around the house
CLEAR DIRT OFF COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERALS • Your computer, printer, and other home-office gear will work better if you keep them clean and dust-free. Before you start cleaning, make sure that all your equipment is turned off. Now mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a bucket. Dampen a clean cloth in the solution—never use a spray bottle; you don’t want to get liquid on the circuits inside—then squeeze it out as hard as you can and start wiping. Keep a few cotton swabs on hand for getting to the buildups in tight spaces (like around the keys of your computer’s keyboard).
CLEAN YOUR WINDOW BLINDS • You can make the job of cleaning mini-blinds or venetians much less torturous by giving them the ‘white glove’ treatment. Just put on a white cotton glove—the kind sold for gardening is perfect—and moisten the fingers in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and hot tap water. Now simply slide your fingers across both sides of each slat. Use clean water to periodically wash off the glove.
CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER MOUSE • If you have a mouse with a removable tracking ball, use a 50:50 vinegar–water solution to clean it. First, remove the ball from underneath the mouse by twisting off the cover over it. Use a cloth, dampened with the solution and wrung out, to wipe the ball clean and to remove fingerprints and dirt from the mouse itself. Then use a moistened cotton swab to clean out the gunk and debris from inside the ball chamber (let it dry for a couple of hours before reinserting the ball).
GET RID OF SMOKE ODOR • If you’ve recently burned a steak or something else, remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl about three-quarters full of white or cider vinegar in the room where the scent is strongest. Use several bowls if the smell permeates your entire home. The odor should be gone in less than a day. You can also quickly dispense of the smell of fresh cigarette smoke inside a room by moistening a cloth with vinegar and waving it around a bit.
Vinegar comes in a surprising number of varieties—including herbal organic blends, Champagne, rice, and wine—not to mention bottle sizes and prices.
For household chores, however, plain distilled white vinegar is the best and least expensive choice, and you can buy it in 1 gallon (4 L) jugs to save even more money. Apple cider vinegar runs a close second in terms of practicality and is also widely used in cooking and home remedies. All other types of vinegar are strictly for ingestion and can vary wildly in price as well.
UNCLOG AND DEODORIZE DRAINS • The combination of vinegar and baking soda is one of the most effective mixtures for unclogging and deodorizing drains. It’s also far gentler on your pipes than commercial drain cleaners.
To clear clogs in sink and tub drains, use a funnel to pour in 1/2 cup (125 g) baking soda followed by 1 cup (250 ml) vinegar. When the foaming subsides, flush with hot tap water. Wait 5 minutes and flush again with cold water. Besides clearing blockages, this technique also washes away odor-causing bacteria.
To speed up a slow drain, pour in 1/2 cup (125 g) salt followed by 2 cups (500 ml) boiling vinegar, and follow by flushing with hot and cold tap water.
WIPE AWAY MILDEW • When you want to remove mildew stains, reach for white vinegar first. It can be safely used without additional ventilation and also be applied to almost any surface—bathroom fixtures and tiles, clothing, furniture, painted surfaces, plastic curtains, and more. To eliminate heavy mildew accumulations, use it full strength. For light stains, dilute with an equal amount of water. You can also prevent mildew from forming on the bottoms of rugs and carpeting by misting the backs with full-strength white vinegar from a spray bottle.
ERASE BALLPOINT-PEN MARKS
Has a budding young artist just decorated a painted wall in your home with a ballpoint original? Don’t lose your cool. Instead, dab some full-strength white vinegar on the ‘masterpiece’ using a cloth or a sponge. Repeat until the marks are gone. Then go out and buy your child a nice big sketch pad.
UNGLUE STICKERS, DECALS, AND PRICE TAGS • To remove a sticker or decal fixed to painted furniture or a painted wall, simply saturate the corners and sides of the sticker with full-strength white vinegar and carefully scrape it off (using an expired credit card or a plastic phone card). Remove any sticky remains by pouring on a bit more vinegar. Let it sit for a minute or two and wipe with a clean cloth. This approach is equally effective for removing price tags and other stickers from glass, plastic, and other glossy surfaces.
BURNISH YOUR SCISSORS • When your scissor blades get sticky or grimy, don’t use water to wash them off; you’re far more likely to rust the fastener that holds the blades together—or even the blades—than get them clean. Instead, wipe down the blades with a cloth dipped in full-strength white vinegar, and dry them off with a rag or dish towel.
GET THE SALT OFF YOUR SHOES • Getting ice and snow on your shoes and boots is bad enough, but worse still is the rock salt that’s used to melt it in some cold areas. In addition to leaving unsightly white stains, salt can actually cause footwear to crack and even disintegrate if it’s left on indefinitely. To remove it and prevent long-term damage, wipe fresh stains with a cloth dipped in undiluted white vinegar.
CLEAN YOUR PIANO KEYS • Here’s an easy and efficient way to get those grimy fingerprints and stains off your piano keys. Dip a soft cloth into a solution of 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar and 2 cups (500 ml) water, squeeze it out until there are no drips, then gently wipe off each key. Use a second cloth to dry off the keys as you move along. Leave the keyboard uncovered for 24 hours.
