×

How to Clean With Vinegar & Cream of Tartar

Susan Reynolds

Using natural products to clean your home is not only healthier, but less expensive than using commercial cleaners. The ingredients will not harm pets or children and they are more environmentally friendly.

Vinegar as a home cleanser has many different uses, from scrubbing pots and pans to shining windows and hardwood floors. Cream of tartar is a type of powder made of potassium hydrogen tartrate and is used in recipes and in cleaning. White vinegar has natural acidity, which makes it an excellent choice for removing stains.

  1. Mix equal amounts of vinegar, cream of tartar powder and water. This will make a paste-like substance that is mildly abrasive. Put the paste on rusty or hard-to-remove stains on metal and let it soak for about an hour. Scrub it off with an old toothbrush or scrub brush.

  2. Scrub cookware with the paste and a scrub brush. Scrub mold and mildew off your showers and bathtubs with the paste.

  3. Clean discolored sinks and counter tops by powdering them with cream of tartar and then scrubbing it off with a damp sponge.

  4. Wash a stove top with a solution of one spoonful of cream of tartar and one spoonful of vinegar. Let the solution soak on the cookware and scrub it off with a sponge.

  5. Vacuum hardwood floors and mix a gallon of hot water and one cup of white vinegar in a bucket. Dampen a mop in the solution and wipe your hardwood floors to make them sparkle. Wipe off any excess water so the wood won't swell. Wipe down windows and mirrors using the same bucket solution you made for your hardwood floors. Get a squeegee and dry them for a streak-free shine.

  6. Tip

    Use only white distilled vinegar, not apple cider vinegar.