Picture from thesourcebulkfoods.com.au

Vinegar is a biodegradable, non-toxic, and natural product. It is versatile and can be used to cook, pickle, and even clean.

There are different types of vinegar. I will focus here on white vinegar and the cleaning possibilities with it, as this is the environmental section.

White vinegar is made from fermentation. Its acidic nature makes it a great and very cheap way to clean dirt, grease, and grime, whether in the kitchen, the bathroom, or any other area in your home and garden. I would not use it as a disinfectant. And be careful not to use it on any natural stone, granite, marble, quartz, painted metal, or wood surfaces as it is corrosive and might damage them. It is safe on glass, faucets, plastic cutting boards, your microwave and sheet pans, and also floors and ceramics. Oh, and veggies too! Some people use it as a natural weed killer. I haven't tried this yet though. I add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the water of the cut flowers in my one-liter vase to keep them fresh longer. You still need to change the water every couple of days...

Another important tip: avoid mixing white vinegar with bleach, liquid castile soap, or borax as these neutralize its effects.

For a simple cleaning solution, mix 250 ml (1 cup) of white vinegar with the same amount of boiled water that has cooled to room temperature. Boiling the water before using it serves to kill any germ or bacteria in it. Pour into a 500 ml spray bottle et voilà! You have a cheap environmental cleaning solution that can last for several weeks. It can also disrupt the scent trail that scouting ants leave when foraging for food in your home. If you are like me and detest the aroma of vinegar in general, you can add about 25 drops of essential oil to the bottle for the smell. Rest assured the white vinegar's whiff fades after a short while. I sometimes use it to clean my veggies and I can guarantee you that no tomato or cucumber of mine smells like vinegar when it has been dried out to be placed in storage.

Happy eco-cleaning 🍃🌱