DEODORIZE LUNCH BOXES, GYM LOCKERS, AND CAR TRUNKS • Does your old gym locker smell like, well, an old gym locker? Or perhaps your child’s lunch box has taken on the bouquet of week-old tuna? What about that musty car trunk? Stop holding your breath every time you open it. Instead, soak a slice of white bread in white vinegar and leave it in the malodorous space overnight. The smell should be gone by morning.
FRESHEN A MUSTY CLOSET • Got a closet that doesn’t smell as fresh as you’d like? First, remove the contents, then wash down the walls, ceiling, and floor with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) each vinegar and ammonia and 1/4 cup (50 g) baking soda in a gallon (4 L) of water. Keep the closet door open and let the interior dry before replacing your clothes and other stuff. If the smell persists, place a small tray of cat litter inside. Replenish it every few days until the odor is gone.
BRIGHTEN UP BRICKWORK • How’s this for an effortless way to clean your brick floors without breaking out the polish? Just go over them with a damp mop dipped in 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar mixed in a gallon (4 L) warm water. Your floors will look so good you’ll never clean them with anything else. You can also use this same solution to brighten the bricks around your fireplace.
REVITALIZE WOOD PANELING • Does the wood paneling in your study look dull and dreary? Liven it up with this simple homemade remedy. Mix 2 cups (500 ml) warm water, 4 tablespoons (60 ml) white or apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil in a container, give it a couple of shakes and apply to wood with a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak in for several minutes, then polish with a dry cloth.
RESTORE WORN RUGS • If your rugs or carpets are looking worn and dingy from too much foot traffic or an excess of kids’ building blocks, toy trucks and such, bring them back to life by brushing them with a clean broom dipped in a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar in a gallon (4 L) water. Your faded threads will perk up, and you won’t even need to rinse off the solution.
REMOVE CARPET STAINS • You can lift out many stains from your carpet with vinegar:
Rub light carpet stains with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) salt dissolved in 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar. Let the solution dry and vacuum.
For larger or darker stains, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) borax to the mixture and use it in the same way.
Using a damp mop with a mild vinegar solution is widely recommended as a way to clean wooden and wax-free vinyl or laminate flooring.
But, if at all possible, check with your flooring manufacturer first. Even when diluted, vinegar’s acidity can ruin some floor finishes, and too much water will damage most wooden floors. If you want to try vinegar on your floors, use 1/2 cup (125 ml)white vinegar mixed in a gallon (4 L) warm water. Use a trial application in an inconspicuous area. Before applying the vinegar–water solution, squeeze out the mop thoroughly (or just use a spray bottle to moisten the mop head directly).
For tough, ground-in dirt and stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornstarch and rub into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days and vacuum.
To make a spray-on spot-and-stain remover, fill a spray bottle with 5 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Fill a second spray bottle with 1 part nonsudsy ammonia and 5 parts water. Saturate a stain with the vinegar solution, let it settle for a few minutes, and blot thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth. Then spray and blot using the ammonia solution. Repeat until the stain is completely gone.
in the garage
REMOVE BUMPER STICKERS • If those tattered old bumper stickers on your car make you feel more nauseated than nostalgic, it’s time to break out the vinegar. Saturate the top and sides of the sticker with undiluted distilled vinegar and wait 10 to 15 minutes for the vinegar to soak through. Then use an expired credit card to scrape it off. Use more full-strength vinegar to get rid of any remaining gluey residue. Use the same technique to detach those cute decals your children use to decorate the back windshields.
CLEAN WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES • When your windshield actually gets blurrier after you turn on your wipers during a rainstorm, it usually means that your wiper blades are dirty. To make them as good as new, dampen a cloth or rag with some full-strength white vinegar and run it down the full length of each blade once or twice.
KEEP CAR WINDOWS FROST-FREE • If you park your car outdoors during the cold winter months, a smart and simple way to stop frost from forming on your windows is by wiping (or, better yet, spraying) the outsides of the windows with a solution of 3 parts white vinegar to 1 part water. Each coating may last up to several weeks—although, unfortunately, if you live in a cold-climate area it won’t do much in the way of warding off a heavy snowfall.
CARE FOR CAR CARPET • A good vacuuming will get up the sand and other loose debris from your car’s carpeting, but it won’t do much for stains or ground-in dirt. For that, mix up a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar and sponge it into the carpet. Give the mixture a couple of minutes to sink in, then blot it up with a cloth or paper towel. This technique will also eliminate salt residues left on car carpets during the winter months in snow areas.
for furniture care
REMOVE CANDLE WAX • Candles are great for intimate dinners, but the mood can quickly sour if you wind up getting melted candle wax on your wooden furniture. To remove it, first soften the wax using a blow-dryer on its hottest setting and blot up as much as you can with paper towels. Remove what’s left by rubbing with a cloth soaked in a solution made of equal parts white vinegar and water. Wipe clean with a soft, absorbent cloth.
GIVE GREASE STAINS THE SLIP • Eliminate grease stains from your kitchen table or countertop by wiping them down with a cloth dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. In addition to removing the grease, the vinegar will neutralize any odors on the surface (once its own pungent aroma has evaporated, that is).
