Friday, May 04, 2012

Vinegar - it's not just for the bathroom mirror anymore


Disclaimer: You should NEVER, EVER mix vinegar with other chemicals. Vinegar reacts with bleach to create Chlorine Gas, which can be fatal. (Ammonia is the same way... so flush before bleaching your toilets!)

Basic Cleaning:

Food Stained Pans: Soak directly with undiluted vinegar for about a half hour, then rinse in hot soapy water.
Garbage Disposal: 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot white distilled vinegar.  Sit ofr 5-10 minutes and run hot water to flush.  Or make vinegar ice cubes and run them through the disposal to clean.
Coffee Maker: Run 1-2 cups of vinegar through your coffee pot.  Then run another 2 or 3 with just plain water to flush it out.
Coffee Pot: Make a paste with equal parts of baking soda and vinegar and scrub.  (This works for coffee and tea cups as well.)
Faucet Build Up: Fill a plastic baggy with white vinegar, submerge the faucet, and tie the bag at the top.  Leave overnight.  Flush thoroughly.
Dishwasher: Run 1 cup of white vinegar in an empty wash cycle to get rid of soap buildup and odors.  (Note, do not mix with dishwasher detergent as it often has bleach compounds present).
Microwave: 1/2 cup both water and white vinegar in a bowl and microwave on high till boiling.  Will deodorize and loosen baked on food.
Sponges: Soak in vinegar overnight to kill germs and refresh.
Flower Vases: (especially narrow necked ones) Soak in vinegar for a few hours.  You can add rice and shake it up to help scour the insides.
Oven Window: Coat the entire window with a good helping of vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes.  Then wipe with sponge.
Toilets: 1-2 cups of vinegar in the bowl and let sit overnight.  Then scrub and flush as usual.
Bathroom and Kitchen Surfaces: Spray undiluted white distilled vinegar onto surfaces to disinfect and deodorize.  Do not use on marble.
Shower/Tub Door Scum: Spray onto dry surface and wipe clean.  Rinse thoroughly.  (Kills mildew in the tracks too if you let it sit there for a while.)
Stickers: Soak with vinegar and use a plastic scraper to remove.
Fireplace Soot: White vinegar and a brush will remove soot and grime.
Windows: 1 part white vinegar to 1 part water in a spray bottle.  Wipe dry.
Doorknobs: Use undiluted vinegar and wipe dry.
Baby Toys and Vinyl Baby Books: Wipe with undiluted vinegar.

Health and Wellness: (Cider vinegar used also in this category)

Hairbrush: Soak in undiluted white vinegar.
Foot Odor: Wash feet with antiseptic soap then soak in undiluted cider vinegar for about 10 minutes.
Deoderant: Blot underarms with apple cider vinegar.  (Do not do this directly after shaving).  Vinegar kills the bacteria that break down and cause body odor.
Nails: Your nail polish will adhere better if you wipe your nails with vinegar before you paint them.  Just make sure they’re dry before applying paint.
Itching from Insect Bites: Apply white distilled vinegar gently to the affected areas to relieve itching.
Toenail Fungus: Soak toes in 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water for 15 minutes a day.
Sore Throat: Gargle with  1 cup hot water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vinegar.  Then drink.
Hair: Rinse your hair with 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup warm water.  Strips soap residue and softens.
Face: Use high quality apple cider vinegar as a toner to restore skin ph.  You can add lavender calendula, rose, or elder flower to enhance if you choose.

Outside:

Birdbath: Wash with vinegar (and a little scrubbing) to remove filmy buildup.
Weed Killer: Directly  pour or spray white distilled vinegar on them.  (Be careful if you are applying in a grassy area.)
Keep Animals Out: Place vinegar soaked cotton balls in the garden to deter rabbits and spray vinegar around the kids sandbox so kitty stays out too!  You can place these in a film canister and poke holes in it before you lay them in the garden.
Moths: Use 2 parts vinegar and 1 part molasses in a tin can.  Hang in a tree.
Cut flowers: 1 teaspoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar per quart.  Livens droopy flowers and preserves fresh cut ones.
Car Windows: Make them frost free overnight by applying 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water.
Carsick Rider?: Diminish the smell with a bowl of vinegar left in the vehicle overnight.
Gum: Remove gum in floorboards and upholstery with undiluted white vinegar.
Coolers: Remove smells from coolers by wiping down walls with vinegar and placing a bowl of vinegar in the bottom to sit overnight.  Rinse well.
Skunk Odors: Wipe down fido with a half vinegar, half water solution and rinse well.  Repeat if necessary.
Litter Box Odor: 1/2 cup of white vinegar in the bottom of the empty box.  Let sit for a few minutes then rinse well.
Cat Urine: To keep kitty from coming back and spraying in an area of your home, spray with vinegar then rinse clean.  (Spot check area first).

Laundry:

Mildewy Smelling Laundry: Pour some white vinegar into your wash load and run.  (No bleach)
Fabric Softener: Run a 1/2 cup of vinegar in your final rinse to remove any soap residue and soften fabrics and reduce cling!
Tomato Based Stains: Use equal parts white vinegar and water.  Works for mustard too.
Sweat Stains and Odors: Spray with vinegar and wash.
Wine: Must be completed in 24 hours.  Cotton, Cotton Polyester, and Permanent Press fabrics.  Soak stain directly with vinegar and rub.  Then wash like normal.

Thanks to Amber@CouponConnections for this informative piece!! 

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