Who knew grandma had it right when it came to cleaning with vinegar? The scent of grandma’s kitchen is very different from mine.

No, I don’t walk through my kitchen with a sprayer full of pine-scented furniture polish, but there was a time when the scent of chemical-laden cleaners filled my kitchen. Those days are over and it’s all thanks to vinegar.

Cleaning products have gotten ridiculous. Did you walk past the cleaning products in the grocery store recently?

For every item in your home, there is a cleaner made specifically for it. Cleaners for countertops.

Cleaners for glass. Cleaners for tile.

For wood. For steel.

For carpets. For fabrics.

The list goes on and on. I used to buy many of these items without question, but have learned there are so many ways to clean using vinegar.

Not only is it less expensive (a gallon of white vinegar is about $2), it’s much better for your health.

Using vinegar in place of many of these cleaning products has also cleared up quite a bit of space in the cabinet under my sink for storing Gigi’s extra chew toys and expired coupons I’m keeping just in case.

1. Greasy Stovetops

Yes, I’m a bacon fryer. There’s nothing I can do about it, but the splatter zone gets pretty greasy and nasty.

You can barely see the grease in your kitchen, but when the sun shines through the windows, oh my, do the greasy patches sparkle. It’s pretty gross.

I mix together equal parts of white vinegar and warm water and give my stove a good spray. After allowing the vinegar to sit for 2-3 minutes, I wipe the stove down with a damp cloth.

It cuts right through the toughest of bacon grease without leaving a sticky residue.

2. Microwave Interior

I hated cleaning my microwave. It takes little effort for food to explode into a million pieces that are nearly impossible to remove.

Now, when my teens leave the microwave in dire need of a good cleaning, I simply place a microwave-safe bowl of equal parts of white vinegar and water in the nuke for 5 minutes. The steam that develops cuts through the worst of the messes, and also removes nasty odors from the nuke.

It takes little effort to wipe it all clean.

3. Coffee Maker

Depending on where you live, your tap water may contain a lot of minerals. Over time, these minerals can build up in your coffee maker and give your morning cup a weird flavor.

Your coffee maker may start to sound weird, too. Descaling your coffee maker with vinegar is easy: pour a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water in your pot, brew a pot of coffee, then follow up with one or two pots of plain water to rinse out the vinegar.

Do this once a month or once every other month, depending on the hardness of your water.

4. Dishwasher

It’s easy to forget to clean the appliance that cleans for you. Grease, minerals, and soap can build up in your dishwasher.

Place a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl and set it on the top shelf. Run an empty cycle in hot water.

The vinegar will dissolve any gunky buildup on the walls and in the spray arms. Repeat the process each month to ensure that your dishes stay sparkling and your dishwasher doesn’t start smelling like last week’s spaghetti.

5. Windows and Mirrors

Homemade glass cleaner: Combine equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Use on mirrors, sliding doors, windows, etc.

Scrub with newspaper, an old-fashioned trick that really does work better than paper towels, or a lint-free cloth. Bonus: You’ll be supporting local media.

Just don’t use any of the glossy inserts because it will stain your hands. This is a great alternative to commercial glass cleaners, which are full of artificial scents and dyes that give them that trademark blue color.

6. Showerhead Buildup

If your home suffers from hard water, you’ve probably noticed your showerhead sputters now and then, or some parts spray harder than others. That’s likely from mineral buildup.

Unscrew your showerhead, or just hold it underwater if it doesn’t come off, and submerge it in a plastic bag filled with white vinegar, straight and not diluted. Secure the bag with a rubber band, leave overnight or at least an hour, remove, and run the shower for a minute.

Voila, back to normal.

7. Faucets and Fixtures

If you live in an area with hard water, you’re probably used to cleaning up the white, crusty deposits that accumulate around faucets, especially at their base. This isn’t a testament to your inadequate cleaning regime, as the white crud is calcium and lime from the water.

