Did you know that vinegar is not just a great ingredient for cooking? Check out the ideas listed below and see how to put vinegar to good use.
1. Remove stains from mugs: Tackle stubborn coffee and tea stains by scrubbing the stains with a bit of vinegar and baking soda. Rinse well with warm water.
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2. Clean a kettle: After a while a kettle may have a slight buildup of lime deposit. Fill the kettle with water and add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and bring to the boil. After boiling, pour out the vinegar water and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
3. Clean a drain: Mix vinegar in a pot with some baking soda. Once you see your mixture fizzing pour it down the drain. Follow that with hot water.
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4. Remove sticky marks: Sometimes it’s difficult to clean off sticky marks or even stickers from surfaces. To clean, simply dab the area with vinegar to dampen it and then wipe it off. If the sticky mark is stubborn, add a bit more vinegar, wait a minute, then wipe it clean.
5. Clean windows: Spray windows with a mixture of 1 gallon (4 liters) of warm water and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Wipe with a cloth to leave your windows looking shiny and clean.
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6. Rid surfaces of mold: An eco-friendly way to clean walls, toilets, bathtubs, grout, tiles or any other type of floor or surface is to dilute vinegar with equal parts water. Wait half a minute or so, then wipe with a clean cloth or mop. Vinegar is very effective at cleaning mold and bacteria.
7. Freshen dishcloths: Place cloths into a container. Fill the container with water and half a cup of vinegar. Soak for a few hours, after which, make sure to thoroughly rinse the cloths before using.
8. Disinfect chopping boards: You may have just chopped some onions, ginger, or meat on a chopping board; after cleaning the chopping board, wipe it down with white vinegar to clean and disinfect it. It also rids the chopping board of any strong odors.
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9. Add sparkle to glasses: Want to add more sparkle to your drinking glasses? Rinse with a mix of warm water and a bit of vinegar.
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10. Prepare a new fry pan/pot: After purchasing a brand new fry pan or cooking pot (this mainly refers to stainless steel items): Add water with vinegar and bring to boil for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the flame; pour out 3/4 of the vinegar water and scrub. Be careful when scrubbing, as the water is boiling hot. After scrubbing, add a little dishwashing liquid and water, then scrub again. You may notice greater or lesser amounts of blackness appear on your scrubber, or maybe none at all. Afterwards, rinse well with water. Doing so cleans off any residue industrial oils.
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11. Add fragrance to a lunch box: An interesting method of getting rid of the aromas of past meals is to add a few drops of vinegar to a piece of bread, leave the bread in the lunch box covered overnight. By the next morning, take the piece of bread out and you’ll find the lunch box smelling fresh.
12. Rid deodorant marks on shirts: Before trying this one, just to be clear, this is white vinegar we are referring to. Spray some vinegar on deodorant stains on shirts before putting them into the washing machine.
13. Freshen laundry: Again, only use white vinegar and simply add a capful of vinegar to your washing. You’ll find your clothes looking much fresher after you take them out of the washing machine. Adding some vinegar when the washing machine is on its spin dry cycle can assist in softening fabric and in getting rid of residue cleaning chemicals from the wash.
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14. Prolong a blooming flower: Want to keep those pretty flowers looking pretty for longer? Add about 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar to a vase and fill with water. It will keep your cut flowers fresh for longer.
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15. Rescue boiled eggs: If your egg starts to crack when it’s being boiled, adding a little vinegar will stop any egg white from seeping out.
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16. Clean a microwave: Spray your microwave with a mixture of part vinegar and warm water. Wait about half a minute, then wipe with a clean cloth. Cleaning this way removes any marks and leaves your microwave smelling as good as new.
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17. Clean smelly hands: Many people know how hard it is to clean away the smell of garlic or fish after you’ve been handling them. Rub a bit of vinegar in your hands, rinse, then wash again with soap. It works!
18. Alleviate Itchiness: Dabbing a very, very tiny amount of vinegar on mosquito bites or bug bites can help alleviate itchiness.
19. Treat Acne: Add 1-2 teaspoons of vinegar with water, (you can use your bathroom sink for this), then wash face focusing on the areas with acne. Doing so can also reduce wrinkles. Be sure not to make any contact with your eyes. This is not recommended for people with sensitive skin. Should your skin sting, don’t persist.
20. Lighten Hair Color: Want to try a natural way of lightening your hair color? Add some vinegar to your shampoo and use that to wash your hair. You’ll notice after a few weeks your hair color is lighter. Diluted vinegar can also be used as a hair conditioner.
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