Try a cleaning cocktail

When cleaning tasks are at hand, go ahead and reach for a bottle of vodka. Yes, you read that right. No, it's not happy hour ... yet.

It's time to stir up the housekeeping routine with a cleaning cocktail. Shaken or stirred, vodka is a perfect cleaning solution for the chemically  sensitive and an excellent degreaser, with the added benefit of being both odorless and colorless. 

Although most forms of vodka contain alcohol concentrations too low to be considered an effective disinfectant (around 40 percent versus the minimum 70 percent needed), you can take advantage of that leftover vodka from your last party and use it as an all-purpose cleaner. 

A Cleaning Cocktail for grease and grime

So the next time you need to show that grimy tub or crumby countertop who's boss, stir up a "cleaning cocktail."

You can use vodka by itself or create a cleaning solution using a 1:1 vodka-water mix.

To use:

• Dip a sponge or rag in the vodka cleaning solution, apply to the surface to be cleaned, and wipe off. You can also put the solution in a spray bottle for easy spritzing and cleaning.

• To keep those unsightly toilet rings from forming, pour a half cup of vodka into the bowl monthly. Let it sit overnight if possible, and flush to clean. While you're there, wipe down the seat and lid.

• To add a fresh citrus scent, fill a spray bottle with vodka, drop in some lemon or orange peels, and let it sit. The citric acid in orange peels will be dissolved by the vodka, further boosting vodka's cleaning might.

No need to break out the Belvedere or Grey Goose here - the cheap stuff works just as well as the top-shelf bottles - for less.