I’ve been thinking about it for a while now- does using vinegar really disinfect and kill germs? I use mostly all natural or green cleaning products around the house but still have been using things like Clorox wipes and toilet cleansers in areas that I am just too suspicious of: ie kitchen countertops, bathrooms, sink handles, door handles. Can I really trust vinegar to kill flu viruses and e. coli? (Can you tell I have swine flu on my mind? Can you blame me I am pregnant and have a toddler!)
So I am getting down to the bottom of it. Honestly, I would rather use nothing but natural cleaners, safer for my family, safer for the world I share with everyone, but I am a germaphobe and want to know that I am wiping out flu viruses, e. coli and salmonella. I am searching out some info- does vinegar kill germs and viruses?
Here’s what I have found: vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold and 80% of viruses. For something like salmonella on a cutting board, hit it with boiling water or the sanitize cycle in the dishwasher. So, it looks like we can trust the bacteria killing power of vinegar, lemon and hydrogen peroxide. But I think during flu season I still may use some rubbing alcohol on door knobs, remotes, sink handles, etc. But I am happy to know for sure that I can really let go of the bleach.
Also, I read you should use 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water to clean your produce, too.
Sources to check out:
DIY-cleaners, the green kind
Why chemical disinfectants are overkill
CBS 48 hours on old time cleaning remedies
Natural Remedies for disenfecting
My daughter had her one year doctor’s appointment today, and while shopping at Target yesterday I had anticipated the discussion about transitioning from bottles to sippy cups so I purchased a couple. True to form we did indeed talk about transitioning and I was glad to say I was prepared!
What surprised me the most about the sippy cups was how expensive they were. I figured the glass bottles I had purchased many moons ago were pricey because of the extra stuff that came along with them: the nipple, the ballast thing that goes in between, etc., but the sippy cups - why do they cost three to four dollars a piece?
I bought the cheapest ones I could find that were BPA free and they were still six dollars for two. And that’s at Target prices, not Bloomingdale’s baby depot! 
My daughter and I took our second outing to the Music Together activities we signed up for and we had terrific time. There were more attendees today and some familiar faces from last week. What made the second class such a good time for me was that I knew the lyrics to the songs as we’ve been listening to the music in the car and at home. “Hello everybody, so glad to see you!”
I’m actually really into one of the songs on the CD - “Rolling”. I wish it were longer as the guitar and refrain are just awesome.
But back to the classes - my daughter didn’t cry today which I was very happy about. She only cried for a few moments the first class, but I was hoping that she’d be more comfortable today and indeed she was. She is still too young to know how to sing, but she dances and shakes the rattle with the best of them!
