The Wonder Product for the Frugal:

Vinegar.

How many cleaning products do you own? Take a look under your sink and you may be surprised at the accumulation. It seems there is a different product for everything; one to clean sinks, another to clean toilets, one for granite, one for floors, another for stovetops, one for windows, another for wood surfaces, and the list goes on, cluttering your cabinets and robbing you of space.

But how many cleaning products do you really need? Chemical makers and big business would have you believe you need many. But for frugalities and environmentalists alike, the answer is simple: just one. White vinegar is the all-in-one cleaner that is not only inexpensive, but it’s powerful. It's all you need. People often use bleach for disinfecting, however, while bleach does kill bacteria and viruses, it doesn’t kill mold. Enter white vinegar, the mold-killer. Get over the smell now! Yes, vinegar has a distinct odor but it dissipates quickly. With white vinegar, you can clean your entire house with just one product and you also eliminate and prevent mold. Although there are innumerable health benefits from vinegar, this blog is focusing on its benefits as a frugal cleaning agent.

Facts about vinegar:
• It kills germs and viruses. White vinegar is known to kill 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, 80 percent of germs and viruses.
• It’s inexpensive. White vinegar costs around $1 for a liter, which is $2–$3 less than a bottle of household cleaner.
• It lasts a long time. The shelf life of vinegar is almost indefinite, according to The Vinegar Institute's research studies. Because of vinegar's acid nature it is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration. White Vinegar will remain virtually unchanged over an extended period of time.
• It’s natural and environmentally safe. Vinegar is a natural organic bi-product of fruits, vegetables and grains. It is therefore edible and biodegradable. It is 'The Perfect Household Cleaner'™ for your family because it is very safe for the environment, for family members, especially those with asthma, and around young children. It doesn't contain harmful toxic chemicals, so if in the course of normal household cleaning you 'pour it down the drain' its impact on municipal sewer and water treatment systems is just like any food product.
Get your squirt bottles ready. To use vinegar as your all-purpose cleaning product of choice, simply pour full-strength white vinegar into a trigger spray bottle and you are ready to tackle most soiled surfaces around your house. Spray and then wipe clean with a lint-free cloth or paper towel. There is no need to rinse. It will not leave a residue. Some surfaces you may want to dilute with water. The stronger the dilution of vinegar, the stronger the cleaning power. Leave the vinegar trigger-spray bottle under your sink or in your cleaning bucket so it is ready to clean when you are.

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