CONCEAL SCRATCHES IN WOODEN FURNITURE
Got a scratch on a wooden tabletop that grabs your attention every time you look at it? To make it much less noticeable, mix some distilled or cider vinegar and iodine in a small jar and paint over the scratch with a small artist’s brush. Use more iodine for darker woods; more vinegar for lighter shades.
GET RID OF WATER RINGS ON FURNITURE • To remove white rings left by wet glasses on wooden furniture, mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil and apply the mixture with a soft cloth while moving with the wood grain. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up. To get white water rings off leather furniture, dab them with a sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar.
WIPE OFF WAX OR POLISH BUILDUP • When furniture polish or wax builds up on wood furniture or leather tabletops, get rid of it with diluted white vinegar. For wood furniture, dip a cloth in equal parts vinegar and water and squeeze it out well. Then, moving with the grain, clean away the polish. Wipe dry with a soft towel or cloth. For leather tabletops, simply wipe them down with a soft cloth dipped in 1/4 cup (50 ml) vinegar and 1/2 cup (125 ml) water. Use a clean towel to dry off any remaining liquid.
REVITALIZE LEATHER FURNITURE • Has your leather couch or easy chair lost its luster? To restore it to its former glory, mix equal parts white vinegar and boiled linseed oil in a recycled spray bottle, shake it up well, and spray it on. Spread it evenly over your furniture using a soft cloth, give it a couple of minutes to settle in, and rub it off with a clean cloth.
in the kitchen
FRESHEN YOUR REFRIGERATOR • Did you know that vinegar might be an even more effective, safer cleanser for your refrigerator than baking soda? Use equal parts white vinegar and water to wash both the interior and exterior of your fridge, including the door gasket and the fronts of the fruit and vegetable crispers. To prevent mildew growth, wash the inside walls and crisper interiors with some full-strength vinegar on a cloth. Also use undiluted vinegar to wipe off accumulated dust and grime on top of your refrigerator. And don’t forget to put that box of baking soda inside your fridge to keep it smelling clean when you’re done.
STEAM-CLEAN YOUR MICROWAVE • To clean your microwave, place a glass bowl filled with a solution of 1/4 cup (50 ml) vinegar in 1 cup (250 ml) water inside and zap the mixture for 5 minutes on High. Once the bowl cools, dip a clean cloth or sponge into the liquid and use it to wipe away those persistent stains and splatters on the interior walls.
DISINFECT CUTTING BOARDS • To disinfect and clean your wooden cutting boards or a butcher block countertop, wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use. The acetic acid in the vinegar is a good disinfectant, effective against such harmful bugs as E. coli, salmonella and staphylococcus. Never use water and dishwashing liquid, because it can weaken surface wood fibers. When wooden cutting surfaces also need deodorizing, spread some baking soda over them and spray on undiluted white vinegar. Let it foam and bubble for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse with a cloth dipped in clean, cold water.
DEODORIZE YOUR KITCHEN SINK
Here’s an incredibly easy way to keep your sink drain sanitized and smelling clean. Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a bowl, pour the solution into an ice-cube tray and freeze it. Then simply drop a couple of ‘vinegar cubes’ into the sink every week or so, let them melt into the drain, and follow with a cold-water rinse.
WASH OUT YOUR DISHWASHER • To remove built-up soap film in your dishwasher, pour 1 cup (250 ml) undiluted white vinegar into the bottom of the unit—or in a bowl on the top rack. Then run the machine through a full cycle without any dishes or detergent. Do this once a month, especially if you live in a hard-water area. However, if there’s no mention of vinegar in your dishwasher owner’s manual, check with the manufacturer first.
CLEAN CHINA, CRYSTAL, AND GLASSWARE • Put the sparkle back in your glassware by adding vinegar to your rinse water or dishwater.
To keep everyday glassware gleaming, add 1/4 cup (50 ml) vinegar to your dishwasher’s rinse cycle.
To rid drinking glasses of cloudiness or spots caused by hard water, heat up a pot of equal parts white vinegar and water (use full-strength vinegar if your glasses are very cloudy), and let them soak in it for 15 to 30 minutes. Give them a good scrubbing with a bottlebrush and rinse clean.
Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar to your dishwater when cleaning your good crystal glasses. Rinse them in a solution of 3 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar and allow them to air-dry. You can also wash delicate crystal and fine china by adding 1 cup (250 ml) vinegar to a basin of warm water. Gently dunk the glasses in the solution and allow to dry.
To get coffee stains and other discolorations off china dishes and teacups, try scrubbing them with equal parts vinegar and salt, followed by rinsing them under warm water.
CLEAN A DRIP-FILTER COFFEEMAKER • If your coffee consistently comes out weak or bitter, odds are your drip coffeemaker needs cleaning. Fill the decanter with 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar and 1 cup (250 ml) water. Place a filter in the machine and pour the solution into the coffeemaker’s water chamber. Turn on the coffeemaker and let it run through a full brew cycle. Remove the filter and replace it with a fresh one. Then run clean water through the machine for two full cycles, replacing the filter again for the second brew. If you have soft water, clean your coffeemaker after 80 brew cycles. If you have hard water, clean it after 40 brew cycles.
