Did you know that the word vinegar comes from the French word “vinaigre” which means “sour wine?” Did you also know that the historically pungent, acetic ingredient is the one of the mainstays of eco-cleaning, right beside baking soda?
According to VinegarTips.com, vinegar has been used for over 10,000 years for cooking, cleaning, and disinfecting. From Babylonians preserving and pickling their food with vinegar to Cleopatra dissolving pearls in it to prove she could consume a fortune in one meal, it is a well documented essential for the household, any chef’s kitchen, your personal skin treatment kit if you are fighting the Bubonic plague, your bath if you are taking advice from Helen of Troy, or your arsenal of army supplies if you need to break apart huge boulders like Hannibal as he moved troops through the Alps.
Vinegar has an amazing history of uses which are well documented in The International Vinegar Museum in Roslyn, South Dakota. If you are so inclined, you can even attend the International Vinegar Festival in June each year, also in Roslyn.
According to my friend, the eco-green expert, Janeen Solberg, vinegar safely cleans bacteria, mold and mildew. But, what about the smell? You can always add fragrance, as seen below in a recipe Janeen suggests for an all-purpose cleaner:
All-Purpose Cleaner Recipe
3 cups water
1 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. plant-based liquid soap (like Seventh Generation Dish Soap*)
Combine in spray bottle. Add a few drops of essential oil for scent, such as lavender or rosemary.
*Sun& Earth has also come out with a natural dish soap that I will be telling you more about after touring the factory in King of Prussia.
To read more, click over to Sarah’s DIY Frugal where she is building a site with tons of savings tips for YOU!
Philaburban Mom 