How to Make a Homemade Vinegar Cleaning Solution

This DIY, natural cleaner is perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, and more

How to Make DIY Vinegar Cleaning Spray

The Spruce / Bailey Mariner

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 5 - 10 mins
  • Total Time: 5 - 10 mins
  • Yield: 8 ounces
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $5

A vinegar cleaning solution is a powerful, DIY cleaning product because of its grime-dissolving and disinfectant properties. A cleaning solution with vinegar rivals any commercial cleaner for effectiveness and can be used throughout your home, and it's super easy to whip up.

Distilled white vinegar is a mild solution that contains 5 percent acetic acid, which makes it very effective at breaking down molds, grease, and bacteria—substances that make up many household stains. You can also substitute this recipe with cleaning vinegar or add essential oils for a boost of fragrance to your all-purpose cleaner

What Is Cleaning Vinegar?

Cleaning vinegar is stronger than regular distilled white vinegar. It contains around 6 percent acetic acid and that extra acid better cuts through soap scum, grease, and grime, however, it is not meant for consumption due to the higher level of acidity.

Learn how to make and use a vinegar cleaning solution for your home with the recipe below.

ingredients to make a diy vinegar spray
The Spruce / Margot Cavin

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Spray bottle
  • Measuring cup
  • Funnel
  • Lint-free cloths
  • Labels
  • Pen

Materials

  • 1/2 cup white vinegar (distilled)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 12 to 24  drops essential oil

Instructions

How to Make a Vinegar Cleaning Solution

  1. Choose Your Oils

    Popular essential oils for vinegar-cleaning solutions include basil, bergamot, cinnamon, citrus, clove, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lime, oregano, rosemary, and thyme. In addition, you can mix lavender oil with tea tree, orange, or peppermint.

    assortment of essential oils from overhead

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Add Vinegar, Water, and Essential Oils

    Using a measuring cup and funnel, add the vinegar and water in the desired ratio, then the essential oils. Shake to combine.

    Adding vinegar and water to a spray bottle

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  3. Label and Store the Bottle

    Label the bottle clearly so you do not accidentally use it for or with any other type of cleaning solution. Store the bottle out of direct sunlight or heat, which can change the chemical constituents in the essential oils.

    label on a couple of bottles of cleaner

    The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija

Uses for Homemade Vinegar Cleaning Solutions

  • Mineral Build-Up: Use this spray on fixtures with mineral build-up. Give the spray a few minutes to work before cleaning with an old, soft-bristled toothbrush or scrub brush, then rinse well.
  • Mirrors and Glass: Spray on the vinegar cleaner and buff it dry with a natural, soft, lint-free cloth, such as an old T-shirt or a cloth baby diaper.
  • Tile Floors: Use vinegar only on ceramic and porcelain tile. Mix equal amounts in a pail and mop the mixture to clean the tile. Wipe the floor dry so the vinegar does not have a chance to pool in the grout lines.
  • Mold and Mildew: Sprinkle baking soda over moldy surfaces (such as in the shower), spray this vinegar solution to create a paste, then scrub with a sponge.
  • Showers and Tubs: Remove soap scum from a shower stall (avoid using it with stone) by filling a spray bottle with 2 parts distilled white vinegar, 1 part dishwashing liquid, and 2 parts water. Spray the mixture, leave it on for five minutes, then scrub with a brush or microfiber cloth. Use the same mixture to clean sinks and countertops.
  • Toilets: Add 1 cup of white vinegar, pour it into the toilet bowl, and leave it overnight. Scrub the next morning, with or without a pinch of baking soda, and flush.
  • Showerheads: Remove the showerhead and soak it in undiluted white vinegar for at least 30 minutes to remove mineral deposits. Scrub with a toothbrush and rinse.
  • Tub and Sink Drains: Vinegar is routinely used with baking soda to unclog tub and sink drains. Put one squirt of liquid dish soap into the drain. Chase that with 1 cup of baking soda immediately followed by 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Wait five minutes and flush with 2 cups boiling water.
  • Appliances: Vinegar benefits appliances in various ways. To clean a coffeemaker with mineral deposits, fill the reservoir with equal parts distilled white vinegar and distilled water, let it sit for an hour, then run a brew cycle. Rinse with two more cycles of only distilled water. To clean the interior of a microwave, bring a bowl of equal parts water and distilled white vinegar to a boil, let it sit in the microwave for 15 minutes, and allow the steam to dislodge the gunk. Wipe it clean and dry with microfiber towels.
  • Carpets and Rugs: Vinegar can be good for spot-cleaning a carpet or rug. Make a cleaning mixture in a small bowl of 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar, and 2 cups of cool water. Use a microfiber cloth dipped in the solution to dab away at the stain.
  • Air Freshener: Vinegar is a natural deodorizer which makes this spray ideal as an air freshener. Fill a misting bottle with undiluted distilled white vinegar. Add 10 to 20 drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix well and spray in the air. The vinegar smell will disappear in a few minutes.
  • Hardwood Floors: Use vinegar infrequently to clean hardwood floors (and furniture). Test a DIY hardwood floor cleaner with vinegar first in an inconspicuous area of the floor, because some finishes may be damaged by vinegar. Sparingly use by mixing 1 gallon of warm water, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, and 2 to 3 drops of your favorite essential oil (optional), Slightly dampen a mop with the solution or spritz the solution on the floor with a spray bottle. Do not saturate the floor when cleaning. Use this method with luxury vinyl floors, as well.

