Answerpail Q&A - Recent activity in DIY

Answered: What animals will vinegar keep away?

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:46:11 +0000

The animals that vinegar will keep away are foxes, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, dogs and cats.

Foxes, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, dogs and cats all hate the smell of vinegar, which is very strong and pungent to them and so they avoid areas where vinegar is placed or sprayed.

Even insects like mosquitoes, spiders and ants as well as slugs also hate the smell of vinegar and will avoid areas where they detect the smell of vinegar.

The sharp and acidic odor of the vinegar, irritates these animals sensitive noses and will temporarily block or mask their food sources or scent trails.

Although the scent of the vinegar also goes away or dissipates very quickly and so it's often an unreliable method but can be a sort term deterrent.

You can also soak some paper towels or cotton balls in some vinegar and place them in areas where these insects and animals hang around.

Or mix a spray of vinegar by mixing equal parts of white vinegar and water into a spray bottle and apply the vinegar and water mixture around patios, around porch edges or even perimeters of trash cans or areas where the insects and animals are hanging around.

Just avoid spraying the vinegar directly on grass or plants as the acidity of the vinegar can and will easily burn or even damage vegetation.

Or you can also soak some cloth rags like you would with cotton balls in vinegar and place them near garden beds or other areas that are a problem.

Just be sure to refresh them with newly soaked cotton balls or cloth rags with vinegar every couple of days or after rain.

Many animals, especially mammals with highly sensitive noses, detest the sharp, acidic scent of vinegar. The intense odor acts as a natural irritant, causing them to steer clear of areas where the vinegar is applied.

Specific animals that hate the smell of vinegar include:

Dogs: Because of their superior sense of smell, the pungent scent of vinegar is highly unpleasant to dogs.

Cats: Cats detest the sharp odor and will avoid furniture or surfaces treated with it.

Rodents: Mice and rats have incredibly sensitive noses and avoid the sharp, sour smell.

Squirrels: The pungent aroma of vinegar acts as a deterrent to keep squirrels away from gardens and outdoor trash.

Rabbits: Vinegar can successfully be used to discourage rabbits from foraging in your yard.

Insects: Ants, weevils, and various other garden pests are repelled by vinegar’s acidic nature.

Just avoid spraying the vinegar directly on animals and never spray the vinegar, especially pure vinegar directly on plants as it can cause severe foliage damage.

Answered: Why pour salt down the drain every night?

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:27:00 +0000

The reason why you pour salt down the drain every night is to reduce odors, prevent minor clogs and keep pests away.

Allowing the salt to sit in the drain overnight, allows the salt, which is often mixed with vinegar or baking soda to work without being washed away by daily water use.

The main reason for the night application of the salt in the drain is that at night your plumbing system is inactive and it gives the salt and mixture time to sit in the drain pipe and slowly break down grime and grease.

The salt also absorbs moisture, and when the salt is also paired with baking soda, it also helps to neutralize sour or foul odors in garbage disposables and other drains.

An overnight application of salt in the drain also helps create an unfavorable environment for drain flies and other insects, which keeps them away.

You can use a salt and baking soda mixture, by mixing pouring down 1/2 cup of salt and then 1/2 cup of baking soda.

Or combine equal parts of salt, baking soda and vinegar and allow it to foam and break down organic buildup.

People also put salt down the toilet to kill tree roots that infiltrate sewer lines as well as to break down minor clogs that are caused by grease or waste and to also deodorize the drain by neutralizing bacteria.

Rock salt when flushed down the toilet into the main sewer line, will dehydrate and kill tree roots, which have penetrated the sewer lines, which prevents major backups.

Salt also has a natural abrasive texture that acts as a mild scrub to help dislodge grease or fat buildup, especially when it's mixed with hot water, vinegar or citric acid.

Salt also absorbs moisture and inhibits growth of bacteria, which also helps to get rid of foul smelling bacteria.

Although you have to be careful when flushing salt down the toilet as too much salt or frequent flushing of salt down the toilet can also be corrosive to older metal pipes such as cast iron and if you have a septic system, the excess salt flushed down the toilet can kill the beneficial bacteria that is required to break down the waste.

Vinegar is often also poured down sink drains and other drains because the vinegar poured down the sink and other drains acts as a natural odor eliminator as well as breaks down mineral deposits and loosens mild organic buildup in the sink drain.

Although vinegar is also often touted as a miracle clog remover, the actual capabilities of vinegar when poured down the drain are also widely misunderstood.

Distilled white vinegar contains around 5 percent acetic acid, which acts as a mild and non toxic cleaner.

When the white distilled vinegar is allowed to sit in a drain for a couple of hours, it effectively targets specific minor issues which include cleaning garbage disposables, neutralizing odors and dissolving hard water buildup.

Vinegar refreshes your garbage disposable mechanics and also cuts through surface grease film.

Vinegar also kills odor causing bacteria in the drain and breaks down smelly organic sludge that gets trapped in your sink's P-trap.

And the acid in vinegar breaks down alkaline scale, calcium and limescale deposits that narrow the drain pipes and slows down the water from draining out.

Many tutorials also recommend that you pour down baking soda into the sink drain, then follow that by vinegar to get rid of clogs, using the resulting fizz.

Although the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar are mainly ineffective at clearing clogs.

The baking soda, which is a base and the vinegar, which is an acid quickly cancel each other out, which essentially creates salty water and carbon dioxide gas.

The bubbling reaction between the baking soda and vinegar only creates cleaning pressure in a tightly sealed container, but in an open sink drain, the gas just simply escapes harmlessly out of the top.

And neither baking soda or vinegar can dissolve hair or even emulsify heavy kitchen grease, which are the 2 main causes behind severe sink drain blockages and clogs.

And unreacted baking soda can also settle in the drain pipe and then compact into a hard, rock like chunk, which makes an existing blockage much worse than it was in the first place.

If you do want to use vinegar to clean the drains and control odors in the sink drains or other drains, it's best to avoid the baking soda and just use the vinegar.

