Where the green options genuinely win
White vinegar, for mineral deposits
Vinegar is a mild acid, which makes it genuinely good at dissolving limescale, soap scum and hard water marks. Kettles, shower heads, glass shower screens and taps all respond well. Give it dwell time. Spray, wait ten minutes, then wipe.
Bicarb soda, as a mild abrasive
Bicarb works as a gentle scouring agent and a deodoriser. It is useful on baked-on cooktop residue, in the bottom of bins and on stained sinks. What it does not do is sanitise anything.
Plant-based surfactant sprays, for everyday surfaces
For benchtops, tables and general grime, modern plant-based cleaners work as well as anything else. The cleaning is being done by the surfactant and the wiping, and there is no meaningful performance gap.
Where they do not work
- Disinfecting. Vinegar is not a registered disinfectant. After raw chicken, or in a bathroom with illness in the house, use something rated for the job.
- Mould in grout. Vinegar kills surface mould but does not lift the black staining in porous grout. That needs a bleach-based product or the grout regrouted.
- Heavy oven grease. Carbonised fat is not going to respond to bicarb paste in any reasonable timeframe. This is where a caustic degreaser earns its place.
- Natural stone. Never use vinegar on marble, limestone or travertine. The acid etches the surface permanently.
The combination that does nothing
Mixing vinegar and bicarb together produces carbon dioxide and a fizz that looks impressive. What is left afterwards is mostly water and sodium acetate, with the acid and the base having cancelled each other out. Use them separately, on different jobs.
What we use
We use plant-based products for general surfaces and glass, because they perform and because our cleaners are working in enclosed rooms all day. For ovens, mould and sanitising we use the stronger product the job requires, ventilate properly, and rinse thoroughly. If you would prefer we only use products you have supplied, leave them out and tell us when you book.