10 ways to use white vinegar for cleaning your kitchen
Fed up of splashing out on different products for everything from descaling your kettle to getting rid of grease? Well, you don't have to, because according to experts, the a humble bottle of white vinegar can clean it all. Not only is white vinegar an eco-friendly alternative to harsher cleaning products, it's also a great money-saving alternative.
Henrique Conceicao, Area Manager at Total Clean says "In my opinion, white vinegar is a fantastic choice for multipurpose cleaning due to its natural acidity, which quickly breaks down any dirt, grease or grime. It's also non-toxic and environmentally friendly, making it a safer option for most households."
How to use white vinegar for cleaning
We all know that white vinegar doesn't always have the most pleasant smell, but Conceicao has a little hack for improving the scent. "For the best outcome, I recommend diluting the white vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio for the majority of surfaces. You can also add some essential oils to create a more pleasant and refreshing scent."
If you're a household of caffeine lovers, then white vinegar is about to become your new cleaning BFF according to Conceicao who says "It's also ideal for descaling coffee makers, removing foul odours from carpets and disinfecting cutting boards, due to its potent antibacterial properties. White vinegar can even help unclog and deodorise your drains too."
What should not be cleaned with vinegar?
Whilst white vinegar is a great multipurpose cleaning product, there are some areas it's not suitable for, however. Conceicao says you should avoid applying it to natural stone (like marble or granite) as the acidity has the potential to cause irreversible damage to these surfaces. If in doubt, test the solution on a small inconspicuous area first.
10 ways to clean you kitchen with white vinegar
Read on to find out ways in which you can use white vinegar to clean almost all of your kitchen, according to the experts at Tap Warehouse.
1.Get rid of limescale around taps
To remove limescale from taps mix together white vinegar and water in equal parts and submerge your cleaning cloth into the solution. Once saturated use the cloth to scrub away the limescale.
Top tip: Depending on how severe the limescale is you can soap the affected area in the white vinegar mixture for up to 30 minutes before scrubbing it away.
2. Clean grease from oven racks with ease
Remove the oven racks and place in an empty tub. Sprinkle baking soda (also known as bicarbonate of soda) over them and then spray with white vinegar. The baking soda and white vinegar will create a foam which will work to remove any grease. Set the oven racks in hot water overnight before scrubbing away any grime left on the racks with a sponge or towel in the morning. Rinse with cool water and dry before placing back in the oven.
3. Descale your kettle in three simple steps
To descale your kettle, use equal parts white vinegar and water to fill your kettle and let it soak for up to an hour then boil the kettle. Once it has boiled, unplug it and let it soak for 15-20 minutes before emptying the kettle and rinsing thoroughly with clean water.
4. Clean away food stains from the inside of your microwave
We’ve all had an exploding porridge microwave incident, here’s how to get rid of those hard-to-reach food splatter stains in your microwave: Add 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to a microwave safe bowl, put in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Once finished remove the bowl and wipe down any grease and dirt with a clean cloth.
5. Banish burned-on food from pots and pans
Have you ever burnt a pan so badly that you’re tempted to throw it away? Before resorting to that, try this first and it could save your beloved pots and pans. Pour equal amounts of white vinegar and water into the pan and bring to boil. Keep the lid on to stop any burnt smells escaping to the rest of the house. Remove the pan from the heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Empty the pan and scrub clean.
6. Eliminate unwanted smells from your dishwasher
The most common cause of dishwasher smells is from trapped food and grease which, if left to build up, can leave your dishes smelling funky. When your dishwasher is empty, add 250ml of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe container and set the dishwasher to run for a full cycle on a high heat level. The vinegar should break down any food, grease, soap scum and residue stuck inside the dishwasher.
7. Abolish grease from your backsplash
The backsplash in your kitchen is regularly exposed to food, grease and steam which can stain the grout around your tiles. If the backsplash is ceramic, porcelain or glass tile, white vinegar can be mixed with warm water in a spray bottle to clean away any kitchen grease or food remnants.
8. Protect your clothing by cleaning your washing machines
Soap residue and chemicals from your laundry detergent can get stuck inside your washing machine and create a film that can trap bacteria, which can clog the inner mechanisms. This will stop your washing machine from reaching the temperature it should and make your detergent less strong. Add 2-4 cups of white vinegar to your washing machine and let the cycle run on a high heat hot water setting. You can do this weekly to keep it fresh and mould at bay.
9. Remove stains and strong odours from wooden chopping boards
Foods such as red peppers can easily stain a wooden chopping board. To remove stains soak the wood chopping board in one-part white vinegar and four parts water, don’t soak for longer than a few minutes to prevent damaging the wood. Rinse off and dry afterwards.
10. Cleaning inside of kitchen cupboards
Dust and food particles can gather inside of your kitchen cupboards, which can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and moulds. Use equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle to clean the inside of kitchen cupboards. Spray the inside of the cupboards and wipe clean.
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