CLEAN A KETTLE • To eliminate lime and tough mineral deposits in your kettle, bring 3 cups (750 ml) full-strength white vinegar to a full boil for 5 minutes and leave the vinegar in the kettle overnight. Rinse out with cold water the next day.
USE AS A GREASE CUTTER • Every professional cook knows that distilled vinegar is one of the best grease cutters around. It even works on seriously greasy surfaces such as the fry vats used in many food outlets. But you don’t need to have a deep fryer to find plenty of ways to put vinegar to good use:
When you’ve finished frying, clean up grease splatters from your stovetop, walls, range hood, and surrounding countertop by washing them with a sponge dipped in undiluted white vinegar. Use another sponge soaked in cold tap water to rinse, and wipe dry with a soft cloth.
Pour 3–4 tablespoons (45–60 ml) white vinegar into your favorite brand (especially bargain brands) of dishwashing liquid and give it a few shakes. The added vinegar will increase detergent’s grease-fighting capabilities and provide you with more dishwashing liquid for your money, because you’ll need less of it to clean your dishes.
Boiling 2 cups (500 ml) vinegar in a frying pan for 10 minutes will help keep food from sticking to it for several months at a time.
Remove burned-on grease and food stains from stainless steel cookware by mixing 1 cup (250 ml) distilled vinegar in enough water to cover the stains (if they’re near the top of a large pot, you may need to increase the vinegar). Let it boil for 5 minutes. The stains should come off with some mild scrubbing.
Get that blackened, cooked-on grease off your broiler pan by softening it up with a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar. Apply the mixture while the tray is still hot, and let it sit for an hour or so. Give it a light scrubbing and watch the grime slide off easily.
Got a hot plate that looks more like a grease pan? Whip it back into shape by washing it with a sponge dipped in full-strength white vinegar.
Fight grease build up in your oven by wiping down the inside with a rag or sponge soaked in full-strength white vinegar once a week. The same treatment gets grease off the grates in gas stoves.
Contrary to popular belief, old wine rarely turns into vinegar; usually a half-empty bottle of wine just spoils due to oxidation.
To create vinegar, you need the presence of Acetobacter, a specific type of bacteria. You can make your own wine vinegar, though, by mixing 1 part leftover red, white, or rosé wine with 2 parts cider vinegar. Pour the mixture into a clean, recycled wine bottle and store it in a dark cupboard. It just might taste as good, if not better, on your salads than some of those expensive wine vinegars that are sold at upscale food stores.
BRUSH-CLEAN CAN OPENER BLADES • Does that dirty wheel blade of your electric can opener look like it’s seen at least one can too many? To clean and sanitize it, dip an old toothbrush in white vinegar, and position the bristles of the brush around the side and edge of the wheel. Turn on the appliance and let the blade scrub itself clean.
REMOVE STAINS FROM POTS, PANS, AND OVENWARE • Nothing will do a better job than vinegar when it comes to removing stubborn stains on your cookware. Here’s how to put the power of vinegar to use:
Give the dark stains on your aluminium cookware (caused by cooking acidic foods) the heave-ho by mixing in 1 teaspoon (5 ml) white vinegar for every 1 cup (250 ml) water needed to cover stains. Let boil for a couple of minutes and rinse with cold water.
To remove stains from your stainless steel pots and pans, soak them in 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar for 30 minutes and rinse them with hot, soapy water, followed by a cold-water rinse.
To clean cooked-on food stains on glass ovenware, fill them with 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water, heat the mixture to a slow boil and let it boil at a low level for 5 minutes. The stains should come off with some mild scrubbing once the mixture cools.
No cookware is completely stainproof. For mineral stains on your nonstick cookware, rub the utensil with a cloth dipped in undiluted distilled vinegar. To loosen up stubborn stains, mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) baking soda, 1/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar, and 1 cup (250 ml) water and let it boil for 10 minutes.
REFRESH YOUR ICE CUBE TRAYS • If your plastic ice cube trays are covered with hard water stains—or if it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned them—a few cups of white vinegar can help you, in either case. To remove the spots or disinfect your trays, let them soak in undiluted vinegar for 4 to 5 hours, then rinse well under cold water and allow to dry.
CLEAR THE AIR IN YOUR KITCHEN • If the smell of yesterday’s cooked cabbage or fish stew is hanging around your kitchen longer than you’d like, mix 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar with 1 cup (250 ml) water in a saucepan. Let it boil until the liquid is almost gone. You’ll be breathing easier in no time.
MAKE ALL-PURPOSE CLEANERS • For fast cleanups around the kitchen, keep two recycled spray bottles filled with these vinegar-based solutions:
For glass, stainless steel, and plastic laminate surfaces, fill your spray bottle with 2 parts water, 1 part distilled white vinegar, and a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid.
For cleaning walls and other painted surfaces, mix 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar, 1 cup (250 ml) ammonia, and 1/4 cup (50 g) baking soda in a gallon (4 L) of water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray it on spots and stains. Wipe off with a clean dishtowel.
