One main ingredient when making your own natural cleaners is distilled white vinegar. Vinegar is a deodorizer, disinfectant and cuts grease, but how and why does it work?

Vinegar is a mix of acetic acid and water. The pH of acetic acid is what makes vinegar an excellent cleaner. Think back to high school science class. The acid in vinegar crosses the cell membrane of bacteria and triggers a release of proteins, which causes the cell to die.

Basically, acetic acid is what gives vinegar its “power”. Acetic acid is measured in grains. For example, 10-grain vinegar means the vinegar is made up of 1% acetic acid and 99% water. The most common vinegar solution is 50-grain, which is 5% acetic acid and 95% water. Heinz has recently introduced a 6% acetic acid vinegar. They are calling it the “cleaning vinegar” and it is supposed to boost the strength of vinegar by 20% and still maintain a fast dry time with no smell.

Enough of the science.

Vinegar is able to clean and disinfect bacteria such as salmonella and E. Coli, but it takes a few seconds. Be sure that when you are cleaning with vinegar, you spray and let the vinegar sit on the surface for 30-45 seconds before wiping clean.

Here are some quick and easy recipes you can start using around your house today!

1.)    To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar.

2.)    To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength white distilled vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

3.)    Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the machine and running it through a whole cycle. Run monthly.

4.)    Remove odors from a lunch box by placing inside a slice of bread that has been soaked in white distilled vinegar. Leave overnight.

5.)    Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar.

6.)    Spray shower doors with full-strength white distilled vinegar after you’ve squeegeed the glass, or before you step in and turn on the water. It will help release the hard water deposits so they don’t remain on the glass.

7.)    To remove paint splatters from windows apply full-strength white distilled vinegar with a clean paintbrush.

8.)    Attack spaghetti, barbecue, or ketchup stains with a white distilled vinegar and water solution.

9.)    Get cleaner and brighter laundry! Add about 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to the last rinse. The acid in white distilled vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, white distilled vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer, and attacks mold and mildew.

10.)                        Remove soap scum and clean the hoses of your washing machine with white distilled vinegar. Periodically run the machine with only a cup of white distilled vinegar in it—nothing else added to the wash cycle.

Do you use vinegar around the house? What are some of your secret recipes? Tell us at www.facebook.com/Miraclean