Household vinegar is a great thing to have in your home as it has many different uses. Household vinegar is a super effective cleaning agent and can be used for many different purposes. And it is a budget-friendly alternative to the many different cleaning agents that you can otherwise quickly acquire.
Here you can read about all the ways we use vinegar for cleaning and get our best tips for natural housekeeping.
What is the difference between regular vinegar and household vinegar?
Vinegar is a mixture of acetic acid and water. There are different types of vinegar, which are either intended for cooking or cleaning, where the difference between them is the content of acid in the vinegar. Ordinary vinegar for cooking typically consists of approx. 5% acetic acid and is made from fermented sugar, while household vinegar for cleaning consists of 10% acetic acid or more made from fermented alcohol, which is not intended for consumption.
Household vinegar, on the other hand, is a brilliant cleaning agent if you need to remove limescale or clean surfaces. General clear stock vinegar, which can also be used for cooking, is also a good cleaning agent, although it is not quite as effective as real cleaning vinegar. But it's a good idea to avoid the brown stock vinegar for cleaning.
If you need to use vinegar for cleaning, it is therefore a good idea to choose a household vinegar that is specially designed for the purpose. It is both more effective and lasts longer because the vinegar is more concentrated.
Our household vinegar is a natural and effective helper in cleaning due to its high content of acid (10%), which easily removes dirt, limescale and has a bactericidal effect. It comes in plastic-free and reusable packaging, is biodegradable and perfect for all those who suffer from allergies or simply want to use more natural products in the household.
Our best tips for natural cleaning with household vinegar
Remove bad smells from the washing machine with vinegar
The washing machine is your best friend when it comes to washing your clothes clean - all it asks of you is that you take care of keeping it clean too. Add 1 dl of our organic household vinegar to the drum and run a cooking program. Repeat 2-3 times a year - you will also avoid white stains from limescale and old soap on your dark clothes.
For extra effective machine cleaning, you can also add 1/2 dl of our sodium bicarbonate to the compartment for detergent in the drawer of the washing machine.
Effective rinse aid of vinegar
Vinegar is a fantastic fabric softener to make clothes deliciously soft and descale the machine during washing - especially if, like us, you live in an area with very hard water with lime and other minerals. To make your own fabric softener , dilute household vinegar with water (1/4 household vinegar and 3/4 water) and bottle it.
A good tip is to use an old can from fabric softener or liquid detergent and then reuse the bottle for your own vinegar fabric softener. We also add a few drops of our natural laundry fragrance , which makes the fabric softener and the clothes smell fantastic after washing. If you are allergic, you can simply skip the scent. Shake before use and dose a capful or approx. ½ dl in the fabric softener drawer.
Clean surfaces with household vinegar
One of the most common ways to use vinegar for cleaning is by diluting it with water and wiping surfaces with the mixture. We don't know of a better descaling agent than vinegar. We use it for cleaning the kitchen sink, the bathroom and many other places we want to shine like new. If you use household vinegar with 10% acetic acid, it must be diluted with water so that the mixture becomes 1:10.
You can e.g. fill it in a spray bottle together with a little washing-up liquid. Spray or pour it on the surface, let the vinegar work for a few minutes and scrub with a sponge and rinse with water.
Vinegar is a good alternative to chemical cleaners as it is environmentally friendly and does not leave any harmful residue after use. So, if you want to make your cleaning more environmentally friendly and at the same time save money, you can consider replacing your chemical cleaners with household vinegar.
Fern scale deposits on fixtures
Use paper towel or toilet paper to wrap around the base of your faucet, place pieces of paper in the top of the sink and even wrap around the head of the faucet. Then pour household vinegar onto the paper and let it soak for an hour, then remove the paper and dry with a cloth. You can use the same method with paper around the faucet of your shower or bathtub.
To remove limescale in the sink itself, simply fill it up with vinegar and water 1:10 and let the sink soak in the vinegar for an hour. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove the vinegar residue.
Descale shower head
Fill a tub or large bowl with household vinegar and water in a 1:10 ratio. Leave the shower head in the tub for an hour and descale. You can also unscrew the hose from the shower and put it in together with the head if it also needs to be descaled inside. Afterwards, turn on the shower and let the head be washed through by the water.
Clean mirrors and windows with vinegar
Household vinegar is brilliant for cleaning glossy surfaces. Simply mix it 1:1 with tap water in a spray bottle to make your own glass cleaner.
Descale coffee machines and kettles with household vinegar
Pour 1/2 dl of household vinegar into the coffee machine or kettle and fill the rest with water. Let the coffee machine run the vinegar through or let the kettle boil as usual. Then discard the vinegar and repeat with clean water. Voila - sparkling clean coffee machines and kettles!
Clean pans with vinegar
Do you have stubborn food residue in your pots or limescale stains after boiling eggs? Just add a splash of vinegar and fill the rest with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Rinse well afterwards with water. Then the pans shine like new!
Clean and deodorize the refrigerator
Our household vinegar can also help with smelly fridges. Make a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water and wipe the entire fridge with it. Then wash with clean water and dry thoroughly with a cloth to avoid moisture.
Remove adhesive from labels on glasses and bottles
We ourselves love to reuse glass from food products (e.g. jam, pickled cucumbers, peanut butter, pesto, etc.). Sometimes, however, soaking is not enough to remove the last adhesive residues from the decals. They can be easily removed with a little of our household vinegar on a cloth. But remember gloves!
Remove rust with vinegar
Our household vinegar is a good and natural way to remove rust. The rust reacts with the vinegar and can then be rinsed off. Simply place the rusted item in the vinegar for a few hours until the rust dissolves. Scrub and clean thoroughly with water afterwards.
Do not use household vinegar on all surfaces
Although cleaning with vinegar is an environmentally friendly and effective alternative to a lot of synthetic cleaners, it is nevertheless important to remember that vinegar should not be used on all surfaces.
Due to its high acid content, vinegar can, for example, damage certain types of natural stone, such as marble, granite, terrazzo and enamel, and should therefore not be used to clean these surfaces. It is therefore a good idea to investigate whether vinegar is suitable for cleaning the surface you want.
Buy household vinegar 10% here
Find our organic household vinegar for cleaning and washing here.