When using vinegar in the drain, combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and warm water.

Then pour 1 to 2 cups of the mixture straight down the drain and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to a couple of hours without running any water and then flush out the line completely with hot tap water.

Answered: Why do plumbers put salt down the toilet?

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:19:11 +0000

The reason why plumbers put salt down the toilet is to kill tree roots that infiltrate sewer lines as well as to break down minor clogs that are caused by grease or waste and to also deodorize the drain by neutralizing bacteria.

Rock salt when flushed down the toilet into the main sewer line, will dehydrate and kill tree roots, which have penetrated the sewer lines, which prevents major backups.

Salt also has a natural abrasive texture that acts as a mild scrub to help dislodge grease or fat buildup, especially when it's mixed with hot water, vinegar or citric acid.

Salt also absorbs moisture and inhibits growth of bacteria, which also helps to get rid of foul smelling bacteria.

Although you have to be careful when flushing salt down the toilet as too much salt or frequent flushing of salt down the toilet can also be corrosive to older metal pipes such as cast iron and if you have a septic system, the excess salt flushed down the toilet can kill the beneficial bacteria that is required to break down the waste.

Vinegar is often also poured down sink drains and other drains because the vinegar poured down the sink and other drains acts as a natural odor eliminator as well as breaks down mineral deposits and loosens mild organic buildup in the sink drain.

Although vinegar is also often touted as a miracle clog remover, the actual capabilities of vinegar when poured down the drain are also widely misunderstood.

Distilled white vinegar contains around 5 percent acetic acid, which acts as a mild and non toxic cleaner.

When the white distilled vinegar is allowed to sit in a drain for a couple of hours, it effectively targets specific minor issues which include cleaning garbage disposables, neutralizing odors and dissolving hard water buildup.

Vinegar refreshes your garbage disposable mechanics and also cuts through surface grease film.

Vinegar also kills odor causing bacteria in the drain and breaks down smelly organic sludge that gets trapped in your sink's P-trap.

And the acid in vinegar breaks down alkaline scale, calcium and limescale deposits that narrow the drain pipes and slows down the water from draining out.

Many tutorials also recommend that you pour down baking soda into the sink drain, then follow that by vinegar to get rid of clogs, using the resulting fizz.

Although the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar are mainly ineffective at clearing clogs.

The baking soda, which is a base and the vinegar, which is an acid quickly cancel each other out, which essentially creates salty water and carbon dioxide gas.

The bubbling reaction between the baking soda and vinegar only creates cleaning pressure in a tightly sealed container, but in an open sink drain, the gas just simply escapes harmlessly out of the top.

And neither baking soda or vinegar can dissolve hair or even emulsify heavy kitchen grease, which are the 2 main causes behind severe sink drain blockages and clogs.

And unreacted baking soda can also settle in the drain pipe and then compact into a hard, rock like chunk, which makes an existing blockage much worse than it was in the first place.

If you do want to use vinegar to clean the drains and control odors in the sink drains or other drains, it's best to avoid the baking soda and just use the vinegar.

When using vinegar in the drain, combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and warm water.

Then pour 1 to 2 cups of the mixture straight down the drain and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to a couple of hours without running any water and then flush out the line completely with hot tap water.

Answered: Why pour vinegar down the sink?

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:13:41 +0000

The reason why you pour vinegar down the sink is because the vinegar poured down the sink acts as a natural odor eliminator as well as breaks down mineral deposits and loosens mild organic buildup in the sink drain.

Although vinegar is also often touted as a miracle clog remover, the actual capabilities of vinegar when poured down the drain are also widely misunderstood.

Distilled white vinegar contains around 5 percent acetic acid, which acts as a mild and non toxic cleaner.

When the white distilled vinegar is allowed to sit in a drain for a couple of hours, it effectively targets specific minor issues which include cleaning garbage disposables, neutralizing odors and dissolving hard water buildup.

Vinegar refreshes your garbage disposable mechanics and also cuts through surface grease film.

Vinegar also kills odor causing bacteria in the drain and breaks down smelly organic sludge that gets trapped in your sink's P-trap.

And the acid in vinegar breaks down alkaline scale, calcium and limescale deposits that narrow the drain pipes and slows down the water from draining out.

Many tutorials also recommend that you pour down baking soda into the sink drain, then follow that by vinegar to get rid of clogs, using the resulting fizz.

Although the reaction between the baking soda and vinegar are mainly ineffective at clearing clogs.

The baking soda, which is a base and the vinegar, which is an acid quickly cancel each other out, which essentially creates salty water and carbon dioxide gas.

The bubbling reaction between the baking soda and vinegar only creates cleaning pressure in a tightly sealed container, but in an open sink drain, the gas just simply escapes harmlessly out of the top.

And neither baking soda or vinegar can dissolve hair or even emulsify heavy kitchen grease, which are the 2 main causes behind severe sink drain blockages and clogs.

And unreacted baking soda can also settle in the drain pipe and then compact into a hard, rock like chunk, which makes an existing blockage much worse than it was in the first place.

If you do want to use vinegar to clean the drains and control odors in the sink drains or other drains, it's best to avoid the baking soda and just use the vinegar.

When using vinegar in the drain, combine a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar and warm water.

Then pour 1 to 2 cups of the mixture straight down the drain and allow it to sit for 30 minutes to a couple of hours without running any water and then flush out the line completely with hot tap water.

Answered: What should you never pour down a drain?

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:47:51 +0000

Things you should never pour down a drain are any fats, oils, grease, paints, oils, chemical drain cleaners or medications.

These substances, especially the fats, oils and grease solidify in the drain pipes and corrode materials.

The paints, chemical drain cleaners, oil and medications can also contaminate municipal water supplies.

Instead of pouring grease or oil down the drain, wipe and throw away grease in the trash.

Fats, oils and grease that should not be poured down the drain, include butter, cooking oil, bacon grease and gravy as they cool down and harden in the pipes and trap debris and create stubborn blockages.

