For the Love of Vinegar

July 13, 2012

Although vinegar sometimes gets a bad rep for being smelly, its variety of uses make it very popular amongst my family.  Because of its acidity, it is a highly effective disinfectant, and can be used on a variety of surfaces, as it is not harmful to children or animals.  Not only is it safe for use around children though, it is also environmentally friendly, and can easily replace the harsh cleaning chemicals you may currently be using.

 

Household Cleaning

  • Mop floors by using a mixture of 2/3 cups water and 1/3 cup vinegar.
  • Sanitize door knobs, bathroom fixtures, and counter tops by using a spray bottle (filled ½ with vinegar and ½ with water) to coat area and wipe dry.
  • Clean toys by adding ½ cup vinegar to a gallon of soapy water.  Soak the toys in the mixture, rinse and wipe dry.
  • To clean urine on carpet use a spray bottle (½ vinegar and ½ water) to thoroughly soak the area.  Sprinkle with baking soda and vacuum after the vinegar dries.
  • Windows sparkle after being sprayed with undiluted vinegar and wiped dry with newspaper.
  • Replace the jet dry in the dishwasher with vinegar.

 

Air Freshener

  • To get rid of strong cooking smells, simmer ½ cup of vinegar and ½ cup of water in a pot on the stove •OR• Leave a cup of vinegar in a bowl in the odorous area until the smell is gone.
  • Refresh a room by spraying undiluted vinegar in the air.

 

Cooking & Baking

  • Replace buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk.
  • Clean fruits and vegetables by spraying them with a mixture of 1/3 cup of vinegar and 2/3 cup of water, and then rinsing them with water.

 

Laundry

  • Liquid fabric softener can be replaced with ½ cup of vinegar.

 

Insect Repellant

  • Spray undiluted vinegar around doors and windowsills, or where ever ants are usually spotted.
  • Get rid of fruit flies by placing a ½ cup of vinegar in a dish.

 

Garden & Yard

  • Spray undiluted vinegar on weeds in cracks of driveway or in gardens.

 

From my list you can see that vinegar is very versatile!  And although my list is lengthy, I’m sure there are some helpful tips that I’m missing.  If you’ve got anything to add, I would love to know how you use vinegar.