Cleaning pros reveal how using cheap vinegar is the secret to a sparkling home

Virgin Radio

11 Mar 2021, 13:20

Who'd have thought that a good old bottle of plain vinegar is the answer to all of our cleaning qualms? You can keep your pad pristine and save a fortune while you're at it.

Cleaning gurus at Tap Warehouse have shared how to make a home - and all that's in it - spotless for just a few pence. As little as 29p from Asda to be precise.

They told The Sun: “Not only is vinegar an eco-friendly alternative to harsher cleaning products it also is a great money saving alternative. 

“Buying cleaning products to clean all of the things mentioned below could cost up to £15 which, if bought monthly, would total to a whopping £180 a year. 

“Whereas vinegar can set you back as little as 29p, totalling to just £3.48 a year and saving you a huge £176.52.”  

So what can the magic potion actually do?  

Remove limescale around taps

De-grease oven racks 

Descale your kettle

Clean the microwave

Get rid of burn marks on pots and pans

Wipe out nasty smells from your dishwasher

Sort out the grease from the backsplash

Clean your washing machine

Say goodbye to stains and smells on chopping boards

Clean kitchen cupboards 

Credit: Asda

On oven racks 

The experts said to tackle oven grime and: “Sprinkle baking soda over them and then spray with white vinegar. 

“The baking soda and white vinegar will create a foam which will work to remove any grease. 

“Set the oven racks in hot water overnight before scrubbing away any grime left on the racks with a sponge or towel in the morning.”

On kettles

Lumpy bits in your tea? Not anymore. “To descale your kettle use equal parts white vinegar and water to fill your kettle and let it soak for up to an hour then boil the kettle. 

“Once it has boiled unplug it and let it soak for 15-20 minutes before emptying the kettle and rinsing thoroughly with clean water.”

On microwaves

Exploding baked beans everywhere? “Add 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to a microwave safe bowl, put in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. 

“Once finished remove the bowl and wipe down any grease and dirt with a clean cloth.”  

Credit: Getty

On dishwashers

Almost like another bin, the experts advised: “When your dishwasher is empty add 250ml of white vinegar into a dishwasher safe container and set the dishwasher to run for a full cycle on a high heat level. 

“The vinegar should break down any food, grease, soap scum and residue stuck inside the dishwasher.”  

On taps

That crusty bit around the taps is not a good look. They said: “To remove limescale from taps mix together white vinegar and water in equal parts and submerge your cleaning cloth into the solution. 

“Once saturated use the cloth to scrub away the limescale. 

“Top tip: depending on how severe the limescale is you can soap the affected area in the white vinegar mixture for up to 30 minutes before scrubbing it away.”  

On pots and pan burns

If you're always burning the pans, here's what to do: “Pour equal amounts of white vinegar and water into the pan and bring to boil,” the experts advised. 

“Keep the lid on to stop any burnt smells escaping to the rest of the house. 

“Remove the pan from the heat and add two tablespoons of baking soda. Empty the pan and scrub clean.”   

On cleaning your washing machine

Surely this is the one place that's fresh? Think again. “Soap residue and chemicals from your laundry detergent can get stuck inside your washing machine and create a film that can trap bacteria which can clog the inner mechanisms.

“This will stop your washing machine from reaching the temperature it should and make your detergent less strong. 

“Add 2-4 cups of white vinegar to your washing machine and let the cycle run on a high heat hot water setting. You can do this weekly to keep it fresh and mould at bay.”  

Credit: Getty

On chopping boards

Damn those pesky peppers. The pros said: “Foods such as red peppers can easily stain a wooden chopping board, to remove stains soak the wood chopping board in one-part white vinegar and four parts water.

“Don’t soak for longer than a few minutes to prevent damaging the wood. Rinse off and dry afterwards.”  

On kitchen cupboards 

Make greasy cupboards a thing of the past. The experts said: “Dust and food particles can gather inside of your kitchen cupboards, which can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and moulds. 

“Use equal parts white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle to clean the inside of kitchen cupboards. Spray the inside of the cupboards and wipe clean.”  

On backsplash

Be gone, backsplash. Here's how: “If the backsplash is ceramic, porcelain or glass tile, white vinegar can be mixed with warm water in a spray bottle to clean away any kitchen grease or food remnants.”

And voila! A spotless house for the perfect price.

Now all that's left to do is to add it to our chips...