Many homeowners have a bottle of vinegar sitting in their kitchen cabinet right now. The bottle is probably only pulled from the cupboard to make salad dressings, marinades, or other food recipes. However, vinegar has far more uses than just recipes, including household cleaning supplies. Vinegar can be used as a powerful disinfectant because it contains acetic acid, per Healthline. What is acetic acid? It’s the colorless organic compound that brings a sour taste and bold smell to vinegar. And because vinegar has an acidic nature, it’s often used as a key ingredient in some store-bought household cleaners. Vinegar is strong enough to dissolve dirt, grease, mineral deposits, and grime. It’s also powerful enough to kill bacteria. All while also being a naturally derived substance that doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. As many food-enthusiasts may know, there are several different types of vinegars to choose from including white distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and red or white wine vinegar. Bonus: Vinegar can also be used to get rid of those pesky mineral deposits from hard water on your toilets and in your shower.
So, what’s the best type of vinegar to use for cleaning a toilet plunger? Because we want to avoid staining surfaces with a darker-colored vinegar, white distilled vinegar is the best option for cleaning a toilet plunger. Additionally, white distilled vinegar has almost 5 percent acidity, which is close to the acidity level in many store-bought multipurpose cleaners. If the smell of white vinegar is too potent, you can use apple cider vinegar instead. However, you’ll want to dilute the apple cider vinegar with water to avoid staining any surfaces. Once you’re chosen your vinegar, start cleaning your plunger.
1.) Start by pouring either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar mixed with water into a large bucket.
2.) Soak the plunger in the bucket of vinegar and swirl the plunger for about 2 minutes.
3.) Remove the plunger from the vinegar and insert the plunger into clean toilet water. Flush the toilet to clean the vinegar off the plunger.
4.) Let the clean plunger dry and place it back near the toilet or wherever you store the plunger.