MAKE AN ALL-PURPOSE SCRUB FOR POTS AND PANS
How would you like an effective scouring mix that costs a few pennies, and can be safely used on all of your metal cookware—including expensive copper pots and pans? Want even better news? You probably already have this ‘miracle mix’ in your kitchen. Simply combine equal parts salt and flour and add just enough vinegar to make a paste. Work the paste around the cooking surface and the outside of the utensil, and rinse off with warm water. Dry thoroughly with a soft dish towel.
SANITIZE JARS, CONTAINERS, AND VASES • Do you cringe at the thought of cleaning out a mayonnaise, peanut butter, or mustard jar to reuse it? Or worse, getting the residue out of a slimy vase, decanter, or container? There is an easy way to handle these jobs. Fill the item with equal parts vinegar and warm, soapy water and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes. If you’re cleaning a bottle or jar, close it and give it a few good shakes or use a bottle brush to scrape off the remains before thoroughly rinsing.
CLEAN A DIRTY THERMOS • To get a thermos flask clean, fill it with warm water and 1/4 cup (50 ml) white vinegar. If you see any residue, add some uncooked rice, which will act as an abrasive to scrape it off. Close, shake well, rinse, and let air-dry.
PURGE BUGS FROM YOUR PANTRY • Do you have moths or other insects in your cupboard or pantry? Fill a small bowl with 11/2 cups (375 ml) apple cider vinegar and add a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid. Leave it in there for a week; it will attract the bugs, which will fall into the bowl and drown. Then empty the shelves and give the interior a thorough washing with dishwashing liquid or 2 cups (500 g) baking soda in a quart (1 L) of water. Discard all wheat products (breads, pasta, flour, etc.), and clean canned goods before putting them back.
TRAP FRUIT FLIES • Fruit flies often make the trip home with you from the supermarket. Make a trap for them wherever they appear by filling an old jar about halfway with apple cider. Punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on, and they’ll dive right in.
for the cook
TENDERIZE AND PURIFY MEATS AND SEAFOOD • Soaking a lean or inexpensive cut of red meat in a couple of cups of vinegar breaks down tough fibers to make it more tender—and in addition, kills off any potentially harmful bacteria. You can also use vinegar to tenderize seafood steaks. Let the meat or fish soak in full-strength vinegar overnight. Experiment with different vinegar varieties for added flavor, or simply use apple cider or distilled vinegar if you intend to rinse it off before cooking.
KEEP CORNED BEEF FROM SHRINKING • Ever notice how the corned beef that comes out of the pot is always smaller than the one that went in? Stop your meat from shrinking by adding a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the water next time you boil beef.
MAKE BETTER BOILED OR POACHED EGGS • Vinegar does fantastic things for eggs. Here are the two most useful ‘egg-samples’:
When you are making hard-boiled eggs, adding 2 tablespoons (30 ml) distilled vinegar for every quart (liter) of water will keep the eggs from cracking and make them easier to shell.
When you are poaching eggs, adding a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to the water will keep your eggs in tight shape by preventing the egg whites from spreading.
You can’t be too careful these days when it comes to handling the foods you eat. Before serving your fruits and vegetables, a great way to eliminate the hidden dirt, pesticides, even insects, is to rinse them in 4 tablespoons (60 ml) apple cider vinegar dissolved in a gallon (4 L) cold water.
REMOVE ODORS FROM YOUR HANDS • It’s often difficult to get strong onion, garlic, or fish odors off your hands after preparing a meal. But you’ll find these scents are a lot easier to wash off if you rub some distilled vinegar on your hands before and after you slice vegetables or clean fish.
GET RID OF BERRY STAINS • You can use undiluted white vinegar on your hands to remove stains from berries and other fruits.
in the medicine cabinet
CONTROL DANDRUFF • To get rid of dandruff, follow each shampoo with a rinse of 2 cups (500 ml) apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 cups (500 ml) cold water. You can also fight dandruff by applying 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vinegar on your hair and massaging into your scalp before shampooing. Wait a few minutes, rinse it out, and wash as usual.
CONDITION YOUR HAIR • Want to put the life back into limp or damaged hair? You can whip up a terrific hair conditioner by combining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, and 3 egg whites. Rub the mixture into your hair, and keep it covered for 30 minutes using plastic wrap or a shower cap. Shampoo and rinse as usual.
PROTECT BLONDE HAIR FROM CHLORINE • Keep your golden locks from turning green in a chlorinated pool by rubbing 1/4 cup (50 ml) cider vinegar into your hair. Let it set for 15 minutes before diving in.
APPLY AS AN ANTIPERSPIRANT • Why not put the deodorizing power of vinegar to use where it matters most? That’s right, you don’t need a roll-on or spray to keep your underarms smelling fresh. Instead, splash a little white vinegar under each arm in the morning and let it dry. In addition to combating perspiration odor, this method also does away with those deodorant stains on your garments.
SOAK AWAY ACHING MUSCLES • Got a sore back, a strained tendon in your shoulder or calf, or maybe you’re just feeling a bit rundown? Adding 2 cups (500 ml) apple cider vinegar to your bathwater is a great way to soothe away aches and pains, or simply to take the edge off a stressful day. Adding a few drops of peppermint oil to your bath can also help to give you a lift.
