Do you wonder how ancient people used to clean their homes before chemical formulas and modern household cleaners were invented? Because I have racked my mind a lot on the topic. It is really an interesting line of discussion because hygiene is important. Not only it works positively on our appearance, but it also has a great influence on our health and well-being. After thorough research I found out that people throughout history have been pretty much occupied with hygiene. They had a wide array of household cleaners at their disposal like salt, baking soda and lemon juice. They are known for thousands of years as effective substances to clean and refresh homes.

If you want to get rid of unpleasant smell, you use baking soda or lemon juice. On the other hand, salt is an excellent cleaner of greasy stains. Ancient Egyptians were one of the earliest to use natural substances like natron, which is a naturally occurring mineral deposits. They used it to clean, soften water and as an antiseptic. Later, its role was filled by ordinary baking soda which is used even today for a wide range cleaning purposes.

However, all these fantastic natural cleaning agents are still unappreciated today. In our modern product-saturated society, old-school products have been relegated to obscurity. Large multinational companies pay hundreds of millions every year to promote their chemically laden merchandise. However, once again many people start recognizing eco-friendly substances usefulness. One such is white vinegar. You can find below 10 ways to use white vinegar for cleaning and deodorizing around your home.

• 1. Banish cigarette smoke or unpleasant paint fumes using white vinegar. You can deodorize the space with a bowl full of vinegar. For added fragrance put cardamom or other nice smelling spice to the bowl.
• 2. Use white vinegar to remove ballpoint-pen stains. Grab a cloth or sponge and dab some undiluted white vinegar to the stain.
• 3. We all hate mildew. It’s a terrible eye sore. No more! To eliminate heavy mildew buildup, use full-strength vinegar or diluted for lighter buildup. You can clean all types of surfaces from bathroom fixtures, through clothes to painted surfaces.
• 4. I personally hate it when my favourite pair of shoes gets that nasty salt line in winter. It’s so annoying! But now I know to use vinegar to get salt off my footwear. Just wipe fresh stains with a cloth dipped in white vinegar.
• 5. Sometimes mayo or peanut butter jars can come in handy. Before that however, you have to clean them. Fill the jar/container with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm soapy water. Let it sit for an hour. When you clean a jar or bottle use a bottle brush to scrape off remains before you rinse.

  6. Use a toothbrush dipped in full-strength vinegar to whiten your grout. Restore your bathtub and shower grout’s original shade.

• 7. Common problem among pet owners is untimely accidents that can occur throughout the whole house – master bedroom, kitchen or living room. Cleaning the mess is not hard, but eliminating the nasty smell is quite so. Once you have cleaned the area apply a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and cold water.
• 8. For those of you who like to maintain alone their home, here is an excellent way. Remove rust from tools, spigots and bolts by soaking the items in undiluted substance overnight.
• 9. When you accidentally stain your favourite suede sofa, don’t despair! Use vinegar to remove grease stains from suede. Pick a toothbrush, dip it in vinegar and brush the spot.
• 10. Clean large appliances like fridge or washing machine with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water.