Both latex and oil-based paints act as binding agents that coat and constrict pipes and should not be poured down the drain.

They also introduce harsh toxins into wastewater.

Starchy & Expanding Foods should also never be poured down the drain, which include pasta, rice, and flour. When exposed to water, these foods continue to swell or turn into a glue-like paste that completely blocks plumbing lines.

Fibrous & Stringy Vegetables: Celery, onion skins, and potato peels.

These wrap tightly around garbage disposal blades and fail to break down easily, resulting in severe clogs.

Coffee Grounds & Eggshells: Though they seem harmless and fine, ground coffee builds up into a sludge and eggshells create granular waste that catches on every bit of grease in your lines.

Chemical Drain Cleaners including Store-bought drain openers should not be poured down drains as these harsh chemicals can severely damage and corrode your pipes, ultimately shortening their lifespan.

Medications which includes Over-the-counter and prescription pills.

Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to filter out these chemicals in medications, leading to dangerous environmental and groundwater contamination.

Kitty Litter should not be flushed down the drain, even brands labeled as "flushable" should never go down your plumbing.

They are highly absorbent and will expand, causing massive blockages.

Instead of using Drano for clogs, plumbers often use mechanical tools or other safer natural remedies to help break down grease and buildup.

Plumbers often avoid using Drano and other harsh chemicals when possible because of the caustic ingredients, which can damage pipes.

The mechanical tools that plumbers use for clearing clogs include plungers, drain augers or plumbers snakes and even physically removing the P-Trap.

A good heavy duty flat plunger for sink clogs or even a good flange plunger for toilets provides enough necessary pressure and suction to dislodge most clogs.

Drain augers or plumbers snakes are long, flexible metal cables that are fed down the drain manually to physically hook onto and extract hair, soap, scum and other debris in the drain.

For severe blockages, the plumber or even yourself may need to remove the P-Trap under the sink directly to clear out the trapped blockage manually.

For natural remedies for clearing clogs, plumbers and even yourself can use baking soda and vinegar for some clogs or dish soap and hot water.

To use baking soda and vinegar for clearing some clogged drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

Then cover the drain and allow the fizzing action to break up the clog for around 30 minutes and then flush it down with boiling water.

To use dish soap and hot water, which is ideal for kitchen grease clogs, pour around a cup of liquid dish soap down the drain, followed by a pot of very hot water, to melt and wash away the grease.

The dish soap and hot water will only work on some grease clogs and not other clogs like hair, food debris etc.

If the clog is in your main sewer line, the sewer line will need to be augured out to clear the clog or if it's really severely clogged or the line is cracked or broken, you may need to replace the sewer line, but that is rarely needed.

Answered: What do plumbers use instead of drano?

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:31:17 +0000

Instead of using Drano, plumbers often use mechanical tools or other safer natural remedies to help break down grease and buildup.

Plumbers often avoid using Drano and other harsh chemicals when possible because of the caustic ingredients, which can damage pipes.

The mechanical tools that plumbers use for clearing clogs include plungers, drain augers or plumbers snakes and even physically removing the P-Trap.

A good heavy duty flat plunger for sink clogs or even a good flange plunger for toilets provides enough necessary pressure and suction to dislodge most clogs.

Drain augers or plumbers snakes are long, flexible metal cables that are fed down the drain manually to physically hook onto and extract hair, soap, scum and other debris in the drain.

For severe blockages, the plumber or even yourself may need to remove the P-Trap under the sink directly to clear out the trapped blockage manually.

For natural remedies for clearing clogs, plumbers and even yourself can use baking soda and vinegar for some clogs or dish soap and hot water.

To use baking soda and vinegar for clearing some clogged drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the drain, followed by 1/2 cup of white vinegar.

Then cover the drain and allow the fizzing action to break up the clog for around 30 minutes and then flush it down with boiling water.

To use dish soap and hot water, which is ideal for kitchen grease clogs, pour around a cup of liquid dish soap down the drain, followed by a pot of very hot water, to melt and wash away the grease.

The dish soap and hot water will only work on some grease clogs and not other clogs like hair, food debris etc.

If the clog is in your main sewer line, the sewer line will need to be augured out to clear the clog or if it's really severely clogged or the line is cracked or broken, you may need to replace the sewer line, but that is rarely needed.

Answered: Does Dawn really unclog drains?

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:22:39 +0000

Dawn does really unclog drains, but Dawn dish soap can only unclog and clear out minor clogs and partial clogs that are caused by oil or grease.

Dawn dish soap, will not clear out any serious drain blockages like food scraps, tree roots, hair, toilet paper etc.

Dawn dish soap is a highly effective degreaser, so it can break down film and light oily residues that build up along the inside of drain pipes.

And when Dawn dish soap is mixed with very hot water, the surfactants in the soap loosen the grease up and help to wash it down the drain.

The Dawn dish soap can also act as a lubricant in toilets to help organic waste pass through the trap more easily.

Although if your sink or bathtub is backed up completely with standing water, pouring Dawn dish soap down the drain is not gonna work.

Dawn dish soap lacks corrosive power as it's formulated to be gentle enough to use on hands and so Dawn dish soap cannot dissolve hair, wet wipes or any fibrous food particles.

And sometimes Dawn dish soap can worsen the clog, as dumping heavy amounts of dish soap including Dawn dish soap into a fully stopped up drain pipe can coat the plumbing trap.

And the dense soap can also act like glute and cause any new debris that enters the pipes to stick to the blockage and make it denser.

To use Dawn dish soap for slow drains, allow the water to drain completely and then pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of Dawn directly down the drain opening.

Then give the soap 10 to 15 minutes to break into the oil or film.

And then run hot tap water down the drain for a minute or two to flush out the emulsified grime.

In some cases the trap may be clogged and removing the trap and physically cleaning it can often get a drain in a sink going quickly.

If the drain is fully clogged then you will need to try a plunger first or a plumbers snake.

