The “v” in vinegar should stand for “versatile,” because of its many uses throughout the home and garden.
Please keep in mind that while vinegar is multipurpose, it is not all-purpose. Keep it away from granite, marble, and manufactured stone countertops; hardwood floors (it can even void the warranty); wood furniture; kitchen knives (as it can damage the finish or cause pitting); and aluminum and cast-iron pans.
Safety First
Never mix vinegar with ammonia; hydrogen peroxide; bleach, which produces toxic chlorine gas; or baking soda in a closed container. Why a closed container in particular? The combination will react, causing rapidly expanding foam.On the upside, this effect actually turns the combo into a handy drain cleaner. Pour one cup of baking soda down the drain, then one cup of vinegar. Allow it to work for five minutes, then pour two cups of hot water down the drain. Repeat, if needed.
Air Freshener
An old boater’s trick is to fill a bowl one-third of the way with full-strength white vinegar and leave it in the boat’s cabin to keep the place from getting musty between uses. Tape a note on the helm to remind the boat owner to remove the bowl of vinegar, which is then poured down the sink drain to deodorize it, before moving the boat.This trick works in the refrigerator, kitchen, bathroom, basement, and in fact in every room of the home as a short-term odor fix or long-term odor prevention solution.
Cars, Too
To deodorize a car, leave a bowl of vinegar in it overnight with the windows rolled up. Use the vinegar again in the morning to wash the wiper blades to reduce streaks and extend their life. Or, if it’s cold out, apply a thin layer of vinegar to the windshield to help prevent frost.Laundry Stain Removal
Add a cup of full-strength white vinegar to the rinse cycle of a laundry load as a substitute for fabric softener. It will also deodorize the clothing, brighten colors, repel lint, and result in fluffier blankets, towels, and sweaters.White vinegar also works well as a spot treatment for sweat, ketchup, tomato sauce, wine, coffee, and other stains. Pour it on the fabric or put it in a spray bottle for easier application. Let sit for a few minutes, then wash immediately.
For dingy whites, such as socks, put one cup of vinegar in a large pot of hot water. Soak the socks in the pot overnight before washing them. It will help restore their brightness.
Bathroom Brightener
In addition to being safer than bleach, white vinegar will leave tiles spot- and streak-free. Use equal parts vinegar and water—in a bucket or spray bottle—for general purpose jobs, and full-strength vinegar for heavy mildew.
Now and again use vinegar to revitalize a loofah. Fill a bowl or bucket with equal parts vinegar and water and soak the loofah in it for 24 hours.
Vinegar can be used to clean bathroom tiles, the tub and toilet, and even the shower head. Vereshchagin Dmitry/Shutterstock
Save That Showerhead
Clogged, crusty showerhead? Don’t throw it out. Take it off the wall, remove the rubber washer, and soak it in equal parts white vinegar and hot water for one hour or overnight.Can’t get it off the wall? Fill a plastic bag large enough to fit the showerhead with the 50/50 mixture, secure it with a tie wrap or rubber band, and let it work.
Tub and Toilet Techniques
Difficult stains on the tub? Pour in four cups of white vinegar, then fill the tub as normal. Let the solution sit for about four hours. Drain and then clean the now-loosened grime.While the bottle is out, pour a single cup of white vinegar into the toilet as well. Let it sit overnight to clean and disinfect.
Glass Saver
Replace those ammonia-based window cleaners with one part vinegar to one part water. It works well on mirrors, too. Work in a top to bottom S-pattern for the ultimate streak-free shine.To remove hard water deposits on drinking glasses, soak them in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water for 30 minutes. Then clean as usual.
Want to reuse glass jars? Sanitize them by soaking them in equal parts vinegar and warm water for 30 minutes. This will also make it easier to peel off any labels or stickers on the jars.
Rust Remover
Even the nicest can openers seem to get rusty, as do other kitchen tools. Submerge the item in a bowl of white vinegar, allow to sit for three to four hours or overnight, as needed, then brush the rust away and clean.Really rusty items—such as screwdrivers, pliers, or garden trowels left outdoors too long—may need to be soaked in vinegar for several days. The same goes for old screws and bolts. Be patient.
Bugs Begone
Vinegar makes a handy bug spray. Simply put equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and use it to eradicate ants and the scent trails that lead them back to their nest, as well as spiders, roaches, moths, and other common household pests.Use a 50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water to make a potent mosquito repellent to spray on nearby surfaces outdoors (but not on oneself!).
Flowery Finish
To extend the life of cut flowers, add a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of dissolved sugar for each pint of vase water.
A mixture of water, sugar, and vinegar can be used to extend the lives of cut flowers. Olga_Berezhna/Shutterstock
