WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT VINEGAR?

NATURAL VS SYNTHETIC

Over the years I’ve loved the challenge of finding natural solutions to everything we cleaned, wore, put on our skin, or fed our family. I’ve not been 100% consistent but generally I clean with non-toxic products now and try to avoid processed foods as much as possible, cooking by scratch and buying organic whenever I can. When my children were younger, I bought denim and cotton clothing for the most part, but I haven’t always stuck to my convictions. I’m too much of a fashionista. However, even though I deviated at times, I decided wearing ‘plastic bags’, lol, like polyester, is too hot and uncomfortable. Admittedly too, I can be a little OCD, as my children could agree, ha ha, but overall, I rather think it’s been worth being intentional when it comes to these things. Especially since I feel great for my age and my conscience is clear where these issues are concerned. Or almost…!

VINEGAR – TO USE OR NOT TO USE?

I’ll have to admit it’s taken me years to finally start using plain old vinegar, a very safe, natural, and inexpensive way to clean my windows. As I stated, for decades I’ve used non-processed foods and mostly natural skin care and cleaning products, but Glass Plus® was my hold-out when it came to cleaning my windows and other surfaces. I thought it did a better job. Probably the real reason I stuck with it, though, was just because it smelled better! However, recently I convinced myself I needed to reevaluate all commercial cleaning products. * See NOTE # 1

Distilled White Vinegar

VINEGAR WINS HANDS DOWN

So recently I decided to clean my dirty windows with vinegar because I had simply run out of window cleaner. Thinking I would only use it one time, I set to work. Ha! I will never go back. Vinegar does an amazing job cleaning everything it touches. It leaves the windows and other surfaces shining clean while safely disinfecting as well. And once it dries there is absolutely no lingering scent. No telling what touching and breathing in those commercial formulas had been doing in my body all those years. Of course, vinegar is a great cleaner all around the house. In the toilet bowl, tub, and sink; on stainless steel, ceramic, and Formica® surfaces; sprayed on dish cloths and mold; as fabric softener; there are many, many more ways to use it. ** See NOTE # 2

VINEGAR AND OLD RAG TOWELS

So if you decide to clean with vinegar, I recommend sticking with old towels to wipe with also. Stained or torn, don’t throw them away before you use them for cleaning. They’re so much better than expensive or flimsy paper towels and even those polyester cloths which just don’t dry anything well. Old bath towels and washcloths or old tea towels are great to use because they work and you can wash and use them over and over again. The trick is to fold them in fourths or eighths and clean with each surface you’ve folded. I learned this from a cleaning guru, Don Aslett, years ago. Instead of just bunching up the towel and swiping a few times, take time to fold it in half, then in half again and if it’s big enough, one or two more times. You will be able to get at least 8 - 12 uses out of that one cloth.