FRESHEN YOUR BREATH • After eating garlic or onions, a quick and easy way to sweeten your breath is to rinse your mouth with a solution made by dissolving 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt in a glass of warm water.
EASE SUNBURN AND ITCHING • You can cool a bad sunburn by gently dabbing the area with a cotton ball or soft cloth saturated with white or cider vinegar. (This treatment is especially effective if it’s applied before the burn starts to sting.) The same technique works to instantly stop the itch of mosquito and other insect bites, as well as the rashes caused by exposure to poison ivy and poison oak.
BANISH BRUISES
If you or someone you care about has a nasty fall, you can speed healing and prevent black-and-blue marks by soaking a piece of cotton gauze in white or apple cider vinegar and leaving it on the injured area for 1 hour.
SOOTHE A SORE THROAT • Here are three easy ways to make a sore throat feel better:
1 • If your throat is left raw by a bad cough, or even a speaking or singing engagement, you’ll find fast relief by gargling with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt dissolved in a glass of warm water. Use the gargle several times a day if needed.
2 • For sore throats from a cold or the flu, combine 1/4 cup (50 ml) cider vinegar and 1/4 cup (50 ml) honey. Take 1 tablespoon (15 ml) every 4 hours.
3 • To soothe both a cough and a sore throat, mix 1/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar, 1/2 cup (125 ml) water, 4 teaspoons (20 ml) honey, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml)Tabasco sauce. Swallow 1 tablespoon (15 ml) four to five times a day, including one dose before bedtime.
WARNING: Children under the age of one year should never be given honey.
MAKE A POULTICE FOR CORNS AND CALLUSES • Here’s an old-fashioned, time-proven method to treat corns and calluses. Saturate a piece of white or stale bread with 1/4 cup (50 ml) white vinegar. Let the bread soak in the vinegar for 30 minutes, then break off a piece big enough to completely cover the corn. Keep the poultice in place with gauze or adhesive tape and leave it on overnight. The next morning, hard, calloused skin will be dissolved and the corn should be easy to remove. Older, thicker calluses may require several treatments.
GET THE JUMP ON ATHLETE’S FOOT • A bad case of athlete’s foot can drive you hopping mad. But you can often quell the infection, and quickly ease the itching, by rinsing your feet three or four times a day for a few days with undiluted apple cider vinegar. As an added precaution, soak your socks or stockings in a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 4 parts water for 30 minutes before laundering them.
BREATHE EASIER • Adding 1/4 cup (50 ml) white vinegar to the water in a hot-steam vaporizer can help ease congestion caused by a chest cold or sinus infection. It can also be good for your vaporizer, as the vinegar will clear away any mineral deposits in the water tubes resulting from the use of hard water. Note: Check with the manufacturer before adding vinegar to a cool-mist vaporizer.
TREAT AN ACTIVE COLD SORE • The only thing worse than a bad cold is a bad cold sore. Fortunately, you can usually dry up a cold sore in short order by dabbing it with a cotton ball saturated in white vinegar three times a day. The vinegar will quickly soothe the pain and swelling.
PAMPER YOUR SKIN • Using vinegar as a skin toner dates back to the time of Helen of Troy. And it’s just as effective today. After washing your face, mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar with 2 cups (500 ml) water as a finishing rinse to cleanse and tighten your skin. You can also make your own facial treatment by mixing 1/4 cup (50 ml) cider vinegar with 1/4 cup (50 ml) water. Gently apply the solution to your face and let it dry.
SAY GOODBYE TO AGE OR SUN SPOTS • Before you take any drastic measures to remove or cover up those brown spots on your skin caused by exposure to the sun or hormonal changes, give vinegar a try. Simply pour some full-strength apple cider vinegar onto a cotton ball and apply it to the spots for 10 minutes at least twice a day. The spots should fade or disappear within a few weeks.
SOFTEN YOUR CUTICLES • You can soften the cuticles on your fingers and toes before manicuring them by soaking your digits in a bowl of undiluted white vinegar for 5 minutes.
MAKE NAIL POLISH LAST LONGER • Your nail polish will have a longer life expectancy if you first dampen your nails with vinegar on a cotton ball and let it dry before applying your nail polish.
CLEAN YOUR GLASSES • When it’s more difficult to see with your glasses on than it is with them off, it’s a clear indication that they’re in need of a good cleaning. Applying a few drops of white vinegar to the lenses and wiping them with a soft cloth will easily remove dirt, sweat, and fingerprints, and leave them spotless. Don’t use vinegar on modern plastic lenses, though.
TREAT A JELLYFISH OR BEE STING • A jellyfish can pack a nasty sting. If you have an encounter with one, pouring some undiluted vinegar on the sting will take away the pain in no time and let you scrape out the stinger with a plastic credit card. The same treatment can also be used to treat bee stings. Using vinegar on stings inflicted by the jellyfish’s cousin—the Portuguese man-of-war—is now discouraged because vinegar may actually increase the amount of toxin released under the skin.
