Homemade Cleaning Spray with Vinegar | Multi-Purpose Cleaner

Why Vinegar? Homemade cleaning spray with vinegar is one of the safest and most effective homemade cleaners.

We can use it on any surface at home except marble, and later we will elaborate on when to use and not use vinegar and be safe, so stay tuned. 

Homemade cleaning spray with vinegar

Why homemade vinegar cleaners are the best?

Because vinegar has:

- Disinfecting

- Grime-dissolving

- Antibacterial

Characteristics, homemade cleaning spray with vinegar is one of the most popular cleaning sprays.

It hinders the growth of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which is why people have used vinegar since ancient times as a common disinfectant not only for their homes but also for wounds. 

Its sharp flavor makes it a favorite cooking ingredient.

It is a common kitchen item that practically every household worldwide uses and is a must-have kitchen ingredient not only for its ability to kill bacteria if used in cooking or washing food ingredients. 

One of the downsides to using homemade cleaning spray with vinegar is the smell.

Most people find vinegar's smell on its own is too pungent and sharp to use. 

So people came up with different ways to use vinegar and make sure not to make the whole house reek of vinegar.

Natural vinegar cleaner recipe

How to make a homemade cleaning spray with vinegar?

The word vinegar originates from the Anglo- french vin egre meaning sour wine (wine that has turned sour or acidic) due to fermentation.

Making vinegar is a two-step process in which yeast feeds on sugar which is turned into alcohol and then transformed into vinegar by exposing the alcohol to Oxygen which ferments the alcohol into acetic acid.

Any alcohol can turn into vinegar under the right conditions, and that’s why different cultures have different types of vinegar, it's due to the different materials and ingredients different cultures use to make their alcohol.

Different places have different types of vinegar for example white vinegar is the most common type of vinegar in the US and is made from grains, resulting in a crisp and clear taste.

While Italians prefer balsamic vinegar, known for its sweet and zesty flavor and made from aging pressed grapes in oak barrels.

Rice vinegar is one of the most used ingredients in Asian cuisine and is made from fermented rice wine.

Not to mention; cider apple vinegar, malt vinegar, coconut vinegar, kiwi fruit vinegar, and date vinegar. 

There are also some uncommon types of vinegar like sugar cane vinegar, and black vinegar, apricot vinegar.  

Homemade Cleaning Spray with Vinegar

How to make a homemade cleaning spray with vinegar? First, use cleaning vinegar and not distilled vinegar.

Distilled vinegar has about 5% acetic acid and 95% water. Cleaning vinegar has from 6% to as high as 75% acetic acid, which makes it stronger than distilled vinegar.

Make sure not to cook or consume cleaning vinegar because it is harmful to the human body due to its high concentration percentage.

Vinegar cleaning spray ratio:

One of the easiest ways to make a homemade cleaning spray with vinegar is to mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, attach the nozzle and give it a good shake to make sure it mixes well.

But if you need it for more challenging tasks like cleaning mold or mildew you can double the vinegar ratio to the water added and use 2 cups of vinegar for each cup of water, and there you have an all-purpose homemade cleaning spray with vinegar. 

For a better-smelling homemade cleaning spray with vinegar, you can mix vinegar and citrus not only will it smell better, but it also will make the mix have stronger cleaning power, plus it's a great way to reuse your kitchen leftovers. 

You can fill a jar with vinegar and ⅓ citrus peels. My favorites are lemons and oranges, let the mix sets for two weeks before adding equal amounts of the mix and water to a spray bottle.

You can substitute juice for the citrus peel.

For lemons, mix ½ a cup of lemon juice and ½ cup of vinegar, and 1 cup of water and spray some on the surface you want to clean and wipe using a rag. 

Not only can you make your vinegar cleaning spray smell much better by adding citrus you can also add:

- Fresh thyme

-  Cinnamon

- Grapefruit

- Lime

- Oregano

- Rosemary

Any essential oil you like or have at hand will do. Try mixing a few of your favorite essential oils like lavender and orange or lavender and tea tree.

They will give your vinegar cleaning spray a bright scent that lingers after the vinegar smell dissipates.

Tips for cleaning with Homemade Cleaning Spray with Vinegar

Remember the first mix we made with vinegar and water only, it's great for most cleaning jobs. You can use it for:

- Kitchen Countertops

- Stoves or bathroom countertops

- Toilet surfaces

- Tile floors

Just wipe the surface with a rag or sponge after spraying our mix on it.

That will make you get rid of dirt, soap scum, and hard water.

As for carpet stains, if this mix isn't doing its job, try adding a teaspoon of mild dish soap to it, give it a good shake, then spray it onto the stain and let it soaks for two minutes, then clean it gently with a clean towel or sponge.

You can also use the same mix to clean ovens and microwaves. Add it to a heat-safe bowl and put it in the oven or microwave.

Heat or Microwave the solution till it boils and let it cools down, then wipe the interior clean.

For surfaces, just let the mix sets for a minute, then rinse it. As for more challenging cleaning jobs like:

• Mineral build-up around fixtures.
• Soap scum on shower walls.
• Hard water deposits. 

You can use the mix with a double amount of vinegar to water and let it set for a few minutes before using a scrub brush and then rinse.

If this mix doesn't work, skip adding water to the mix and spray it onto the affected area, then scrub with a brush or a sponge and rinse with water. For toilets, just pour vinegar right into the bowl.

Don't use your Homemade Cleaning Spray with Vinegar on:

- Marble.

- Stone counters.

- Hardwood floors. 

Why? because it can etch them permanently or compromise the surface and dull the natural shine.

Summary

Homemade cleaning spray with vinegar is a natural cleaning solution that yields many benefits in and around your home it’s an all-in-one cleaner. 

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