- For an all-natural cleaner suitable for many jobs around your house, mix a half cup distilled white vinegar and a quarter cup baking soda with two liters of water. Once the baking soda is dissolved, pour the mixture into spray bottles. This works well for cleaning non-porous surfaces such as tiles, countertops, sinks and toilets. It will streak, however, so should not be used on shiny surfaces such as glass, mirror or chrome. For a solution to clean these surfaces, leave out the baking soda.
- One cup of distilled white vinegar mixed into a gallon of warm water with a few drops of baby oil will clean linoleum and vinyl floors while adding a nice shine. Mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and rub into wood floors to clean and condition them. Tile floors are non-porous and come clean with a mixture of one cup vinegar, half of a cup baking soda and a gallon of water.
- Making your own dry laundry detergent is surprisingly easy. The resulting powder works well and saves money over commercial detergents. It is also easy on sensitive skin. Grate a bar of laundry soap and mix with one cup each borax and washing soda. Use one to three tablespoons per load of laundry, depending on how heavily soiled your clothing is. All three ingredients are readily available in the laundry aisle of most grocery and discount stores.
- The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar is powerful enough to unclog most slow drains. The combination is also safe for septic systems. Pour half of a cup of baking soda down your slow drain, followed by a cup of vinegar. Quickly cap the drain and hold in place for 15 minutes. Run hot water down the drain for several minutes to finish clearing the blockage.
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