If this stuff really bugs you, try soaking a cloth or paper towel in white vinegar, wrapping it around your faucet and letting it sit for half an hour or longer. Then, remove the soaked paper or cloth, scrub with an old toothbrush and watch the deposits disappear.

Rinse and dry to prevent water spots. Believe it or not, white vinegar is just as effective as special lime-removing products and it doesn’t cost four times as much.

8. Shower Doors and Glass Enclosures

No matter how recently you’ve cleaned your shower doors or glass-enclosed shower, there’s a good chance they’re covered with soap scum. Spray them down with white, distilled vinegar, with no need to mix with water here, and allow to sit for a few minutes before wiping away.

You’ll be amazed how much more easily and how much more quickly soap scum comes away with vinegar alone. For a deeper clean, sprinkle baking soda on top of the vinegar-covered glass and rub the glass in circles.

The baking soda adds a gentle abrasive that helps remove the most stubborn soap scum. Rinse well to remove all residue.

White vinegar cuts through scum as well as or better than commercial cleansers, and you won’t be breathing in noxious fumes to boot.

9. Toilet Bowl

If your toilet is looking dingy no matter how hard you scrub, try a natural approach that will surprise you in terms of effectiveness. Dump one to two cups of white, distilled vinegar in your toilet and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.

The stains should lift more easily when scrubbed after soaking in vinegar. For an even deeper clean, add a sprinkle of baking soda to the vinegar-soaked bowl after waiting.

The ensuing fizzing action will help with the cleaning process, and it will also deodorize your bowl. Scrub well.

Both of these methods avoid harsh, unpleasant-smelling chemicals, but don’t be surprised when mild stains disappear as effectively as they would with those harsher chemicals.

For regular maintenance, try to give your toilet a good cleaning with this solution regularly and you’ll never need to smell like you’re standing beside the Olympic sized swimming pool again.

In cases of heavy build up you’ll likely need a stronger product. Hard water stains are notoriously difficult to remove but I’m working on that…

10. Grout Lines

Another way to use straight white vinegar in the bathroom is on your grout lines. Grout has a way of attracting every speck of dust and mildew in your shower.

Here’s what I do:

Spray straight white vinegar on your grout lines and leave for 5-10 minutes

Scrub grout lines with an old toothbrush or a stiff bristle brush for larger areas

For particularly naughty areas try sprinkling baking soda over the top of the vinegar to create a paste. Scrub again.

The vinegar will lift away any mold/dirt from the top layer making them easier to scrub away. Again this will work best used regularly, as I found that a casual squirt now and then wasn’t enough.

Once dirt builds up it’s a bigger job so may seem like too much work at that stage.

11. Cutting Boards

Straight up white vinegar is ideal for giving your plastic/wooden chopping blocks the once over after washing up. Simply give them a wipe over with vinegar to remove any bacteria and unpleasant odors.

Cutting boards are notoriously spongy and will soak up the juices of whatever you’re cooking. This is helpful if your next meal happens to be garlic chicken again but less so if your next meal is an apple pie.

Vinegar is particularly effective on onion/garlic stench too. Washing up liquid alone won’t shift it.

12. Refrigerator Interior

White vinegar is perfect for a quick, cheap, effective, fume free fridge cleanser. A good all over once over will take out any funky fridge smells and leave no chemical residues.

Simply mix equal parts vinegar/water in a jug and get mopping. It’s perfectly safe for the shelves, crisper etc.

Chances are that you’ve become so accustomed to the scent of your fridge that you can’t really tell if it smells. However, chances are even bigger that guests coming over will stick their noses into your fridge and recoil at the smell.

Give your fridge a good wipe down with vinegar before you go grocery shopping to eliminate any funky smells. It takes ten minutes or less.

13. Garbage Disposal

If not maintained properly, your garbage disposal can become incredibly smelly. For a good, simple cleaning of your garbage disposal, pour 1/2 cup of white vinegar down your disposal and let it sit for a few minutes.

