When it comes to cleaning your kitchen there is nothing better than vinegar. It’s free of chemicals, which is better for your health, it’s versatile, which means less products to buy and it’s economical so less money to spend.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a commission. I only recommend products or services that I personally believe will add value to my readers. All opinions stated are strictly my own. Read our full disclosure policy for more information.
I’m a huge fan of vinegar, I buy it by the gallon that’s how much of a fan I am. I use it for cooking, laundry, cleaning, in my garden, as part of my beauty routine and as a home remedy for a number of different ailments.
A lot of the uses I learned from my grandma, who learned them from her grandma. Without their guidance I wouldn’t be such a fan. They taught me not just how to use it but what to use it on and this was before being chemical free was a thing.
Here are some of the ways that they taught me to clean the kitchen with vinegar.
- Wooden Cutting Boards – to clean, wipe them with undiluted white vinegar after each use.
- Cutting boards – to deodorize, sprinkle with baking soda then spray on undiluted white vinegar. Let it foam for 5-10 minutes and rinse with cold water.
- China & Crystal – to keep them shining, add 1 cup of white vinegar to your rinse water.
- Remove coffee stains (from dishes) – scrub them with equal parts white vinegar and salt. Rinse with warm water.
- Silver – to shine silver, soak in 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda for 2-3 hours. Rinse with cold water.
- Teapot – to remove hard water deposits, fill with white vinegar and boil for 15-20 minutes. All the vinegar to remain in the teapot overnight. Rinse with cold water
- Grease – to cut grease, wipe the surface with undiluted white vinegar. Rinse with warm water.
- Sanitizer – to sanitize, fill bottles, jars or vases with equal parts vinegar and warm, soapy water. Let it stand in for 15-20 minutes. Rinse.
- Lunch boxes – to deodorize, soak a piece of bread in vinegar and leave it in the lunch box overnight.
- Thermos – to clean, fill with 1/4 cup white vinegar and warm water. Add uncooked rice, replace the lid and shake well. Rinse
- Stainless steel cookware – to remove burned on food stains, mix 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water in the pan. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Empty the pan and scrub away the mess.
- Stainless steel cookware (tough stains) – soak them in undiluted white vinegar for an hour, rinse and clean with hot soapy water.
- Nonstick cookware – to remove stains, rub with undiluted white vinegar, rinse and clean with hot soapy water.
- Nonstick cookware (tough stains) – fill pan with 1/2 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons baking soda and 1 cup water. Boil for 10-15 minutes. rinse and clean with hot soapy water.
- Broiler pan – to clean, while the pan is hot, apply a mixture of 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons sugar. Let the mixture sit on the pan for 1-2 hours. Scrub clean.
- Aluminum cookware – to remove stains, mix 1 teaspoon white vinegar with 1 cup water. Cover the stain and boil for 5-10 minutes. Rinse.
- Copper cookware – to clean, mix equal parts salt and flour, add enough white vinegar to create a paste. Using a clean rag, rub the paste in a circular motion to clean and polish. Rinse with warm water.
- Glass cookware – to remove cooked on stains, fill with 1 part white vinegar and 4 parts water, boil slowly for 5-10 minutes. When the mixture cools scrub clean.
- Oven – to keep grease from building up, wipe the inside with undiluted white vinegar once a week.
- Microwave – to clean and deodorize, mix 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Use the solution to wipe down the inside.
- Refrigerator – to clean and deodorize, mix equal parts white vinegar and water and wipe down the inside and out side.
- Dishwasher – to remove build up, pour 1 cup undiluted white vinegar in the bottom of an empty dishwasher. Run it through a full cycle without any detergent.
- Coffeemaker – to remove build up, fill with 2 cups white vinegar and 1 cup water, run through a brew cycle. Fill with water and run through a brew cycle, then repeat.
- Can opener – to clean, use an old toothbrush dipped in undiluted white vinegar. Hold the toothbrush on the blade and turn on the can opener.
- Garbage disposal – to deodorize, freeze equal parts white vinegar and water in an ice cube tray. Place a couple of cubes in the disposal and rinse with cold water.
- Ice trays – to clean, soak them in undiluted white vinegar for 4-6 hours. Rinse.
- Dish soap – to cut grease better, pour 3-4 tablespoons of white vinegar into your dish soap. Shake it up and use as usual.
- Frying pans – to keep food from sticking, pour 2 cups white vinegar in the pan and boil for 10 minutes.
- Odors – to remove kitchen odors, mix 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1 cup of water in a pan, boil until it is almost gone.
Leave a Reply