Sunday, August 26, 2012

I Have a Confession...

Okay, I will admit it.  I have found a new love.  It's an unexpected love.  The kind of love that has always been there and you just never noticed.  It stays in the background hoping that you will turn around and notice it.  Well I did.  Just last week I noticed what had been staring at me in the face for as many years as I can remember and I just never understood the joy it would bring me.

It may be wrong but.... I. LOVE. VINEGAR.!!

About $2.00 for this gallon of plain ole vinegar.  Very inexpensive.

Now before you rush to judge me let me tell you our tale. It's not the typical tale but it is one full of new understandings, forgotten truths, and respect.  Vinegar is in fact the most versatile and useful thing you can have in your home.  After you hear and learn all that I have about this completely amazing product you will love it to, that's okay I will share ;).

It all started with a Google search as these things often do.  I was looking for cleaning products that were a little more on the natural side and was looking for ways to cut costs so we could save a little more money for a piece of real estate we can someday call our own.  I am very fussy about my kitchen, I usually disinfect with bleach 2 or 3 times a week.  I clean it every day but a couple times a week I spray everything down with bleach and let it sit for 30mins or so before I wash it off.  I have a thing about germs, I can't help it I just do LOL.  My husband on the other hand can not stand the smell of bleach and will complain for hours after he gets home.  I don't know why he can't just appreciate the germ free environment I provide for him but as a good wife I decided to see what else I could do.

After reading a million posts and blog articles on how vinegar makes a spiffy disinfectant I didn't just want to fall for some old wives tale so I dug a little more.  Well, according to science, vinegar is very high in acid so it is pretty low on the pH scale at 3.1. Most germs can not live in that type of environment and will die off before they can infest an unsuspecting host.  I sprayed my counters down with a full dose of vinegar for the initial kill off of germs,  and let it set for 20 to 30 minutes before I wiped it down with soap and water and then I mixed up a batch of 'everyday' cleaner, 1 part vinegar to 1 part water.  I use it every day when I clean the kitchen now and intend to do a once a week full strength dose.  Apparently, vinegar can be hard for some surfaces so do a test area first.

Combine equal parts vinegar and water in spray bottle for a kick butt counter cleaner.

It's a disinfectant so what?  So skeptical you all are.  Pay attention there is still more to this story.  Go get a cup of coffee...it's okay I will wait.

I recently decided to try to make my own laundry soap as I live in a house with 3 sensitive men.  Well 3 men with skin sensitivities anyway.  It was a smashing success.  No itchies, my sons acne on his back is improving and  we all love it!  Except one small thing.  It makes the clothes a little rough and stiff.  So back to Google I go and what do you suppose comes up as an all powerful and great fabric softener??  You got it babe, its VINEGAR!  I was skeptical at first I'll be honest.  While I was pretty impressed that it could clean my counters to my satisfaction I wasn't quite ready with the thought that  I could put in my laundry (apparently people all across the land knows this!).  But I really didn't find anything else to be helpful so I decided to do a test run.  Loaded a load of the kids laundry (I wasn't going to use my clothes, I'm not crazy) put in my 1 Tbsp of laundry soap and a quarter cup of vinegar to my rinse cycle and said a quick prayer that the kids don't start school smelling like deviled eggs. Lo and Behold, let me tell you that those close look and feel really good AND they don't smell like deviled eggs!

Mix equal parts olive oil and vinegar with a few drops of citrus oil for a great furniture polish.  Shake well before using. You can use juice from the fruit but you must keep it refrigerated..


'Wow' you say!  That is impressive, it disinfects and softens clothes!?! That is amazing.  But wait!!  There is more.

We just recently made a big move where we sold everything and moved halfway across the nation and had to repurchase most things.  After a lot of thought we decided we were going to shop for quality and not for price.  The kids are older and the dogs no longer have the strength to jump on the furniture so why the heck not!  Oh our furniture is all wood, beautiful and truly the nicest thing I have ever had.  I polish it up to a shine once a week and baby it for the rest of the time.  I needed a decent furniture polish that cleaned and polished at the same time.  I mean I do have a life and all this cleaning is really a buzz kill.  So, well you know back to Google I went and found a magnificent recipe for homemade furniture polish.  You guessed it! Vinegar!  Mix it with olive oil and few drops of citrus oil, shake it up and WHAM!  Shiny and clean wood and I didn't have to spend a fortune on cleaning supplies.

It is unbelievable what vinegar can do.  I have heard little rumors here and there about how great it does on windows and that it can kill weeds but truly, I never knew.  Check here for more uses:  http://www.rd.com/home/150-household-uses-for-vinegar/.

Vinegar is so inexpensive, I paid less than $2.00 for a gallon of the stuff.  I will be doing a cost breakdown between vinegar recipes as opposed to the store bought cleaners but I really think it is a much better bargain.

I should also mention that the smell does not linger, your house will not smell like you have been decorating eggs all day.

Also, because of the acidic nature of vinegar I use gloves as it can be a bit harsh straight on your skin.

Hope you learn to love vinegar as much as I do.  It is less harsh than cleansers you have around the house, safer to have around children and pets and way less expensive.  I will never buy another cleaner again.  This is the bee's knees!

2 comments:

  1. WOW, I did not know it had so many uses. I just use it to make pickles.

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  2. There are so many uses I could not believe it. I definitely will be keeping it in the house. I love it for my fabric softener, way better than Downy and no fake scents to make my nose twitchy.

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