Run cold water and watch as the smell of vinegar overtakes that of your previously smelly disposal. For an in-depth cleaning of your garbage disposal, freeze white vinegar in an ice cube tray and throw a couple in to grind up.

This will help to scrub down the blades as it’s grinding up the ice. In addition to eliminating stinky garbage disposals, you’ll find this task to be oddly, extremely satisfying.

It’s one of those rare chores that engages all of your senses and gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling of accomplishment. Try to use your garbage disposal on a regular basis and give it a good vinegar bath from time to time to keep it in-between smells.

14. Trash Cans

Trash cans are notorious for getting stinky. It’s a combination of the bags, liquid, and just the can itself.

Spritz your trash cans with white vinegar. Let sit for a few minutes and wash out, allowing them to air-dry.

This will get rid of bacteria on the surface and will help to eliminate any funky smells. If there’s a particular stench coming from the can itself, perhaps from a nasty, seeping mess, try cleaning it with some dish soap and vinegar solution, scrubbing the can.

Once you get a good lather going, simply rinse and allow to dry.

15. Washing Machine

If you’ve ever pulled a load of towels out of the dryer, only to be greeted with that nasty, musty mildew smell, then your washing machine most likely needs a good cleaning. Set your washing machine to a hot, empty cycle.

Add two cups of white vinegar to the drum and allow it to wash. Doing this once a month will ensure that your washing machine smells fresh and clean.

If you have a front-loading washer, check to see if there’s any build-up around the rubber seal on the door. Simply soak a rag with some white vinegar and give it a good wipe down.

16. Dryer Drum

Fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat everything with a fine film. Including your dryer.

To help keep your dryer in tip-top working order, swish your dryer drum with a cloth dampened with vinegar. This will remove any built-up fabric softener residue, as well as any ink or dye transfers that may be lurking in the drum.

Wipe it down and run your dryer for a few minutes to help it air-dry.

17. Laundry Fabric Softener Replacement

Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener compartment of your washer. That’s it.

The vinegar will soften your fabrics, decrease static and leave them feeling great. I thought this was nonsense when I read it.

However, after giving it a try, I’ve become a fan. My husband even commented that our sheets and towels felt different.

Our towels are much more absorbent because the vinegar is helping remove any residue left on the fabric from our soap. Our clothes don’t really smell of vinegar since it’s added during the wash.

If your clothes are smelling strongly of vinegar after being washed, add less or stop adding it during the wash and try adding it during the rinse.

White vinegar removes static, softens your clothing and has no silicone to coat your fabrics with.

18. Hardwood and Laminate Floors

Mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar to 1 gallon of warm water. Use to mop hardwood, laminate, ceramic, and porcelain floors, making sure the mop is damp and not sopping wet.

White vinegar cleans and polishes hardwood floors.

Warning: NEVER use vinegar on hardwoods that are not properly sealed. Acidic vinegar can remove the finish. Also, do not use vinegar on waxed hardwoods as vinegar can damage the finish as well.

19. Tile Floors

For ceramic, porcelain, and other types of tile, try white vinegar mixed with water as a floor cleaner. Use one-half cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water.

Use to mop. Never use vinegar on natural stone tiles, including marble and travertine as the acid will eat away at the stone.

This solution also doesn’t have the harsh smell that some cleaners have.

White vinegar cleans tile floors.

Kitchen and bathroom tiles get a lot of abuse. Between us, Gigi’s constant trekking of dirt and other interesting substances into the house, and just general day to day abuse, my kitchen and bathroom floors take it upon themselves to try to tell my life story through footprints alone.

This is another instance where a quick mop with a vinegar solution will leave floors sparkling, residue free, and will save a fortune on cleaners.

20. Fresh Carpet Stains

Blot the stain to remove as much of the substance as possible. Do NOT rub the stain because this will spread it and push it deeper into the carpet. Blot, blot, blot.

Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes. Blot the stain. Repeat as necessary.