What Not to Clean With Vinegar

Numerous items or surfaces should not be cleaned with vinegar. The acids will damage the surface or finish. Here are some places to avoid using vinegar.

  • Stone and Marble: Do not use vinegar cleaners on marble, granite, and other natural stone countertops, floors, or furniture, because the acids can dull and etch the surfaces. 
  • Egg Messes: Do not use vinegar to clean up raw egg spills, because the liquid egg will coagulate and make it harder to clean up. 
  • Unfinished Wood: Avoid using vinegar on unfinished wood flooring, cabinets, and furniture. Vinegar will become quickly absorbed by unfinished or unsealed wood and potentially cause it to swell or crack.
  • Irons: Although clothes irons do collect mineral deposits, most manufacturers warn against pouring vinegar or vinegar-based cleaners through them to remove mineral build-up. Read the instructions to determine how best to remove mineral deposits from your clothes iron.
  • Electronics: Vinegar will either wear down or ruin the coating on an electronic device's screen, which includes all TV screens.
  • Stainless Steel Kitchen Tools: Do not soak stainless steel items in vinegar because the acid can begin to pit the metal. If you do use vinegar on stainless steel, it must be wiped on and removed by rinsing immediately.
  • Cast Iron Cookware: Do not use vinegar on cast iron pots or pans. The acid can etch the iron and eat away at the seasoned surface.
  • Rubber: Do not use vinegar to clean anything with rubber parts, especially gaskets around your appliance doors, for example. The acid will eat away at the rubber.
  • Grout: Dirty grout in poor condition or that hasn't been sealed in a long time could dry out and crumble if exposed to a vinegar-based cleaning solution.

Warning

Do not mix vinegar with bleach. Combining these two ingredients can be highly dangerous because it will create chlorine gas.

FAQ
  • Should I mix baking soda and vinegar for a cleaning solution?

    While it is safe to mix baking soda and vinegar, utilizing them separately when cleaning will provide greater effects. For example, pouring one in after the other down a sink drain will create a short-lived fizzing that will lift grime.

  • What is the difference between white vinegar and cleaning vinegar?

    Regular white distilled vinegar is edible and can be used for cleaning, whereas cleaning vinegar cannot be consumed. White distilled vinegar has 5 percent acetic acid and cleaning vinegar has 6 percent acetic acid. That extra percent of acetic acid makes a huge difference in how you use the vinegar.

  • Should I mix vinegar and dish soap?

    Vinegar does not cut through grease on its own. However, when it is combined with dish soap, both ingredients will cut through grease and grime.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. How to Sanitize Your Phone and Other Devices. FCC.

  2. Dangers of Mixing Bleach With Cleaners. Washington State Department of Health.