Some of my favourite cleaning hacks (coming from someone who is less than optimal at cleaning) include baking soda and vinegar as the main ingredients (although not always together). They are sure to help you manage the mess and keep your house in near tip-top condition!

One of the great parts about being an adult is always looking for new and better ways to clean.

I’ll be the first to admit that my house isn’t spotless. Far from it. If the mess isn’t immediately visible or smelly, I may not jump on it right away. Mostly because it’s hard to clean and hold a baby, which is all I do most days!

Why I Love Using Cleaning Products Like Baking Soda and Vinegar

I’ve started using cheaper, more natural cleaners. I’m all for bleach when you need to disinfect or do a deep clean but for daily wipes, it’s not necessary.

I also feel better about my kids being in the space while I am using vinegar to clean instead of whatever chemicals are in kitchen and bathroom sprays!

These are some of my favourite ways to use them.

*Just to note, in all these recipes I am referring to white distilled vinegar.*

My Favourite Baking Soda and Vinegar Cleaning Hacks

Drain Deodorizer

Stinky drain? Need to refresh the bathroom? I love using baking soda and vinegar to help take away that odour that can waft from the drain.

Sometimes a smelly drain can indicate a bigger problem (like water leaking), which is the case for us but we aren’t ready to redo the bathroom, so for now I clean the drain every so often.

This one is also fun. It’s like a science experiment every time you do it!

It’s literally a dump and go situation (my favourite).

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup boiled water

What You Do:

Dump your baking soda down the drain. Followed by the vinegar. Put the plug in the drain for about 30 minutes. Rinse with boiled water. You may need a little more water (tap water is fine) to rinse the sink but that’s it!

Room Deodorizer

You may be seeing a pattern…I can’t stand stinky smells. I have a sensitive nose, but also have two boys and a dog, so smells are a part of my life. I like to use baking soda as a natural way to absorb unwanted smells.

Here’s what you need:

• 1/8-1/3 cup baking soda
• Essential oil (optional)
• Plastic container

What you do:

Get yourself a little plastic container (I use empty apple sauce or yogurt containers that have been washed). Depending on the size of your room, add baking soda to the container. For a bathroom I use about 1/8 cup, for a larger room I use 1/4-1/3 cup.

You can leave it as is or add some essential oils to it, give it a swirl and not just deodorize but also freshen up! I usually do about 5-6 drops of whatever oil I’m feeling. Be sure to tuck it out of reach of little fingers. You don’t want this sprinkled all over your house!

Note: some essential oils are toxic to pets so be sure to do your research before setting them out.

Towel Refresh & Softener

Sometimes your towels need a refresh. They get stinky, it’s a fact of life. I also don’t buy fabric softener because it’s just an added expense we don’t need. Vinegar solves both these problems!

Here’s what you need:

• 1 cup vinegar/load

What you do:

Fill your washer with your load of towels and add 1 cup of vinegar. Run your normal cycle (with detergent). Your towels will not come out smelling like vinegar but they will be refreshed and soft!

Adjust your vinegar amount depending on your load size (small loads won’t need a full cup)!

All Purpose Cleaner (My Favourite!)

Spit up on the couch? Use this cleaner. Counters need a wipe? Use this cleaner. Really dirty windows? Use this cleaner.

Okay you will need more than just vinegar for this. You’ll also have to add dish soap but it’s another product you should have on hand! We use blue Dawn (it’s amazing and worth the cost) but any dish soap will do.

Here’s what you need:

• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp dish soap
• Empty spray bottle

What you do:

Pour ingredients into a spray bottle and voila!

These are approximate measurements, you can adjust them as necessary. I also don’t recommend shaking the bottle as it will bubble and be hard to spray.

I run around with this spray for everything. Wiping sinks and counters, spills on the floor, baby spit up etc. It’s not harsh or hard on your hands and leaves things sparkly!

Cleaning Your Coffee Maker

You don’t want your coffee maker to quit on you. So be sure to clean it once a month! Vinegar is best to run through the machine.

Here’s what you need:

• Equal parts vinegar and water (ie 2 cups vinegar and 2 cups water)
• Coffee filter

What you do:

Pour the vinegar and water mixture into your machine’s water reservoir. Put the empty coffee filter into its slot. Turn the machine on and let it run a coffee cycle. Once it’s done turn it off and let it cool.

Run another cycle with just water. Check to see that the vinegar smell is gone, if it’s lingering, run more water.

The vinegar will also help clean those coffee stains off your pot. After it’s cooled, wash it in warm soapy water and it’ll look brand new!

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These are just a few of the ways I’ve used baking soda and vinegar around my house. I like how easy they are to use and the fact that my kids can be in the room while I’m using them. For more ways to keep your house clean with children around, check out my blog post “Keeping the House Tidy with Kids at Home.”

Want to liven up your bathroom with some fun hand towels? Check out these adorable ones available on Amazon!

If you are looking for some new cleaning methods, give these a try!

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