For set-in stains that will not release, sprinkle some baking soda on top of the vinegar and blot. This will work on water-soluble stains.

21. Upholstery Odors

Between cooking smells, pet odors, body odors and other mysterious smells that manage to work their way onto fabric, upholstery picks up tons of odors. Instead of masking odors with a commercial fabric refresher, neutralize odors with a quick misting of a solution of equal parts vinegar and water.

You won’t even realize it’s vinegar after it dries. And at least with vinegar you KNOW it’s getting rid of the smell instead of covering it up with perfume.

Test first in an inconspicuous place just in case discoloration does occur.

22. Pet Stains and Odors

Blot up as much of the mess as possible, then douse the stain with straight white vinegar. The ammonia in the urine is what creates the smell, and the vinegar works to break down the ammonia.

Let sit for a few minutes and blot. Repeat as necessary.

Follow-up with some baking soda to help eliminate the odor. This combo of baking soda and white vinegar really lifts that nasty pet odor out of carpeting or upholstery.

And yes, Gigi has NEVER had an accident. She is glaring at me as I write this sentence. You may not witness this photo-opportunity again anytime soon.

So, in the event that you DO have a furry friend who has marked his/her territory, or any other pesky lingering stench that won’t give an inch, try using straight white vinegar on the offending area. Believe me, no matter how good the carpet has dried and smelled ok afterwards, once it gets wet or the weather changes, that stench will make an immediate come-back. Vinegar penetrates into the area and reacts with its chemistry, eliminating the smell.

23. Produce Wash

Mix 1 part white vinegar to 3 parts water in a large bowl. Use this wash when giving produce a soak for a few minutes.

You can use it on apples, grapes, leafy greens, berries, whatever. Just rinse them after soaking, and they’ll be extra-clean.

It’s a great way to wash off pesticides, bacteria, and wax. The vinegar and water combo works much better than just water.

Give them a final rinse with just water afterwards, so they don’t taste vinegary. You’ll be shocked how much cleaner your produce is afterwards.

Berries last MUCH longer this way in the fridge, I’ve noticed.

24. Electric Kettle Descaling

Do you see white spots forming inside your kettle? It’s time to descale it.

It’s amazing how much difference a descaled kettle makes in the taste of your tea or coffee. Fill kettle with an equal mix of white vinegar and water, then boil.

Allow to steep for about 15-30 min. Empty, and give it a couple of good rinses.

Run a couple of water only kettles before using, and you’re all done.

25. Iron Steam Vents

Fill the water compartment with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. With the heat turned to medium, stand over a rag or old towel or hold it over the sink and push the steam button until it’s empty.

Turn off. Repeat a couple of times with water only, and you’re good to go.

If your iron has been spitting up brown water onto your precious white blouses, this will fix it. You’d be surprised how much crud is lurking in those teeny tiny holes.

26. Blinds

Horizontal Blinds. Combine equal amounts of white vinegar and water, then wipe down blinds.

Instead of a rag, use an old cotton sock slipped over your hand. With a sock you can clean the front and back of each slat in one wipe.

And it’s a whole lot faster than cleaning blinds with a rag. Trust me.

27. Sticker and Label Residue

There’s nothing like finding a perfectly good jar in the cabinet, except using it for something and then washing it to start all over again. If it has price tag remnants, pour some white vinegar (straight) on the adhesive residue and allow to soak for a few minutes.

Adhesive residue from labels and stickers comes off glass, plastic, metal, finished surfaces, etc. much easier when treated with white vinegar. And white vinegar won’t scratch surfaces like some products.

28. Light Rust Spots

If the rust on your tools is merely superficial, soak them in white vinegar for several hours or overnight (I typically let them sit all night) and then gently scrub them using steel wool or a brush. Rust spots on small items like tools and cabinet hardware or around your sink drain can be treated the same way.

After washing, make sure items are thoroughly dry otherwise you’ll be treating new rust right away. Vinegar won’t help items that are rusted to the bone, but it’s amazing how much of an effect vinegar has on items with light rust that has begun to take hold.

