Gomestic > Homemaking

20 More Ways to Use Vinegar

Vinegar is not just for cooking anymore.

1) Cut Flowers: Mix two tablespoons of vinegar and two tablespoons of sugar in a liter of water to keep cut flowers longer. Change the water and trim stem ends every four or five days.

2) Dry Skin: Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath water to sooth itchy, dry, or cracked skin.

3) Microwave Clean-up: Wet a dish cloth with vinegar and place it in the microwave. Set microwave on high for ten to fifteen seconds to loosen food spatters. Once cloth is cool enough to be handled, wring it out and wipe the dirt away. It will clean and deodorize at the same time.

4) Polish Metal: Clean brass, copper, and silver by mixing equal parts of vinegar and baking soda into a paste. Use a wet cloth to gently rub the tarnish away. Rinse thoroughly with clear water and polish dry.

5) White Cup Rings: Remove white marks on wood furniture by mixing equal parts cooking oil and vinegar. Apply with a soft cloth rubbing gently with the grain. Shine with a dry soft cloth.

6) Toilet Bowl: Deodorize your toilet bowl by adding three cups of white vinegar to to it. Let stand about a half hour before flushing.

7) Winter Salt Marks: Remove salt marks on boots and shoes by wiping them with a cloth dipped in undiluted vinegar.

8) Car Windshield: Washing your windshield in winter with equal parts water and vinegar will discourage frost from forming.

9) Loosen Rusty Screws: Spray vinegar full strength onto stubborn rusted screws and leave sit for half an hour before loosening.

10) Kill Weeds: To kill grass and weeds that grow between flagstone, pour vinegar onto plant full strength.

11) Skunk Odor: If your pet has tangled with a skunk, rub his fur well with a cloth soaked in vinegar.

12) Cat Scratches: To keep cats from scratching your furniture, spray upholstery with vinegar. Cats are able to smell the vinegar much longer than humans . (always test a small area of fabric for staining or running before use)

13) Set Color in Clothes: To set color in clothes to keep them from running, soak clothes in warm water and one cup of vinegar.

14) Computers: Clean computers, printer, fax machine, keyboard, etc, by wringing out a cloth dipped in half water and half vinegar, then dry. Not only will it leave them clean but the vinegar will help repel dust.

15) Coffee and Tea Stains: Coffee and tea stains can easily be removed from cups by cleaning with a mixture of half vinegar and half salt. Just rub the stains away.

16) Cooking Fish: Add a tablespoon of vinegar to water when poaching fish to keep it from falling apart so easily. (Using vinegar for cooking will not leave a vinegar taste on food.)

17) Boiled Eggs: When boiling eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water to keep the white of the egg from leaking out if the shell cracks.

18) Poached Eggs: When poaching eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to keep the white of the egg from running.

19) Tough Meat: Tenderize tough mean bymarinating it overnight in vinegar.

20) Salty Food: If you find that you have over salted your food while cooking, add a bit of vinegar. You won't taste the vinegar and it cuts the taste of salt.

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Comments (16)
#1 by Lucy Lockett, Jun 11, 2007
Good stuff!
#2 by lizzie2uk, Jun 13, 2007
Now I know how to do these things, I just need someone to do them for me. I haven't time, I'm too busy writing!
#3 by Francie, Jun 13, 2007
More great ways to use vinegar! Thanks!
#4 by C A Johnson, Jun 13, 2007
This was a very good column. I knew that I would learn something.:) You're tips are really helpful. I didn't realize that you could use vinegar to clean the computer and keyboard.
#5 by shaun ashcroft, Jun 13, 2007
Always enjoy your articles Darlene. When you tell someone howm to do somwething you actually tell them! You mentioned you wanted to see more pictures of New Zealand. There are a few on my picable page including Waiheke Island, Te Mata peak, Bambina garden and a few more to come.
Cheers

Shaun
#6 by beauley, Lucien, Jun 14, 2007
So informative, especially weed killer. Bio-degradeable! My wife cleans our small coffee pot regularly with white vinegar. Please keep writing.
#7 by Rudy, Jun 14, 2007
A little vinegar also freshens your breath, cuts accumalating scum on the shower walls. thanks for the other uses.
#8 by Dayna, Jun 16, 2007
Once a month rinse you hair with vinegar. It will remove shampoo, gel and hairspray build up off your hair and pirk it up.
#9 by Sherri O'Neil, Jun 21, 2007
Absolutely top notch! More things I didn't know - love it!
#10 by beauley, Lucien, Jul 6, 2007
I see some are beginning to pickup on your key subject matter. Well, in life, one learns from a master. Please keep writing more new "consumer advice" (Info).
#11 by Beatrice, Aug 11, 2007
I love the "weeds" tip. My aunt keeps complaining about how fast the weeds grow in her garden... I think I'll surprise her one of these days! :)

Love your style, btw. VERY easy reading. Keep it up!
#12 by Christina, Oct 7, 2007
My mother in law taught me a great tip, soak teeshirts with deoderant build up in vinegar and it will dissolve it.
#13 by Dee Huff, Feb 1, 2008
My bedside table has a white ring on the wood top, I'm definitely going to try the oil and vinegar recipe on that. It's funny, you tend to think of oil and vinegar as salad dressing, but I've used it as a marinade before now. As for the vinegar as weedkiller, I will definitely try that. Really good tips.
#14 by Judy Sheldon, Feb 3, 2008
Good economical and earth friendly tips. Thanks, Darlene.
#15 by Lynn, Jun 27, 2008
Not a day goes by that I don\'t find another use for vinegar. I love it. I am just so sorry it has taken me this long to find out how great vinegar is.
#16 by Darlene McFarlane, Jun 27, 2008
Hi Lynn,
Even though I knew about the uses for vinegar, it took me years before I would try it. When I became chemical sensitive I had no choice and like you, I was sorry I waited so long.

Darlene
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