When it comes to cleaning I try to keep things as natural as possible here at the HQ.  I’ve been using vinegar now as my all purpose cleaner around the house for several years.  From giving everything a good scrub to cleaning the toilets to mopping my floors.  OHC HQ is always stocked with regular white vinegar.

One place that I like to have spotless is my kitchen.  For a long time I was using disinfectant wipes for the counter tops and range.  Then I decided those probably weren’t the greenest things out there so I looked for alternatives.  I tried a lot of “green” and “all natural ingredients” sprays for my counters and didn’t find one that I liked.  Either they left a film on my counter, or they foamed up on the counter as I was wiping things down.  Or they did both.  The film on my counter tops left me feeling less than clean though.  Even if the ingredients are “all natural” a thin dull layer of whatever left on a space that comes in contact with food didn’t really sit all that well with me.

Then it finally occurred to me that I could make my own spray with vinegar.  I promptly smacked myself on the forehead for not thinking about it sooner.  Vinegar is a natural antibacterial and anti-fungal.  Kills just about everything because of it’s level of acidity.  Along with being natural and environmentally friendly, it’s also way more cheaper than other cleaners on the market.

For my spray, I used a 32oz spray bottle that I found for cheap at the dollar store.  Lowes and Home Depot also carry spray bottles.  I used:

1 cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water.  I give it a small shake before using.  I use this all over the place keeping the counters nice and clean.  It can also be used on stainless steel to keep it pretty and shiny.  No need for fancy stainless steel cleaners when vinegar works just fine!

Just a side note, I’m finding mixed answers regarding using vinegar on granite counter tops.  I don’t have granite so I’m not certain what can be used and what can’t.  If you have granite you might want to research a little bit first!  But the vinegar solution would be fine on other services.