29. Chrome Fixtures

Dull chrome faucets and hardware like towel bars will sparkle with a quick wipe with a cloth dampened with white vinegar. Fingerprints, hard water marks and other blemishes wipe right off leaving no residue and without scratching.

Wipe dry with a clean cloth for a shiny finish.

Chrome is pretty forgiving when it comes to cleaning. As long as there are no water spots reflecting back at you, chances are no one will be able to tell whether you gave it a deep clean.

If you’re short on time, spray some vinegar on the chrome and give it a good buff with a dry rag. Your bathroom will look like you cleaned the whole bathroom thoroughly – who knows?

Bonus Tip: Those old cotton socks? With my teens there are lots of unmatched socks around the house.

Don’t throw them away, keep them around for handy cleaning tools. Slip one over your hand for cleaning blinds (above).

Use them for other cleaning tasks, etc. Great way to repurpose items around the house.

30. Crayon Marks on Walls

We’ve all seen them – little doodles on walls from our young kids. Sometimes, they manage to get marks on walls that were conveniently tucked behind pieces of furniture for years.

Try as you might, crayon marks are not budging with soap and water. Try rubbing a little undiluted white vinegar on them with a rag instead.

The acidity will attract the wax in the crayon marks. Be sure to rub gently.

Depending on the type of paint and finish you have, vinegar can potentially damage them, though most latex paints hold up just fine to vinegar. It’s always best to test it out first though.

No more repainting the living room just because your toddler wanted to get creative.

31. Paintbrush Revival

Think that brush is toast? Give it another shot by placing it into a pot of boiling white vinegar and letting it soak for a few minutes.

Take it out and rub the bristles with your fingers and watch that dried-up paint come right off. Finish up by rinsing your brush in some warm water.

Boiling white vinegar works well with water-based (like latex) paints. For oil-based paints, you may still need a commercial solvent.

At least, boiling white vinegar is an option before investing in more brushes.

32. Drain Deodorizer

Between thorough cleans of your drains, try to keep them fresh-smelling by pouring in half a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of white vinegar. Allow the mixture to fizz for a few minutes then pour in hot water to wash everything down.

The white vinegar/baking soda mixture will help to rid any funky smell and work out any buildup within the drain. It won’t unclog it but it’s a nifty deodorizing hack that’ll keep those drains in tip-top shape between thorough cleans.

I always thought this was strange, too, but after using this method a few times I realized that sinks do collect soap, food, and in the case of bathroom sinks, hair in the pipes. After enough builds up, it can start to smell.

The baking soda/vinegar combo takes care of this in about thirty seconds.

33. Natural Air Freshener

We’d been frying food and cooking fish, and Gigi hates when things like this linger, as she will stick her nose everywhere and make a rude and unpleasant sound if the smell of cooking has lingered, because she is very dramatic. Instead of reaching for an air freshener that just masks odors with chemicals, I added white vinegar to a small pot of water along with a few slices of lemon, and simmered them together.

It’s amazing. The vinegar absorbs the odors from the food, while the lemon adds a fresh, non-chemical scent.

It’s great to absorb the odor instead of masking it.

As I read on, I found that white vinegar can take the place of pretty much anything I have under my kitchen sink. Considering that those bottles run anywhere from three to eight bucks each, I thought that sounded like a great idea.

Vinegar is inexpensive, readily available, and it’s safe to let your kiddos or pets roam freely even if you’ve just mopped with vinegar. I don’t have to worry about potentially harmful chemicals from commercial cleaners wafting off the solution.

It’s such an easy product to keep around the house, because it is inexpensive, readily available, and a little goes a long way. Start by using vinegar as your window cleaner, which is the easiest product to make the switch on, in my opinion.

Then, maybe try swapping out your multi-surface cleaner next. It’s easy to incorporate natural cleaning tips little by little.

Where to start:

Read through 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts, since this is what got me interested in the idea.