Using Scented Vinegar to Clean Your Home

 

I have always had a soft spot for vinegar. My grandmother was evangelical about it, and honestly, she had a point.

It is simple, effective, inexpensive and wonderfully versatile. When I was developing our Scented Vinegar, I spent rather a lot of time talking to my mum and her friends about the old fashioned cleaning tricks they had inherited. Some of them are still brilliant.

Here are a few of my favourites.

A little warning first: never mix vinegar with bleach or other cleaning chemicals.

The loo

Vinegar is brilliant for softening limescale and keeping the bowl sparkling.

• Pour around the sides of the bowl
• Leave for 3 to 4 hours, or overnight
• Give it a good scrub
• Flush
• Repeat for particularly stubborn limescale

The washing machine

A little clean for the machine that does all the cleaning is never a bad idea.

• Check your manufacturer's instructions first
• Add a cup of vinegar to an empty drum
• Run the hottest cycle
• Leave the door open afterwards so the drum can air

The windows

For that old fashioned, streak free sort of shine.

• Mix equal parts hot water and vinegar
• Add a tiny splash of washing up liquid for very dirty windows
• Wash with a sponge or our Linen Dish Cloth
• Squeegee from top to bottom
• Buff with a soft microfibre cloth

The kettle

Particularly useful if, like us, you live somewhere with rather enthusiastic hard water.

• Mix equal parts warm water and vinegar
• Pour into the kettle and boil
• Switch off, unplug and allow to cool
• Give the inside a good clean
• Rinse thoroughly
• Boil two kettles of fresh water and discard before making your next cup

Silver

For bringing a little sparkle back to tarnished silver.

• Mix ½ cup white vinegar with 2 tbsp baking soda
• Soak silver for around 3 minutes
• Rinse well with cold water
• Dry and buff with a soft cloth

For precious or delicate jewellery, always check that it is suitable for this method first.

Brass

For unlacquered brass only.

• Mix equal parts flour and salt
• Add vinegar to make a paste
• Rub gently onto the brass
• Leave for around an hour
• Wipe away with a damp cloth
• Dry and buff with a soft cotton cloth

There is something rather satisfying about a bottle that can tackle so many jobs. Vinegar has been quietly earning its place in cleaning cupboards for generations. We have simply given ours a little more scent and loveliness.

And, as my grandmother would have said, why make cleaning more complicated than it needs to be?

Bella x

P.S. We now make our scented vinegar in our gorgeous Geranium & Tomato Leaf scent too.