Vinegar is an extraordinary cleaning and deodorizing agent. It can tackle the infamous bathtub ring, hard water and mineral deposits, soap scum and mildew. And when you use vinegar, you're being environmentally friendly, as vinegar is a natural cleaning product (and the smell dissipates after it dries!). But be carefu to properly dilute it, as vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. And never use vinegar on your marble surfaces.

1. Bathtub ring: Soak paper towels with undiluted vinegar. Place them on the ring. Let the towels dry. Then spray with vinegar and scrub with a sponge.

   
   

2. Clogged shower heads: Shower heads can get clogged with mineral deposits. To unclog, mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 quart of water in a large bowl/bucket. Remove your shower head and soak in vinegar solution for 15 minutes. For plastic shower heads, let soak for one hour in a mixture of 1 pint vinegar and 1 pint of water.

   
   

3. Soap scum: Clean soap scum on glass doors and walls with straight vinegar. Spray it on and let dry. Respray to dampen and wipe clean. Repeat if necessary.

   
   

4. Shower curtain/liner mildew: Prevent mildew by spraying your curtain or liner once or twice a week with a spray bottle of vinegar. No need to rinse.

   
   

5. Rug mildew: Kill mildew with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Pour the mixture onto the rug. Let stand until the rug is completely dry.

   
   

6. Sinks: Clean hard water or mineral deposits in sinks by covering the stained area with paper towels soaked in vinegar. Cover and leave on for one hour. Then wipe with a damp sponge.

   
   

7. Toilets: To clean your toilet, pour 2 cups of vinegar into your toilet and let sit for 30 minutes. Next, sprinkle baking soda on a toilet bowl brush and scour any remaining stains. Then flush.

   
   

8. Floor: For ceramic tile, mop with a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 gallon warm water. For linoleum and vinyl, scrub with a mixture of 1 gallon water and 1 cup vinegar. Use club soda afterward to polish the floor. For a wood floor, use 1 cup vinegar and 1 gallon water mixture. Mop onto floors lightly; don't saturate the floor. No need to rinse. This removes greasy buildup and keeps the floor shiny.

   
   

9. Mirrors: Use a diluted solution of 1/4 cup vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray on mirrors and wipe clean with paper towels for a streak-free shine.

   
   

10. Old tub decals: To remove, first warm undiluted vinegar in the microwave for three minutes. Saturate the decal with the vinegar and let sit for about five minutes. This should loosen the glue holding the decals on. Remove any leftover glue with a damp sponge and vinegar.

    
    

Thanks to http://www.itstolivegreen.com for contributing to this article

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