For bathroom sinks and showers, using a cheap, barbed plastic drain snake is highly effective at catching and pulling out dense clumps of hair.

And plungers are very effective, especially for toilets, but can also be used on kitchen sinks, showers, bathroom sinks and tubs.

However always use a separate plunger for your sinks than you do for your toilet to avoid cross contamination.

A hand cranked steel cable drain snake can also be fed directly down into the P trap to punch through tough food or organic blockages.

Answered: What is the lazy shower cleaning hack?

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:01:52 +0000

The lazy shower cleaning hack is a cleaning hack that has gone viral in which you keep a soap dispensing wand that is filled with some dish soap and white vinegar directly inside your shower.

For the lazy shower cleaning hack, you use the soap dispensing dish wand filled with dish soap and white vinegar to quickly scrub the walls of the shower and the tub if you have a tub while you are already showering, which completely eliminates the need for a separate, grueling bathroom cleaning session.

The viral lazy shower cleaning hack was popularized on Reddit and TikTok.

You simply buy or use a standard refillable dish wand, which is the kind with a hollow handle that is used for washing dishes.

Then fill the handle of the refillable dish wand with a 50/50 mixture of dish soap such as Blue Dawn or other dish soap and distilled white vinegar.

The dish soap will break down body oils and soap scum, and the vinegar will dissolve hard water mineral deposits.

Keep the wand on a ledge or hanging in your shower.

And while you're waiting for your hair conditioner or face mask to set for example, grab the wand and do a quick 2 minute scrub of a wall or section of tile in the shower or at any other time.

Then use the shower head to wash the soap down the drain before you step out or if you don't have a handheld shower head, use a washcloth to wipe down the soap and then rinse the washcloth.

You can also use other methods as a lazy shower cleaning hack, which include the no wipe spray, the post shower squeegee or for the shower curtain, you can toss the shower curtain in the washing machine with a couple of old towels and regular detergent on a gentle cycle.

For the no wipe spray, mix 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup of rubbing alcohol and a couple of drops of dish soap in a spray bottle.

Then mist it over the walls immediately after turning off the water and just walk away.

It will prevent soap scum from bonding to the tile.

For the post shower squeegee, spend 30 seconds pulling a squeegee down the glass doors and walls after every use of the shower.

And removing the standing water means hard water spots and mildew will never get the chance to grow, which reduces deep cleans to once a month.

Answered: What shouldn't you clean with white vinegar?

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:52:28 +0000

What you shouldn't clean with white vinegar are solid wood, natural stone, cast iron and electronic screens.

Vinegar is a great natural cleaning solution for most things, but because vinegar is highly acidic the vinegar can strip wood sealants, rust iron, etch stone and even ruin anti-glare coatings on devices.

You should also never mix any vinegar with chlorine bleach as it leads to toxic fumes that can be deadly.

Natural stone that vinegar should not be used to clean includes marble, granite and limestone.

The acidity in the white vinegar etches and also dulls the natural finishes of the stone.

The acidity of the white vinegar can also eat away at the protective sealers that are applied to the durable stone like granite, which eventually ruins the shine of granite or other natural stone.

Instead, when cleaning natural stone, wipe the surface down with a microfiber towel and some mild dish soap or a specialty stone cleaner.

Sold wood that you should not use white vinegar to clean includes solid wood floors and solid wood furniture and waxed wood.

The white vinegar can strip the protective finish or wax off of hardwood floors and wood furniture.

When this happens, it leaves the wood looking dull, cloudy or even scratched and can even void the manufacturers warranties.

Instead, when cleaning solid wood and waxed wood, use cleaners that are specifically formulated for the wood type.

For electronic screens, if white vinegar is used on the electronic screens, the vinegar breaks down or damages the anti-glare, anti-fingerprint and touch sensitive coatings on the electronic devices.

Instead use a soft, microfiber cloth that is dampened slightly with some plain water, or a highly diluted drop of dish soap.

When white vinegar is used on cast iron cookware like skillets and pots, the acetic acid in the white vinegar will eat away at the polymerized oil layer, which is the seasoning that gives the cast iron it's non stick surface.

And with prolonged exposure, it can even result in the metal pitting or rusting out.

Instead to clean the cast iron cookware, use hot water and a stiff brush or scrub the cast iron cookware with a paste of coarse salt and a bit of oil.

You should also avoid cleaning high quality cutlery and sharp knives with white vinegar as the constant exposure to the acid in the vinegar can pit, scar and even corrode the fine and delicate edges of sharp kitchen blades and instead, simply use warm water and liquid dish soap to clean the knives.

And also avoid using white vinegar on clothes irons and rubber hoses as the acid in vinegar can eat away at the synthetic rubber gaskets, hoses and internal linings in some washing machines, clothes irons and dishwashers.

Instead check your appliance user manual to ensure vinegar descaling won't void the warranty and cause any degradation.

Answered: What do plumbers say about baking soda and vinegar?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:18:23 +0000

What plumbers say about baking soda and vinegar is that baking soda and vinegar is mostly ineffective at clearing serious clogs.

Plumbers often agree that while the fizzy action between baking soda and vinegar does look impressive and does clean some partial clogs, it also lacks the pressure as well as the chemical power to break down heavy hair, grease or solid blockages that are deep down within the pipes.

The chemical reaction that takes place between vinegar and baking soda, mostly takes place right in the drain opening or sink basin.

And the gas escapes upward instead of pushing down into the clog.

The fizzing also makes you believe that the clog is gone or going, but it often only just masks the symptoms of the clog and leaves the actual blockage to grow.

And while harmless to PVC, the highly acidic nature of vinegar can also corrode metal pipes like copper pipes and brass pipes over time.

And undissolved baking soda can also become trapped within existing grease or soap buildup, and potentially make the clog worse and hardening the clog.

While the baking soda and vinegar won't fix a total blockage, many plumbers do agree that baking soda and vinegar can be useful for odor control as well as maintenance.

The baking soda and vinegar, controls odor in the drains by breaking down light, odor causing organic matter that sits near the drain opening.

