Mixing Vinegar With Cornstarch: What Makes This Cleaning Combo So Effective

There are a myriad of reasons to DIY your own cleaning solutions. It's cheaper, since you're using things you already have in the house, and almost always healthier, as you can completely avoid using any harsh chemicals. It's also easier (and often more efficient) compared to the pricey stuff you can buy in stores. But it all comes down to identifying the most effective household products that double as cleaners. Usually, it's a combo that doubles the impact, and one of the best is that of cornstarch and vinegar.

Cornstarch is mildly abrasive — tough enough to break down buildup but gentle enough to not damage surfaces in your home. It's also absorbent, so it sponges up all the moisture and not-so-pleasant stains. This is why cornstarch is the best solution for cleaning spills off of marble countertops. Mixed with simple water, cornstarch can even remove tarnish from silverware. Vinegar, meanwhile, attacks buildup and stains with its highly acidic nature.

You may already know plenty of ways you can use vinegar to clean your kitchen. When cornstarch and vinegar combine forces, you have a powerful cleaning solution that breaks up stains, absorbs moisture, and scrubs residue away without leaving any damage. To make your solution, simply mix a tablespoon of cornstarch in a cup of vinegar, heat it just until it's warm in your microwave, and transfer it to a spray bottle. When you apply it to a surface, let it sit for a few minutes before wiping.

That simple cornstarch and vinegar solution makes for a highly capable bathroom cleaner. Buildup like limescale is no match for vinegar's natural acid. The same tablespoon of cornstarch with a cup of vinegar — which you can shake in your spray bottle instead of heating — is also a strong option for cleaning glass. When you finish with a microfiber cloth, you get streak- and cloud-free glassware. You can even finally rid fabrics of stubborn ink stains by spritzing this mixture on, letting it sit, brushing it off, then washing as you normally would.

If you add baking soda to this combo, you'll have a solution powerful enough to make your grout shine in bright white like it's brand new. Baking soda is an effective kitchen cleaner in many ways, thanks to its also being abrasive and its high pH. While vinegar breaks stains down with its acidity, baking soda neutralizes them with its baseness — together, they cover all your cleaning bases, and cornstarch boosts the solution's ability to break down and scrub away.

Cornstarch on its own can be sprinkled onto just about any stain, left for a bit to absorb that stain, and then cleaned away. It only grows more powerful with the addition of an acid like vinegar or lemon juice and a neutral and equally abrasive yet still gentle substance like baking soda. Best of all, these are pantry staples you can turn into a cleaner for free.