Gransnet forums

House and home

Cleaning - sometimes the old fashioned methods are the best.

(65 Posts)
Nannagarra Wed 19-May-21 22:36:29

I’m another who champions vinegar and buy it in multipacks of 5l a time. I use it to clean the bath, shower head, taps, drainer, and with soda for drains. My DH can’t resist anything with a spray gun and meets with looks of horror when he (rarely) attempts to clean windows - I prefer water and cloths.

BigBertha1 Wed 19-May-21 22:21:48

Oh no the smell of vinegar evokes those months of vomiting in pregnancy...never got over it only the smell of bleach and or pine disinfectants will do.

3dognight Wed 19-May-21 21:28:53

My husband is addicted to buying cleaning products and I have just gone along with it tbh.

How do you work out quantity of soda crystals/ and or vinegar to use for various jobs?

Maywalk Wed 19-May-21 20:27:55

All my life I have used a well wrung out window leather that has been soaked in warm water and a drop of vinegar to clean my furniture as well as doing the windows.
Never used furniture polish but always had a lovely shine on mine after wiping it over with the damp leather, plus the dust was not flying straight back to it like it does with a duster.
Unfortunately as time went on REAL window leathers were not to be had and synthetic ones were being sold that went all slimy after a couple of times.

Got to put up with the duster now because I cant do my cleaning myself with not being able to bend.
Oh the joys of getting old.

Amberone Wed 19-May-21 20:09:38

I use distilled white vinegar, soda crystals, lemons and a steamer to clean almost everything. Added bonus - very little waste and no detriment to waste water system. I do use microfibre cloths though, which are slowly getting replaced by cotton ones.

Nonogran Wed 19-May-21 18:29:20

Yep, white vinegar, soda crystals & lemons every time. Bit of bleach as necessary. I've totally stopped buying disinfectant sprays for work tops. It's all a marketing con spawned from our insecurities. I didn't use them years ago, started buying them about 4 years or so ago, but have stopped. Never caught a bug before I started using sprays, so why would I now?

EllanVannin Wed 19-May-21 18:07:24

Sugar soap for washing down paintwork or anything really as it's great for cutting through grease.

Liz46 Wed 19-May-21 17:39:39

I soak my shower head in white vinegar. You can get some nasties lurking there which are bad for our lungs.

Cabbie21 Wed 19-May-21 17:03:45

I rarely use modern cleaning agents. I fill up a spray top bottle with a mixture of white vinegar, water and a few drops of Stardrops. It lasts ages and costs next to nothing.

Jaxjacky Wed 19-May-21 17:02:57

White vinegar in a wash, particularly good on towels.

Franbern Wed 19-May-21 16:49:08

Baking soda and vinegar to bring chrome up sparkling every time. soda crystals and white vinegar to deal out slow draining areas,both inside and out. A wipe aroundn with white viengar has kept my electric egg boiler looking like new, and I am in a very hard water area. In fact those three items, Baking Soda, Soda Crystals and White Vinegar are the only cleaning materials needed. Vinegar in water is great for cleaning mirrors, etc.

Ro60 Wed 19-May-21 10:04:34

More environmental too.
My favourites:
Used tea bags to soak my cast iron casserole - works on glass & crockery too.
Lemon to clean lime-scale around taps etc.

Vinegar to clean dish-washer - actually suggested in the manufacturers manual.

Used coffee grounds to get rid of cooking smells on hands. (Softens too)

hazel93 Wed 19-May-21 09:59:51

Still to convert them to distilled vinegar though !

B9exchange Wed 19-May-21 09:52:03

Heaven forbid that you should be proved right! grin

hazel93 Wed 19-May-21 09:49:56

Or, would you disagree ?
Had to laugh when after telling DS and DIL for ages to clean washing machine with soda crystals rather than a modern brand which costs so much more they tried it.
Text from DIL to say machine now sparkling and no odour - she is amazed !