At my old apartment in California, I would park on the street and the curbside sprinkler system would faithfully water the grass – and give my car a generous sprinkle while they were at it. My windshield and the entire right side of my car bore the marks of hard water minerals, and no matter how many times I’d go over it with soapy suds, the little scummy flecks would reappear to mock me.
I’m a do-it-yourself kinda gal when it comes to cleaners, so I did some research and found the nifty cleaning combination of equal parts vinegar and rubbing alcohol, diluted with a good dose of water. I put it in a spray bottle and marched outside with an old t-shirt to wage war once again on the hard water stains. Victory was mine! The acid in the vinegar took care of the pesky mineral deposits, and the alcohol kept it all from streaking, all without toxic fumes and fragrances.
You can use this simple-to-make cleaning concoction on indoor and outdoor glass, and also on metal surfaces to restore shine. Mirrors, glassware, boats, you name it. It’s even supposed to help with swimmer’s ear when mixed in a different ratio and put in a medicine dropper.
Here’s the general recipe; add a twist of lemon juice for a sunny touch:
¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup rubbing alcohol
2 cups warm water
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
Put it all in a clean spray bottle. Spritz on the surface, wipe down with a soft cloth and some elbow grease when necessary. Admire shine.
Do you have any homemade cleaning tips or solutions? Please share, we’d love to hear!
