409 is for Suckers

I make my own household surface cleaner, and now I'm going to show you how to do the same. It's better for you, better for the environment, it takes less time than it does to buy a new bottle of 409, and it's dirt cheap. I learned the tip while working at an earth-friendly tea shop, but you don't have to hug trees to replace your Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner. You just have to not want to put Lysol Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner in your mouth, which you do every time you eat food that touched a surface you previously cleaned with LAKC. Unless you spray your counters, wipe them down, rinse them with water, and then dry them. If that's your process . . . you should still follow these instructions because I'm about to save you a ton of time.

Ready? Let the saving begin!

Step one: Pull your vinegar out of the cabinet and pull one cup of water from the tap.


Step two: Pour one cup of vinegar into your cup of water. Combine the water & vinegar in any way that floats your boat, really, as long as it's a 1:1 ratio.


Step three: Grab your funnel and an empty spray bottle (I'm using an old 409 bottle) and pour!
 

Step four: Spray your kitchen surfaces and wipe dry as you would with any other household cleaner. Take the Pepsi challenge with with against any bottle under your sink; I guarantee it cuts through just as much (if not more) counter and stovetop gunk. When you're done cleaning your counters and stove, go spray your bathroom mirrors with it. Trust me.

The only complaint I've gotten from my family about switching the 409 for vinegar/water is, "It smells like vinegar!" Well, yeah. Of course it does. I promise you, though, that the Easter egg dye-smell fades very quickly. The clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces last much longer.