Limescale, grime, and dirt build up in bathrooms, with once sparkling taps and tiles quickly becoming dull. For a truly clean bathroom, it may be quick to grab the expensive branded cleaning products that promise to leave your bathroom sparkling.
One cheap and natural ingredient could do just as good a job at a fraction of the price. A staple of any veteran cleaner’s cabinet is white vinegar. When you’re not using it on your chips or in some sauces, the acid is a natural, budget friendly alternative that can have some surprising results.
Probably sitting at the back of one of your kitchen cupboards, vinegar can quickly cut through grime and dirt as well as blitzing though limescale, finally getting rid of that pesky cloudy residue.
Limescale is an alkaline substance, meaning that in order to properly break it down, it needs to come into contact with an acid and luckily for cleaners on a budget the main ingredient in vinegar is acetic acid giving vinegar a low pH of just two to three.
Not only is vinegar handy for tackling grease but it can also help battle and prevent mould from building within the cracks and crevices of your bathroom.
Often found in shower sealants, black mould isn’t just a nuisance to clean, it can also impact our health and irritate skin – but a quick soak in white vinegar can push it back.
Expert Ryan Knoll of Carpet Monkey, a cleaning service, also suggests the use of a white vinegar can work wonders on grouting.
Knoll added: “In the bathroom, spray undiluted white vinegar on tiles and grout. Let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub with a brush. Rinse with water to reveal clean tiles and grout.”
A good soak is recommended to properly remove the gunk and grime, leaving the acid to work its magic for around 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing away with a toothbrush.
Although before any avid cleaners jump to pick up a bottle from the back of their cupboard they should be careful of the effect it could have on your grout if it hadn’t been sealed properly.
According to experts from Grout Magnificent, you should only use white vinegar on your grout if you are sure it has been sealed correctly.
The experts explain: “Unfortunately, vinegar penetrates unsealed grout by seeping into the air spaces within the material. Once lodged in these spaces, vinegar will corrode grout with the passage of time. The grout will eventually wear off.”