WARNING: If you have difficulty breathing or the sting area becomes inflamed and swollen, seek medical attention immediately; you could be having an allergic reaction.
in the bathroom
WASH MILDEW FROM SHOWER CURTAINS • Clean those ugly mildew stains off your plastic shower curtain by putting it and a couple of soiled towels in your washing machine. Add 1/2 cup (125 ml) laundry detergent and 1/2 cup (125 g) baking soda to the load and wash in warm water on your machine’s regular cycle. Add 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar to the first rinse. Before the machine starts the spin cycle, remove the curtain and let it hang-dry.
CLEAN SINKS AND BATHTUBS • Put the shine back in your porcelain sinks and bathtub by scrubbing them with full-strength white vinegar, followed by a rinse of clean, cold water. To remove hard water stains from your tub, pour in 3 cups (750 ml) white vinegar under running hot tap water. Let the tub fill to cover the stains and allow it to soak for 4 hours. When the water drains out, you should be able to easily scrub off the stains.
SHINE UP YOUR SHOWER DOORS • To leave your glass shower doors sparkling clean—and to remove all of those annoying water spots—wipe them down with a cloth dipped in a solution of 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar, 1 cup (250 ml) ammonia and 1/4 cup (50 g) baking soda in a gallon (4 L) of warm water.
DISINFECT SHOWER DOOR TRACKS • Use vinegar to remove accumulated dirt and grime from the tracks of your shower doors. Fill the tracks with about 2 cups (500 ml) full-strength white vinegar and let it sit for 3 to 5 hours. (If the tracks are really dirty, heat the vinegar in a glass container for 30 seconds in your microwave first.) Then pour some hot water over the track to flush away the gunk. You may need to use a small scrubbing brush, or even a recycled toothbrush, to get up tough stains.
SHINE CERAMIC TILES • If soap scum or water spots have dulled the ceramic tiles in your bathroom, bring back the brightness by scrubbing them with 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar, 1/2 cup (125 ml) ammonia and 1/4 cup (50 g) borax mixed in a gallon (4 L) warm water. Rinse well with cool water and air-dry.
WHITEN YOUR GROUT • Has the grout between the tiles of your shower or bathtub enclosure become stained or discolored? Restore it to its original shade of white by using a toothbrush dipped in undiluted white vinegar to scrub away the dinginess.
REMOVE MINERAL DEPOSITS ON SHOWERHEADS •Wash away blockages and mineral deposits from removable showerheads by placing them in a quart (1 L) boiling water with 1/2 cup (125 ml) distilled vinegar for 10 minutes (use hot, not boiling, liquid for plastic showerheads). When you remove it from the solution, obstructions should be gone. If you have a non-removable showerhead, fill a small plastic bag half full with vinegar and tape it over the fixture. Let it sit for about 1 hour, then remove the bag and wipe off any remaining vinegar from the showerhead.
WIPE DOWN BATHROOM FIXTURES • Don’t stop at the shower when you’re cleaning with vinegar! Pour a bit of undiluted white vinegar onto a soft cloth and use it to wipe your chrome faucets, towel bars, bathroom mirrors, and doorknobs–anything that might need a cleaning. It’ll leave them gleaming.
FIGHT MOLD AND MILDEW • To remove and retard bathroom mold and mildew, pour a solution of 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white vinegar, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) borax, and 2 cups (500 ml) hot water into a clean, recycled spray bottle and shake well. Spray the mixture on painted surfaces, tiles, windows, wherever you see mold or mildew spots. Use a soft scrub brush on the stains or just let it soak in.
DISINFECT TOILET BOWLS • An easy way to keep your toilet looking and smelling clean is to pour 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar into the bowl and let the solution soak overnight before flushing. Including this vinegar soak in your weekly cleaning regimen will also help keep away those ugly water rings that typically appear just above water level.
CLEAN YOUR TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER • Get the grime, bacteria, and caked-on toothpaste drippings out of the grooves of your bathroom toothbrush holder by cleaning the openings with cotton swabs moistened with white vinegar.
in the laundry
SOFTEN FABRICS, KILL BACTERIA, ELIMINATE STATIC, AND MORE • There are so many benefits to be reaped by adding 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar to your washing machine’s rinse cycle that it’s surprising you don’t find it prominently mentioned inside the owner’s manual of every washing machine sold. Here are the main ones:
A single cup of vinegar will kill off any bacteria that may be present in your wash load, especially if it includes cloth diapers and other items that are in contact with germs, such as dishtowels.
A cup of vinegar will keep your clothes coming out of the wash soft and smelling fresh—so you can kiss your liquid fabric softeners and sheets goodbye.
A cup of vinegar will brighten small loads of white clothes, sheets, and towels.
Added to the last rinse, a cup of vinegar will keep your clothes lint- and static-free.
Adding a cupful of vinegar to the last rinse will set the color of your newly dyed fabrics.
CLEAN YOUR WASHING MACHINE • An easy way to periodically clean out soap scum and disinfect your washing machine is to add 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar, and run the machine through a full cycle without any clothes or detergent. If your machine is particularly dirty, fill it with very hot water, add 2 gallons (7.5 L) vinegar and let the agitator run for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the machine and let stand overnight. Next day, drain, then run the machine through a complete cycle.
WASH OUT YOUR RINSE CUP • If several people in your home use the same rinse cup after brushing their teeth, give it a weekly cleaning by filling it with equal parts water and white vinegar, or just full-strength vinegar, and let it sit overnight. Rinse thoroughly with cold water before using again.
