How do I keep a house clean with vinegar and baking soda?

Vinegar and baking soda keep a house clean best as a habit: a weekly pass with a diluted vinegar spray on glass, faucets and tile, baking soda on a damp sponge for sinks and tubs, a sprinkle on rugs before vacuuming, and a monthly drain flush. Add daily wipe-ups and you rarely face the kind of buildup that sends people back to harsh products. Keep a registered disinfectant for germs, because vinegar is not one.

What each one does

Vinegar is a mild acid that removes rust and lime deposits.^[1] That makes it good on the things hard water leaves behind: spots on glass, film on faucets and shower doors, and dull tile. Ordinary distilled white vinegar has 5% acidity; cleaning vinegar has 6%, may cost more, and the difference is probably not significant.^[2]

Baking soda absorbs odors, deodorizes and works as a mild abrasive.^[2] It scrubs without scratching most sinks and tubs, freshens rugs and the refrigerator, and lifts baked-on spills.

Together they fizz, which is handy in a drain flush. On counters and fixtures it is simpler to use one, rinse, and then use the other where you need it. If you do mix them for a homemade spray, leave room for the foam: In a spray bottle, cap the bottle only after the foaming stops.^[1]

A routine that keeps up

Every day. Wipe spills in the kitchen and bathroom as they happen. High-touch surfaces such as tables and countertops may need to be cleaned daily, or even more often.^[8] Warm water and dish soap handle that; a quick rinse keeps soap film from building up.

Every week.

• Glass and mirrors: one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in one quart of water, sprayed on and wiped dry.^[3]
• Sinks and tubs: baking soda on a damp sponge, a scrub, a rinse, and a dry cloth.
• Tile floors and walls: 1 gallon of warm water, 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a small amount of dish soap.^[1]
• Faucets: A 50/50 blend of household vinegar and water, used for a limited amount of time and then rinsed off and dried with a soft cloth, removes water spots on many of Moen's faucet finishes.^[4] Check your own faucet's care guide first, since some finishes should never get anything but mild soap and water.
• Floors and furniture: EPA's advice for homes with allergies or asthma is short: Vacuum carpets and furniture every week.^[5] Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter on carpet and fabric-covered furniture reduces dust build-up.^[5]

As needed for rugs. Sprinkle carpets liberally with baking soda, wait at least 15 minutes, and vacuum.^[3]

Every month. For drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda followed by 1/2 cup of vinegar into the drain, wait 10 minutes, then pour hot water down it.^[1] Cover drains with screens,^[1] which does more to prevent clogs than any flush.

Kitchen appliances. Keep an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator and swap it when you clean the fridge. Wipe the oven once it cools after cooking. For baked-on spills, wet the area, sprinkle it with baking soda, let it sit for 5 minutes, and scrub with a damp cloth.^[1] Do not let baking soda touch wires or heating elements.^[1]

Where to hold back

Acid and grit are why these two work, and why they do not suit every surface.

• Test first. Always test a cleaner first on an inconspicuous area to check for discoloration.^[1]
• Read the care guide. Natural stone, wood floor finishes, specialty faucet finishes and appliance parts each have their maker's own instructions. Follow those over any general recipe. Moen says never to use abrasives, including abrasive sponges, on its Spot Resist finishes,^[4] which rules out a baking soda scrub there.
• Upholstery. Check the cleaning code on the furniture tag. An X code means vacuuming or light brushing only, with no liquid cleaning agents of any kind.^[1]

Germs need a different product

EPA does not review the effectiveness of common household ingredients like vinegar,^[6] so vinegar is a cleaner, not a disinfectant you can rely on. Keep one registered disinfectant for the times you need it, such as after raw meat or when someone in the house is sick. To check a product, find the EPA registration number on the label,^[7] clean the surface first, and keep the surface wet for the whole contact time in the directions.^[7] See how to disinfect after someone has the flu for that job.

Safety with homemade cleaners

Never mix chlorine bleach with any other cleaning agent, such as ammonia or vinegar, because it can create toxic fumes.^[1] If you use bleach for one job, rinse the surface well before a vinegar spray goes anywhere near it.

Label every bottle you fill, and never put a cleaning mix in a food or drink container.^[1] Store mixes out of reach of children and pets. If you suspect a child or pet has gotten into a cleaning product, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.^[8]

Keep moisture down and the cleaning stays easy

A lot of bathroom grime is a moisture problem. EPA's advice to keep mold from growing is to keep indoor humidity ideally between 30 and 50 percent,^[5] fix water leaks as soon as possible,^[5] and dry damp or wet things completely within one to two days.^[5] Run the bathroom fan during and after showers and squeegee the shower walls, and the weekly vinegar pass has far less to do.

Stop and call a pro if

• A drain stays slow or backs up after the monthly flush and a plunger. That needs a snake or a plumber.
• Mold covers a large area, grows on drywall or carpet, or returns soon after cleaning; see why a bathroom keeps getting moldy.
• You find a leak, stained ceiling or soft floor while cleaning.
• You mixed products by accident and smell sharp fumes. Get everyone into fresh air and call Poison Control or 911.

More help with green cleaning

For a full switch away from harsh products, read how to clean a house without harsh chemicals. If you would rather hand off the heavy clean and keep up with it yourself, see whether green cleaning costs more, browse green cleaning businesses or cleaning services around Blacksburg, and find more in the cleaning answers. When you are ready, describe the job on Loclis and say which products you want used.