And baking soda and vinegar can be used as a very occasional and gentle maintenance flush for healthy pipes, although it is not a guaranteed preventive measure.

Instead of using baking soda and vinegar, you should first try a plunger or drain snake.

For physical clogs such as from debris or hair, physically removing or pushing the clog using a plunger is often better and sometimes a snake can push the clog through or allow you to pull the clog out.

For greasy kitchen clogs, using a combination of dish soap and boiling water is also much more effective at melting and flushing fats.

And if you have severe clogs you may need a professional drain cleaning, like hydro jetting or professional drain snaking.

Drano can also work in most cases, but just be careful as it's caustic and can cause breathing issues and burns.

Answered: What happens if you mix vinegar and Dawn dish soap?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 23:52:38 +0000

If you mix vinegar and Dawn dish soap together, what happens is, it slightly lowers the degreasing power of the Dawn Dish Soap.

Although mixing vinegar and Dawn Dish Soap does create a safe and also still highly effective household cleaner, which still excels at cutting through hard water stains, soap scum and surface grime.

It's mainly through a strictly chemical standpoint that the mixture of Dawn dish soap and vinegar slightly lowers the degreasing power of the dish soap, but it will still work very effectively.

Plain white vinegar is highly acidic with a pH of around 2.4, while standard blue Dawn Dish Soap is slightly alkaline or neutral (pH around 7 to 9).

Mixing the Dawn Dish Soap and Vinegar brings the overall pH closer together.

Also the acid in the vinegar interacts with the anionic surfactants, which are the cleaning molecules in the Dawn Dish Soap.

This prevents the soap from forming what is called "micelles", which are the microscopic structures that trap and lift heavy grease.

And because of this, the mixture is actually less effective at degreasing oily pots and pans than pure Dawn Dish Soap alone.

Although there are no hazards or hazardous fumes when mixing Dawn Dish Soap with vinegar, like there is with bleach and vinegar, which creates deadly chlorine gas, but mixing vinegar and Dawn Dish Soap is completely non toxic and safe to breathe.

And despite the Dawn Dish Soap's grease cutting power being reduced when mixed with vinegar, the combination of vinegar and Dawn Dish Soap works great for bathroom and tile cleaning.

Answered: How do you make your windows crystal clear?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:15:53 +0000

To make your windows crystal clear, you should use a two towel technique that is combined with a dedicated glass cleaner or a 50/50 mix of distilled water and white vinegar.

The main culprit behind blurry or streaky windows when cleaning them, is spraying too much cleaner and simply dragging the dissolved dirt back and forth across the glass.

Use two waffle weave microfiber towels, one towel is used exclusively for lifting the grime, and the second dry towel is used to buff away the remaining residue.

Use a professional grade, ammonia free cleaner like Stoner Invisible Glass or even mix equal parts of distilled water and white vinegar.

If making a DIY mix of distilled water and vinegar, always use distilled water as tap water contains minerals that will leave white spots on your windows when dried.

Spray the towel, wipe directionally and then buff dry.

Always work in the shade and never clean the hot glass on direct sunlight as the sunlight dries the cleaner too quickly, which leaves stubborn chemical streaks.

Also be sure to spray the towel and not the window.

Mist the first waffle weave towel lightly with the cleaner as spraying the glass directly creates overspray and pooling, which makes it harder to clear.

And wipe in straight lines and avoid circular motions, which swirl the dirt around.

Wipe exterior glass vertically (up and down) and interior glass horizontally (left to right).

If a streak appears, the direction tells you instantly which side of the glass it is on.

And then buff immediately by taking your second, completely dry microfiber towel and immediately buff the glass.

A traditional window cleaner is the classic mop and squeegee method, that involves using and applying a soapy cleaning solution to the glass using a scrubber and scrubbing away the stubborn dirt and grime and then removing the water with a hand held rubber squeegee before drying the edges with a cloth.

For the traditional approach in cleaning windows, window cleaners work up close to the glass and frequently use ladders to reach the upper story windows.

A bucket, a strip washer, (mop/applicator), a brass or steel squeegee and microfiber cloths are also traditionally used when cleaning windows.

And because the water is squeegeed and wiped off by hand, the window is perfectly clear and dry immediately after.

Vinegar and water can also be used to clean windows as the acetic acid in white vinegar effectively cuts through grease, hard water spots and grime without leaving behind any chemical residue that is found in commercial cleaners.

To use vinegar and water to clean windows, you can combine equal parts of 1:1 of distilled white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle for standard cleaning.

For heavy grime on windows, mix 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap like Dawn and 2 cups of warm water.

The soap will help to break down tough outdoor grime.

You can then spray the solution generously on the window and wipe it clean using a lint free microfiber cloth or a squeegee.

To avoid streaks on your windows, clean the windows on a cloudy day or when the glass is cool to the touch as direct sunlight will cause the vinegar and water evaporate too quickly and leave streaks.

And be sure to wipe or squeegee the solution off completely rather than letting it air dry, buff the glass dry with a clean, dry microfiber cloth for a sparkling clean finish.

Vinegar is also good for wiping down dust and grime on your window frames and sills due to it being slightly acidic.

Professional window cleaners sometimes use a bit of mild dish soap like Dawn to reduce surface tension and allow the squeegees to glide smoothly.

To avoid and prevent streaks when cleaning the windows and avoid hard water spots, many professional window cleaners also use a few drops of dishwasher rinse aid, white vinegar or even isopropyl rubbing alcohol to their water.

Professional window cleaners also use 100 percent pure water that goes through filtration system and or even a mix of tap water and pH neutral, streak free detergents.

Many professional window cleaners also use water fed poles with pure water and use zero mineral pure water that is produced through RO or Reverse Osmosis and Deionization filters.

Because all the minerals and salts are stripped from the water before it's used to clean windows, it dries completely spot free without needing to use a squeegee.

And for squeegee work and traditional washing buckets, professional window cleaners mxi in a professional grade surfactant or a reliable dish soap like Dawn dish soap.

