Try A Cleaning Cocktail

No, it's not happy hour ... yet. It's time to stir up the housekeeping routine and try a cleaning cocktail.

When cleaning tasks are at hand, go ahead and reach for a bottle of vodka. Yes, you read that right.

Shaken or stirred, vodka is a perfect cleaning solution for the chemically sensitive. It is also 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. 

Try A Cleaning Cocktail for Grease and Grime

• Dip a sponge or rag in the vodka cleaning solution, apply it to the surface to be cleaned, and wipe it 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 the vodka's cleaning power.

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 on its own or make a cleaning solution with a 1:1 vodka-water mix. To use:

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.