kitchen Magic so we can get started. To find out what will work best for you, schedule a consultation with a Kitchen Matic design consultant who will provide you with the best advice at no charge, whether or not you choose to work with us. In case you do, you can depend on us to use durable and high-quality materials, following industry best practices. You can reach us by phone at 866-339-9099 or schedule online now!