Other soaps like Titan Glass Gleam 3 or Glass Gleam 4 are also very popular amongst professional window cleaners because they soften the water, increase the glide of the squeegee and leave no heavy residue.

And in cold weather and sub freezing temperatures when cleaning windows, professional window cleaners will often add some windshield washer fluid or rubbing alcohol to the water bucket to prevent the window cleaning solution from freezing on the glass.

To make pure water for window cleaning, you must strip your tap water of minerals and impurities to achieve a 0 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reading.

The two primary methods are DI (Deionization) filtration (best for soft water) and RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionization) (best for hard water).

Method 1: Deionization (DI) Resin (Best for Soft Water)

If your local water is relatively soft (below 100-120 ppm TDS), you can use a simple DI vessel.

The Setup: Hook up a hose from your outdoor tap to a DI filtration vessel (a canister filled with ion-exchange resin).

The Process: As tap water flows through the resin, it absorbs and removes all charged mineral ions (like calcium and magnesium).

The Result: The output is pure water ready to be used with a water-fed pole brush.

Method 2: Reverse Osmosis & Deionization (RO/DI) (Best for Hard Water)

For harder water (high TDS over 150 ppm), a DI-only system will exhaust the resin too quickly. A 3 or 4-stage system is the most cost-effective solution.

Stage 1 & 2 (Pre-filters): Water first passes through a sediment filter to remove dirt, followed by a carbon block filter to remove chlorine.

Stage 3 (RO Membrane): The water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, which filters out 90% to 99% of dissolved solids.

Stage 4 (DI Vessel): The remaining 1% to 10% of minerals pass through the DI resin, resulting in 0 TDS (perfectly pure) water.

Essential Equipment You Will Need

TDS Meter: You need a Total Dissolved Solids meter to measure your water's purity.

A reading of 000 ppm is the goal, but 000 to 007 ppm will generally not leave spots on the glass.

Water-Fed Pole: An extendable brush to scrub the glass and rinse away the dirt with the pure water stream.

Connection Hoses: Standard garden hose connections to link your tap to your filtration system and to your pole.

Answered: What is a traditional window cleaner?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:08:18 +0000

A traditional window cleaner is the classic mop and squeegee method, that involves using and applying a soapy cleaning solution to the glass using a scrubber and scrubbing away the stubborn dirt and grime and then removing the water with a hand held rubber squeegee before drying the edges with a cloth.

For the traditional approach in cleaning windows, window cleaners work up close to the glass and frequently use ladders to reach the upper story windows.

A bucket, a strip washer, (mop/applicator), a brass or steel squeegee and microfiber cloths are also traditionally used when cleaning windows.

And because the water is squeegeed and wiped off by hand, the window is perfectly clear and dry immediately after.

Vinegar and water can also be used to clean windows as the acetic acid in white vinegar effectively cuts through grease, hard water spots and grime without leaving behind any chemical residue that is found in commercial cleaners.

To use vinegar and water to clean windows, you can combine equal parts of 1:1 of distilled white vinegar and warm water in a spray bottle for standard cleaning.

For heavy grime on windows, mix 1/4 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of liquid dish soap like Dawn and 2 cups of warm water.

The soap will help to break down tough outdoor grime.

You can then spray the solution generously on the window and wipe it clean using a lint free microfiber cloth or a squeegee.

To avoid streaks on your windows, clean the windows on a cloudy day or when the glass is cool to the touch as direct sunlight will cause the vinegar and water evaporate too quickly and leave streaks.

And be sure to wipe or squeegee the solution off completely rather than letting it air dry, buff the glass dry with a clean, dry microfiber cloth for a sparkling clean finish.

Vinegar is also good for wiping down dust and grime on your window frames and sills due to it being slightly acidic.

Professional window cleaners sometimes use a bit of mild dish soap like Dawn to reduce surface tension and allow the squeegees to glide smoothly.

To avoid and prevent streaks when cleaning the windows and avoid hard water spots, many professional window cleaners also use a few drops of dishwasher rinse aid, white vinegar or even isopropyl rubbing alcohol to their water.

Professional window cleaners also use 100 percent pure water that goes through filtration system and or even a mix of tap water and pH neutral, streak free detergents.

Many professional window cleaners also use water fed poles with pure water and use zero mineral pure water that is produced through RO or Reverse Osmosis and Deionization filters.

Because all the minerals and salts are stripped from the water before it's used to clean windows, it dries completely spot free without needing to use a squeegee.

And for squeegee work and traditional washing buckets, professional window cleaners mxi in a professional grade surfactant or a reliable dish soap like Dawn dish soap.

Other soaps like Titan Glass Gleam 3 or Glass Gleam 4 are also very popular amongst professional window cleaners because they soften the water, increase the glide of the squeegee and leave no heavy residue.

And in cold weather and sub freezing temperatures when cleaning windows, professional window cleaners will often add some windshield washer fluid or rubbing alcohol to the water bucket to prevent the window cleaning solution from freezing on the glass.

To make pure water for window cleaning, you must strip your tap water of minerals and impurities to achieve a 0 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reading.

The two primary methods are DI (Deionization) filtration (best for soft water) and RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionization) (best for hard water).

Method 1: Deionization (DI) Resin (Best for Soft Water)

If your local water is relatively soft (below 100-120 ppm TDS), you can use a simple DI vessel.

The Setup: Hook up a hose from your outdoor tap to a DI filtration vessel (a canister filled with ion-exchange resin).

The Process: As tap water flows through the resin, it absorbs and removes all charged mineral ions (like calcium and magnesium).

The Result: The output is pure water ready to be used with a water-fed pole brush.

Method 2: Reverse Osmosis & Deionization (RO/DI) (Best for Hard Water)

For harder water (high TDS over 150 ppm), a DI-only system will exhaust the resin too quickly. A 3 or 4-stage system is the most cost-effective solution.

