I use a lot of vinegar in my cleaning, and wondering about its impact on my garden.

First, our shower water goes onto the garden. I use a dishing washing detergent (green, earth friendly stuff) and vinegar mix (1:3 ratio) to spray the shower. Guess I use about 1/4 litre of this every week. I try to remember to switch the water back over to the mains so it doesn’t go on the garden, but sometimes I forget. Should I be ‘correcting’ this with something? Lime? (BTW, this mix is BRILLIANT on mould and soup scum. Spray it on, leave for an hour or so, spray lightly to dampen, scrub with bathroom scrubber thingie, wash off. Has cut our mould in the shower by about 80%.)

Second, I use vinegar instead of fabric softener in the washing machine, which drains to another section of the garden. Guess I use about 1/4 cup every load; four or six loads a week (depends on sheets & towels etc). Again, should I correct this?

And third, I wash the floors with vinegar. One cup in a bucket of hot water – you would not believe the colour of the water when I’m finished. Urgh. Anything I could plant (pref eatable or wildlife friendly) that would love have this tipped on them every week? I can just tip it down the drain, but I prefer to reuse water wherever possible.

probably the best way to see how it is affecting your soil is to do a ph test of the soil where the vinegar water ends out. That way you will know if you need to add lime or not. Usually though your plants will tell you if they don’t like it.

I use a microfibre cloth with just water in a lot of situations, and I don’t bother worrying about softening my washing!

I wouldn’t be too worried. Imagine if you used bleach or any of the heavy-duty plastic-packed stuff? Wouldn’t put that on the garden in a pink fit, eh, but?!