The Amish love using vinegar to clean, and it seems to be their secret, magical cleaning hack. They also use it in their DIY fabric softener. Add a half cup of white vinegar and a few drops of essential oils to the final rinse while you’re doing your laundry. Not only will the vinegar soften your fabric, but the essential oil will make it smell delicious (Healthline).
Our bathrooms and kitchens are full of bacteria we can’t see. And even though we can always turn to chemical cleaning products to get the job done, at the end of the day, it’s not as safe. This is especially true if you have kids running around your home. The Amish use a unique hack that’s natural and as effective as toxic chemicals. Homeowner, meet vinegar! As we’ve mentioned before, vinegar is effective in cleaning homes. All you have to do is mix it with water, pour it into a spray bottle, and get spraying. It’s inexpensive, easy to obtain, and good for both the environment and your home (NSF).
There’s a lot more to rubbing alcohol than meets the eye. You can use it to rub off glue stains that made their way into your home, thanks to your creative children! This is all because the glue is released from the high concentration of isopropyl alcohol in rubbing alcohol that’s sprayed directly on the glue. It’s also useful for removing hairspray and spots on your mirror. The Amish know what they’re doing when it comes to simple hacks that get the job done better than chemical household items (Kecotabs).
Time is silver’s worst enemy. Over the years, silver and other oxidized metal ornaments have lost their shininess. But before you decide to discard them and get rid of them for good, pause for a moment. The Amish have a hack for that, and it’s all thanks to baking soda and warm water. Apply a mixture of warm water and baking soda to the silver for ten minutes and wipe it off with a damp microfiber cloth. The baking soda works its magic and makes your silver shine and sparkle as if it’s brand new (The Spruce).
There’s no need to clean with chemicals when you have castile soapy water as an alternative. Pair that with old clothes and rags, and you have a completely natural, chemical-free way of cleaning. A bucket of warm soapy water does wonders for your home, especially when the soap is organic. Castile soap is an olive oil-based soap that doesn’t contain animal fats, making it completely natural. Reusing old rags is also good for the environment and will take out the need to head to the store to buy more products (Real Simple).
Thanks to the Amish, we’ve learned that vinegar is effective in removing spots in random places around our homes, like our mirrors. But did you know peanut butter does the trick, too? You likely have a jar of peanut butter hanging out in one of your cupboards, waiting to be used. Just apply the peanut butter to the stain, let it sit overnight, and wipe it down in the morning. This is especially effective with wood tables, sticker residue, and carpets with bad smells (Greenhouse Eco Cleaning).
Your kitchen is full of surprises, and one of them is in the form of olive oil. Besides using it as a cooking agent and dressing, you can also use it to clean your floor. The Amish prepare this blend with vinegar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Then, they use the solution to mop the floor using a cotton pad. Your floor will shine, look clean, and smell wonderful (Front Door).
Even though having leather accessories in your home looks and feels unique and comfortable, they can be a burden. After a while, they lose their newness and you might feel like they’re more trouble than they’re worth. Thanks to the Amish, they’ve provided us with a hack that keeps them from disintegrating and deteriorating right before our eyes. Grab some milk and rub it in a circular motion the leather using a microfiber cloth. Wipe off the excess milk from the leather using a dry rag. This removes the dullness and revamps them, much like shining silver. Commercial cleaners cost a lot and are not good for the environment, whereas milk is eco-friendly. You likely already have a bunch of it in your home! (Favored Leather).
The Amish secret to having a clean home is Borax. This is an all-purpose Amish cleaner that’s easy to use and easy to save. All you have to do is mix equal proportions of borax and boiled water in a container. Mix the liquid until it’s transparent and you can save it. Thanks to Borax’s 9.5pH levels, it’s alkaline, making it a perfect cleaning ingredient. When it’s combined with water, it can break down grease, oil, fatty, and acidic substances (Electrodry).
Just like your sink drains, your shower heads get clogged, too. This makes it more likely you’ll go a day without a shower, which can be a nightmare in some households. It’s easy to unclog your shower heads all thanks to Amish tradition. Fill a plastic zipper with white vinegar and wrap it around the shower head. Rest this setup overnight. The chemical reaction with vinegar will cause water to flow from your shower head, resulting in a warm, comforting bathing session.
If you have an issue with insects in your home or garden, then this Amish trick will take care of them. This is a natural alternative to harsh insecticides and other chemicals that may harm your home. Simply boil water and white vinegar. Then, add lemon peels to the concoction. Once it cools, pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the area with issues. Alternatively, you can leave it sitting in a jar with a candle. Not only will you take care of the insects, but you’ll clean your entire space. Flies certainly dislike the smell of citrus. If you don’t have time to make a concoction, you can leave dried-out peels around your home to take care of the insects (Purdy and Figg).
Your appliances and things in your home won’t fix themselves. The Amish people fix things the second they realize they’re broken or show wear and tear. This helps prevent extensive cleanings or fixings later on that might take longer to fix or be more expensive. Cleaning every week will also help take care of allergies and avoid breathing problems that might come with dust or dirt. You’ll also avoid spreading germs, which will make your household a lot cleaner and healthier overall (The Clean Haven).
If you run out of olive oil, the Amish have an alternative to cleaning your floors. Take regular household ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, warm water, and grated soap. This makes an effective cleaner that’ll get rid of stains and bacteria sitting on your floor (Homes and Gardens).