Stage 1 & 2 (Pre-filters): Water first passes through a sediment filter to remove dirt, followed by a carbon block filter to remove chlorine.

Stage 3 (RO Membrane): The water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, which filters out 90% to 99% of dissolved solids.

Stage 4 (DI Vessel): The remaining 1% to 10% of minerals pass through the DI resin, resulting in 0 TDS (perfectly pure) water.

Essential Equipment You Will Need

TDS Meter: You need a Total Dissolved Solids meter to measure your water's purity.

A reading of 000 ppm is the goal, but 000 to 007 ppm will generally not leave spots on the glass.

Water-Fed Pole: An extendable brush to scrub the glass and rinse away the dirt with the pure water stream.

Connection Hoses: Standard garden hose connections to link your tap to your filtration system and to your pole.

Answered: What is the hourly rate for a window cleaner?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:40:16 +0000

The hourly rate for a window cleaner ranges from $45.00 to $75.00 an hour per cleaner, although you might find some window cleaners for $15.00 to $20.00 an hour.

For window cleaners that clean high rise windows, you can expect to pay between $50.00 to $100.00 an hour.

Professional window cleaning services often use flat rate pricing to ensure consistency and often charge around $10.00 to $18.00 per window or around $4.00 to $8.00 per window pane.

Commercial window cleaning and storefronts often run between $50.00 to $100.00 per hour, depending on the building size and frequency.

Professional window cleaners sometimes use a bit of mild dish soap like Dawn to reduce surface tension and allow the squeegees to glide smoothly.

To avoid and prevent streaks when cleaning the windows and avoid hard water spots, many professional window cleaners also use a few drops of dishwasher rinse aid, white vinegar or even isopropyl rubbing alcohol to their water.

Professional window cleaners also use 100 percent pure water that goes through filtration system and or even a mix of tap water and pH neutral, streak free detergents.

Many professional window cleaners also use water fed poles with pure water and use zero mineral pure water that is produced through RO or Reverse Osmosis and Deionization filters.

Because all the minerals and salts are stripped from the water before it's used to clean windows, it dries completely spot free without needing to use a squeegee.

And for squeegee work and traditional washing buckets, professional window cleaners mxi in a professional grade surfactant or a reliable dish soap like Dawn dish soap.

Other soaps like Titan Glass Gleam 3 or Glass Gleam 4 are also very popular amongst professional window cleaners because they soften the water, increase the glide of the squeegee and leave no heavy residue.

And in cold weather and sub freezing temperatures when cleaning windows, professional window cleaners will often add some windshield washer fluid or rubbing alcohol to the water bucket to prevent the window cleaning solution from freezing on the glass.

To make pure water for window cleaning, you must strip your tap water of minerals and impurities to achieve a 0 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reading.

The two primary methods are DI (Deionization) filtration (best for soft water) and RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionization) (best for hard water).

Method 1: Deionization (DI) Resin (Best for Soft Water)

If your local water is relatively soft (below 100-120 ppm TDS), you can use a simple DI vessel.

The Setup: Hook up a hose from your outdoor tap to a DI filtration vessel (a canister filled with ion-exchange resin).

The Process: As tap water flows through the resin, it absorbs and removes all charged mineral ions (like calcium and magnesium).

The Result: The output is pure water ready to be used with a water-fed pole brush.

Method 2: Reverse Osmosis & Deionization (RO/DI) (Best for Hard Water)

For harder water (high TDS over 150 ppm), a DI-only system will exhaust the resin too quickly. A 3 or 4-stage system is the most cost-effective solution.

Stage 1 & 2 (Pre-filters): Water first passes through a sediment filter to remove dirt, followed by a carbon block filter to remove chlorine.

Stage 3 (RO Membrane): The water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, which filters out 90% to 99% of dissolved solids.

Stage 4 (DI Vessel): The remaining 1% to 10% of minerals pass through the DI resin, resulting in 0 TDS (perfectly pure) water.

Essential Equipment You Will Need

TDS Meter: You need a Total Dissolved Solids meter to measure your water's purity.

A reading of 000 ppm is the goal, but 000 to 007 ppm will generally not leave spots on the glass.

Water-Fed Pole: An extendable brush to scrub the glass and rinse away the dirt with the pure water stream.

Connection Hoses: Standard garden hose connections to link your tap to your filtration system and to your pole.

Answered: What do professional window cleaners use in their water?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:35:31 +0000

Professional window cleaners sometimes use a bit of mild dish soap like Dawn to reduce surface tension and allow the squeegees to glide smoothly.

To avoid and prevent streaks when cleaning the windows and avoid hard water spots, many professional window cleaners also use a few drops of dishwasher rinse aid, white vinegar or even isopropyl rubbing alcohol to their water.

Professional window cleaners also use 100 percent pure water that goes through filtration system and or even a mix of tap water and pH neutral, streak free detergents.

Many professional window cleaners also use water fed poles with pure water and use zero mineral pure water that is produced through RO or Reverse Osmosis and Deionization filters.

Because all the minerals and salts are stripped from the water before it's used to clean windows, it dries completely spot free without needing to use a squeegee.

And for squeegee work and traditional washing buckets, professional window cleaners mxi in a professional grade surfactant or a reliable dish soap like Dawn dish soap.

Other soaps like Titan Glass Gleam 3 or Glass Gleam 4 are also very popular amongst professional window cleaners because they soften the water, increase the glide of the squeegee and leave no heavy residue.

And in cold weather and sub freezing temperatures when cleaning windows, professional window cleaners will often add some windshield washer fluid or rubbing alcohol to the water bucket to prevent the window cleaning solution from freezing on the glass.

To make pure water for window cleaning, you must strip your tap water of minerals and impurities to achieve a 0 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) reading.

The two primary methods are DI (Deionization) filtration (best for soft water) and RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/Deionization) (best for hard water).

Method 1: Deionization (DI) Resin (Best for Soft Water)

If your local water is relatively soft (below 100-120 ppm TDS), you can use a simple DI vessel.

