Jennifer Sheahan: These are the only three cleaning supplies you need
Vinegar and salt shines up copper pots, says Jennifer. Picture: Moya Nolan
I don't have one of those boiling water taps, partly because I don’t drink enough tea to justify the cost, but mostly because there’s a bulky unit involved that takes up too much space under the sink. Space I don’t have — or so I thought. Currently, that space is taken up by a small bin and at least two armloads of cleaning products, 90% of which I never use. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have bought any of those bottles and instead saved myself so much space.
Learn from me and don’t repeat my mistake, because there are really only three cleaning products I ever use in my home and I have yet to find a need for anything else — vinegar, baking soda, and a two-sided sponge. I’ll pause while you go and do a little dance in your newly freed-up cleaning cupboard space. Done? OK let’s discover everything you can clean with vinegar and baking soda (spoiler: it’s pretty much everything).
Vinegar is an acid (remember those from school?), and is quite an effective cleaning agent on its own. Bacteria cannot survive in vinegar’s acidic environment, so it does a great job of killing all those invisible nasties that you don’t want creating little colonies on your kitchen countertops. Vinegar is also excellent at dissolving grease and grime, perfect for spills and splashes.
Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda), on the other hand, is a base or an alkaline. On its own it is excellent at absorbing smells and is mildly abrasive, so works well for scrubbing out stubborn stains on sturdier surfaces.
Combining vinegar and baking soda together creates a powerful chemical reaction that is so effective at breaking down dirt and grime that it’s really difficult to beat, even by the best brands of cleaning products. As a huge bonus, vinegar and baking soda are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
I repurposed an old spray bottle which I keep empty. When I’m just about to clean, I fill it with equal parts vinegar and baking soda, give it a good shake, and spray it onto the surfaces that need cleaning. Countertops, stovetops, ovens, fridge, microwaves, kitchen tables — almost everything can be cleaned with this solution. I let it sit for a few minutes then I wipe it all down with the soft side of my sponge and the job is done.
For stubborn grime, such as a roasting dish or a particularly grimy oven for example, I first sprinkle some baking soda (or make a paste with baking soda and water) and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. I then spray on some vinegar and scrub the remainder away with the scouring side of the sponge until sparkling. I use a mixture of vinegar and table salt to clean the outside of my copper pots and pans — they shine up like new! Be careful with scrubbing too hard as the salt could cause scratches.
For clogged-up sinks and drains, I use a trick by the fabulous Gaff Goddess herself Laura de Barra (head to her Instagram @lauradebarra to see a video of how to do this properly and for a million other amazing tips). First, I remove the sink plug and use a spoon to pour some baking soda down the drain. Then, with the sink plug in hand, I pour down some vinegar and immediately replace the plug. This means the reaction takes place in the drain, blowing through any blockages and dissolving greasy residue. It’s amazing how effective this is.
I also use vinegar to clean my dishwasher and my washing machine — I pour in a cup and run them on a hot cycle. Take care not to drop vinegar on any rubber seals as the acidity can erode it.
The wonderful clogged drain trick will work perfectly here too. The solution in the spray bottle can be used on most surfaces (be careful with delicate tiles) and works great on your toilet and shower.
Vinegar on its own is excellent for unclogging shower heads or taps — use some cling film or a little plastic bag with a rubber band to submerge your shower head or tap in vinegar and leave it for about half an hour to an hour. Remove and enjoy - good as new!
Vinegar is also great at removing mildew or mould — simply spray it on and watch it disappear.
To clean my floors, I spray on my 1:1 vinegar and baking soda solution, let it sit for a few minutes and scrub clean with the soft side of the sponge or a cloth. I make a paste with baking soda and water to scrub my tile grout, but be careful if you have glass or other fragile tiles — baking soda is abrasive. Check with your tile manufacturer if specialist cleaning products are required.
Baking soda is a powerful deodoriser — simply sprinkle it onto carpets, rugs, couches, mattresses, pet bedding, curtains etc, leave for around half an hour, and hoover it up! Be careful with delicate fabrics such as silk - the alkaline nature of baking soda may damage the fibres if you use too much or leave it on for more than a few minutes. You can mix in a few drops of your favourite scented oil if you wish to add fragrance to the room. The alkaline nature of baking soda also goes some way towards killing little mites in your carpeting and bedding.
For mirrors and windows, I spray on a mixture of water with a little vinegar in it —around one part vinegar to nine parts water — and wipe with a cloth.
Some natural materials can be damaged by the acidity of vinegar or the alkalinity of baking soda. I wash my vinyl floors with my vinegar and baking soda mixture, but the acidity of vinegar on its own may be too much for solid wood floors — test on a small section first and work quickly to avoid damage. Stone and granite countertops can be eroded and lose their gloss — I use my 1:1 mixture and don’t let it sit too long on my quartz countertop and I have had no issues. Finally, if you’re cleaning stains such as pet accidents or vomit, you’ll need a specialist product to ensure a thorough clean that won’t transmit anything infectious!
- Got a question for Jennifer? Email home@examiner.ie
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