Looking to save at the supermarket? Toss a bottle or two of distilled white vinegar into your cart. Its mildly acidic attributes make it effective at removing stubborn stains, food smells, and hard-water residue from most appliances and home furnishings for far less than the best all-purpose cleaners (see the video below), dishwashing soap, or spot stain removers we've recently reviewed. For grimy grills Use a non-scouring nylon brush and a 50-50 mix of water and distilled white vinegar to remove stubborn stains, discoloration and corrosion on painted or or porcelain surfaces. For stainless, experts recommended a mild dishwashing soap and lots of elbow grease. Dirty dishwashers If you see white residue inside your dishwasher, place a container with 2 cups of distilled white vinegar in the bottom rack and run a normal cycle but without drying. Befouled fridges Dirty, smelly fridges should be treated with hot water and detergent, then a sanitizing solution of chlorine bleach before washing their interiors with hot water and baking soda.

Wipe the inside with equal parts vinegar and water. Clogged coffeemakers Add a cup of distilled white vinegar and run it through a regular brewing cycle to clean out the dregs. Crusty showerheads Got a weak shower? Before calling a plumber, unscrew a grungy showerhead and soak it in distilled white vinegar to ensure it's flowing as much water as it should. Moldy humidifiers Humidifiers with antimicrobial finishes on tanks and wicks become scaly and moldy if not regularly cleaned. Although some parts may be washable in the dishwasher, you still need to descale them with distilled vinegar and disinfect them with bleach. Check the owner's manual for specifics on how—and how often—to clean them. Messy wood furniture Mix 6 teaspoons of light olive oil and 3 cups of distilled white vinegar into a 1-quart spray bottle. Spray the cleaner onto wood, wipe over with a damp cloth, and finish drying with a clean, lint-free cloth. But be sure to use this solution only on sealed wood. Stained wood floors Use one cup of distilled white vinegar to a pail full of hot water to clean wood floors.

Soda-spilled carpets After blotting with a detergent solution of 1 teaspoon of a mild clear or white dishwashing liquid—no bleach—in 1 cup of warm water, blot with a vinegar solution of one-third cup distilled white vinegar with two-thirds cup water. air duct cleaning orangeThen rinse with warm water. cleaning a dell laptop fanIf a trace remains, dab with a mix of water and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. air duct cleaning and sealingMore homemade cleaners: See how other low-cost cleaners like ammonia, alcohol, baking soda, olive oil and trisodium phosphate (TSP) can be mixed into more money-saving cleaners and strippers for glass, walls, wood furniture, and wooden floors.best industrial steam vacuum cleaner

Method Wood For Good Polish, Almond Murphy Oil Soap Liquid Pine-Sol Lemon Fresh, 60 Oz. Old English Oil, Lemon 8.0 Ouncesbest spray vacuum carpet cleaner Old English Oil, Lemon 12.0 Ounces Trigger Bottlebest small cylinder vacuum cleaner Citra Solv Citra Wood Natural Wood & Furniture Polish Sweet Grass Farm Furniture Wax, Lemon Verbena Sweet Grass Farm Furniture Wax, Fresh White Lilac Sweet Grass Farm Furniture Wax, Herb Blossom Sweet Grass Farm Furniture Wax, Lavender Melaleuca Rustic Touch Furniture Polish, Orange Scent Old English Aerosol, Almond Endust No-Wax Cleaning & Dusting Spray, Original Fresh Scent View All Furniture Polish GoodGuide counts the number of ingredients in each product that are categorized as low, medium or high health concern.

We then factor in other negative information (such as regulatory restrictions) and any available positive information (such as third-party certifications) to assign product ratings.OverviewTo rate a personal care or household chemical product, GoodGuide considers the following attributes: A health hazard rating based on the number of product ingredients categorized as low, medium or high health concern; Indicators that the product exhibits other negative aspects (e.g., does the product contain ingredients that have been banned or subjected to regulatory restrictions); Indicators that the product is among the best on the market in its category (e.g., has the product been certified as safe or healthy by a credible third-party); Indicators of data gaps that preclude evaluation of the product (e.g., no or inadequate disclosure of product ingredients). Categorizing Ingredients by Levels of Health ConcernDefining Levels of Health Read more about our rating methodology >

The annual ritual of spring cleaning is meant to make your home a healthier place, getting rid of a winter’s worth of accumulated dust, mold, and mildew. But some of the sprays, powders, and foams you use to get the job done may not be so good for you. One reason: Many household-cleaning products now incorporate ingredients once reserved for hospitals and health-care institutions. But “risky antibacterial chemicals aren’t necessary to get your house clean,” says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., director of consumer safety and sustainability at Consumer Reports. So which cleaning supplies should you use—and which should you avoid? Manufacturers don’t make it easy to figure out because they’re not required to list all in­gredients on their labels. And when they do, how do you decipher the long list of chemicals? Here’s what our experts say: What to be aware of: Cleaners that contain ingredients like dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, such as Scrubbing Bubbles Heavy Duty All Purpose Cleaner and Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, may help breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Better bet: Clorox Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner spray did a good job of removing soap scum and dirt in Consumer Reports’ tough mess tests and contains ingredients that are less likely to harm you or the environment. If you prefer ready-to-use cleaning cloths, which almost 25 percent of  households now buy, try Clorox Healthcare Bleach Germicidal Wipes. “It’s a good op­tion for when there’s a flu or cold going around the house,” Rangan says. “Bleach kills bacteria effectively without promoting superbugs.” Find more top-rated cleaning products and how to allergy-proof your home. Furniture and wood cleaners What to be aware of: Aerosol sprays can contain volatile organic compounds, such as naphtha. They can irritate your eyes and throat and cause headaches and nausea. Plus they are often flammable. Better bet: Opt for pump sprays, such as Earth Friendly Products’ Furniture Polish. “Pump sprays don’t contain environmentally problematic propellants, are easy to use, and the chemical droplets are larger and less likely to be inhaled,” says Rolf Halden, Ph.D., director of the Center for Environmental Security at Arizona State University in Tempe.

What to be aware of: Full-strength household ammonia (5 to 10 percent), can potentially damage your lungs and blind you if it splashes in your eyes. It’s usually found in gallon jugs at supermarkets and drugstores. (Never mix ammonia and bleach—it creates dangerous fumes.) Better bet: If you do use ammonia, dilute it, says Pat Slaven, test-product leader at Consumer Reports. Use at least eight parts water to one part ammonia. Or try an ammonia-free product such as Staples’ Sustainable Earth Glass Cleaner. What to be aware of: Some cleaners contain hydrochloric acid (listed as hydrogen chloride on the label), such as Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner Complete Clean. It can burn your skin and eyes. The American Association of Poison Control Centers says toilet-bowl cleaners harbor some of the most dangerous chemicals found in homes. Better bet: Seventh Gener­a­­tion Natural Toilet Bowl Clean­er worked well in our tests and contains chemicals that are less likely to be harmful.