The Setup: Hook up a hose from your outdoor tap to a DI filtration vessel (a canister filled with ion-exchange resin).

The Process: As tap water flows through the resin, it absorbs and removes all charged mineral ions (like calcium and magnesium).

The Result: The output is pure water ready to be used with a water-fed pole brush.

Method 2: Reverse Osmosis & Deionization (RO/DI) (Best for Hard Water)

For harder water (high TDS over 150 ppm), a DI-only system will exhaust the resin too quickly. A 3 or 4-stage system is the most cost-effective solution.

Stage 1 & 2 (Pre-filters): Water first passes through a sediment filter to remove dirt, followed by a carbon block filter to remove chlorine.

Stage 3 (RO Membrane): The water is forced through a semipermeable membrane, which filters out 90% to 99% of dissolved solids.

Stage 4 (DI Vessel): The remaining 1% to 10% of minerals pass through the DI resin, resulting in 0 TDS (perfectly pure) water.

Essential Equipment You Will Need

TDS Meter: You need a Total Dissolved Solids meter to measure your water's purity.

A reading of 000 ppm is the goal, but 000 to 007 ppm will generally not leave spots on the glass.

Water-Fed Pole: An extendable brush to scrub the glass and rinse away the dirt with the pure water stream.

Connection Hoses: Standard garden hose connections to link your tap to your filtration system and to your pole.

Answered: What is the 20 minute rule in cleaning?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:02:19 +0000

The 20 minute rule in cleaning is a very popular time management method of cleaning, where you set a timer and then clean intensely for just 20 minutes a day.

Once the timer goes off, you immediately stop cleaning.

Using the 20 minute rule in cleaning, helps you prioritize your daily maintenance and momentum over deep cleaning.

Committing to 20 minutes of cleaning, prevents you from procrastination, which occurs when you think that a mess will take hours to clean up.

The 20 minute rule in cleaning also provides you with focus over perfection and you work on high impact zones, like wiping down kitchen counters or tidying the living room, without you worrying about baseboards or deep scrubbing.

And by tackling just a little bit of cleaning each day, you prevent your house from building up into an exhausting, weekend long chore to clean up.

Many professional organizers also recommend using the 20 minutes you have at the end of the day as a "closing shift".

You can focus on one specific area of cleaning, like the bathroom or even do a quick, multi step sweep.

For example, you could clear the sink, tidy clutter and wipe surfaces.

Tackle, cleaning the dirty dishes or load the dishwasher.

And then put stray items back where they belong.

And then give dirty tables and counters a quick wipe to clean them.

There's also variations of the 20 minute rule in cleaning, which include the 20 second rule and the 20/10 rule.

The 20 second rule in cleaning, is usually used alongside of the main 20 minute rule for decluttering, and it dictates that if you can find a new home for an item in 20 seconds or less, you must do it immediately, instead of making a pile.

And the 20/10 rule is a variation that alternates 20 minutes of active cleaning with 10 minutes of relaxation of rest, helping to train the brain to associate cleaning with quick, tangible rewards.

Answered: Why are people spraying their porch with vinegar?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:31:09 +0000

The reason why people are spraying their porch with vinegar is to repel pest.

People spray their porches with vinegar as a way to naturally repel pests, kill weeds and also as a cleaner.

The vinegar sprayed on the porch provides a cheap, non toxic alternative to harsh chemical insecticides and commercial cleaners.

The main reason behind the trend of spraying porches with vinegar is for pest control, especially ahead of seasonal bug spikes, which include spiders, ants and other insects.

The intense smell of the acetic acid in vinegar acts as an olfactory barrier and spiders detest the pungent odor of vinegar and actively avoid surfaces that are sprayed with the vinegar.

Ants also rely on pheromone trails to navigate and find food.

And vinegar breaks down the invisible chemical tracks known as pheromone trails, which causes the ants to lose their way and retreat.

The strong scent of vinegar also deters cockroaches, mosquitoes and even stray animals like cats and rodents from marking the area.

Vinegar also works great as a very effective, natural contact herbicide, by drying out foliage and targeting algae and moss.

The high acidity of the vinegar strips away the protective outer layer of the plant leaves and rapidly dehydrates the weeds that pop up through cracks in porches or patio stones.

Spritzing vinegar on shaded porch surfaces can also kill slick green algae and moss patches in as little as 30 minutes, which makes the area less slippery.

Porches are also constantly exposed to moisture, leading to organic buildup and vinegar breaks down light organic film, dirt and bird droppings and the natural antifungal properties of vinegar also help kill mold and mildew spores on porch entryways before they can take root and spread indoors.

Answered: Is the small triangle on a water meter supposed to be moving slowly with no water being used?

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:13:10 +0000

The small triangle on a water meter is not supposed to be moving slowly or at all with no water being used.

If the small triangle on a water meter or the small dial on the water meter is moving and no water is running it means that you have a small water leak somewhere past the water meter on your side.

When the water is not running the small triangle on a water meter should be completely still, although sometimes you might notice that it turns a bit when you turn the water off, but it should not continue moving with the water turned off.

The most common culprit of the small triangle on a water meter moving with the water off is a slowly leaking toilet tank flapper that allows water to slowly drain out of the toilet tank and then the water comes on in the toilet to fill back the water tank.

It could also be a small leak in a faucet or underground leak, depending on how fast it's moving.

You can test your toilet for water leaks from the tank into the bowl by putting some drops of food coloring in the toilet tank and then wait for around 20 minutes to 30 minutes and see if you notice the food coloring in the bowl.

If there is some food coloring in the bowl then it means that your toilet tank flapper is not sealing properly and allowing water to flow out and into the tank.

Leaking toilet tank flappers are a huge cause of high water bills due to water slowly or sometimes even flowing fast through the tank.

You can also shut off the water valve to your toilet and check the small triangle on a water meter again and if it stops, then the toilet tank flapper leaking is your issue.

Or sometimes the toilet tank fill valve may not be shutting off fully and continuing to run as well and it may need adjusted or even replaced.