STOP REDS FROM RUNNING
Unless you have a fondness for pink-tinted clothing, take one simple precaution to prevent red—or other brightly dyed—washable clothes from ruining your wash loads. Soak your new garments in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10 to 15 minutes before their first washing. You’ll never have to worry about running colors again!
BRIGHTEN WASHING LOADS • Why waste money on that costly all-color bleach when you can get the same results using vinegar? Just add 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar to your machine’s wash cycle to brighten up the colors in each load.
MAKE NEW CLOTHES READY TO WEAR • Get the chemicals, dust, odor, and whatever else out of your brand-new or secondhand clothes by pouring 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar into the wash cycle the first time you launder them.
WHITEN DINGY SOCKS • If it’s getting harder to identify the white socks in your sock drawer, here’s a simple way to make them so bright you can’t miss them. Start by adding 1 cup (250 ml) vinegar to 2 quarts (2 L) tap water in a large pot. Bring the solution to a boil, pour into a bucket, and drop in the dingy socks. Let them soak overnight. The next day, wash them as you normally would.
SPRAY AWAY WRINKLES • In a perfect world, laundry would emerge from the dryer freshly pressed. Until that day, you can often get the wrinkles out of clothes after drying by misting them with a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Once you’re sure you didn’t miss a spot, hang it up, and let it air-dry. You may find this approach works better for some clothes than ironing and it’s certainly a lot gentler on the garment fabric.
GET THE YELLOW OUT OF CLOTHING • To restore yellowed clothing, let the garments soak overnight in a solution of 12 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar, then wash them the following morning.
SOFTEN YOUR BLANKETS • Add 2 cups (500 ml)white vinegar to your machine’s rinse water (or a laundry tub filled with water) to remove soap residue from cotton and wool blankets before drying. This will also leave them feeling fresh and soft as new.
DULL THE SHINE IN YOUR PANTS’ SEAT • Want to get rid of that shiny seat on your dark pants or skirt? Just brush the area lightly with a soft recycled toothbrush dipped in equal parts white vinegar and water, and pat dry with a soft towel.
REMOVE CIGARETTE SMELL FROM SUITS • If you find yourself heading home with the lingering smell of cigarette smoke on your good suit or dress, you can remove the odor without having to take your clothes to the dry cleaner. Just add 1 cup (250 ml) vinegar to a bathtub filled with the hottest tap water your can get. Close the door and hang your garments above the steam. The smell should be gone after several hours.
RESHAPE YOUR WOOLENS • Shrunken woolen sweaters and other items can sometimes be stretched back to their former size or shape after boiling them in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water for around 25 minutes. Allow the garment to air-dry after you’ve finished stretching it.
for removing stains
BRUSH OFF SUEDE STAINS • To eliminate a fresh grease spot on a suede jacket or skirt, gently brush it with a soft toothbrush dipped in white vinegar. Let the spot air-dry, then brush with a suede brush. Repeat if necessary. You can also generally tone up suede items by lightly wiping them with a sponge dipped in vinegar.
PAT AWAY WATER-SOLUBLE STAINS • You can lift out many water-soluble stains—including beer, orange, and other fruit juices, black coffee or tea, and vomit—from your cotton-blend clothing by patting the spot with a cloth or towel moistened with undiluted white vinegar just before placing it in the wash. For large stains, you may want to soak the garment overnight in a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part cold water before washing.
UNSET OLD STAINS • Older, set-in stains will often come out in the wash after being pre-treated with a solution of 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dishwashing liquid in a quart (1 L) of warm water. Rub the solution into the stain and blot it dry before washing.
SPONGE OUT PERSISTENT STAINS • Cola, hair dye, tomato sauce, and wine stains on washable cotton blends should be treated as soon as possible (that is, within 24 hours). Sponge the area with undiluted vinegar first, then launder immediately afterwards. For severe stains, add 1 to 2 cups (250–500 ml) vinegar to the wash cycle as well.
GET RUST STAINS OUT OF COTTON CLOTHING • To remove a rust stain from your cotton workclothes (or any cotton item with rust stains), first moisten the rust spot with some full-strength vinegar and rub in a bit of salt. If it’s warm outdoors, let it dry in the sunlight (otherwise a sunny window will do), then toss it into the wash.
CLEAR AWAY CRAYON STAINS • Somehow or other, kids often manage to get crayon marks on their clothing. You can easily get these stains off by rubbing them with a recycled toothbrush soaked in undiluted vinegar before washing them.
REMOVE RINGS FROM COLLARS AND CUFFS • If you’re tired of seeing those sweat rings around your shirt collars and annoying discoloration along the edges of your cuffs, just give them the boot by scrubbing the stained fabric with a paste made from 2 parts white vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Let the paste set for half an hour before washing. This approach also works to remove light mildew stains from clothing.
Kids’ Stuff
Tie-dying T-shirts, socks, and anything else you can think of, is tons of fun for kids of all ages. Start with a few plain white T-shirts, then use as many colors as allowed by your supermarket’s selection of Kool-Aid drink mixes.
1 Dissolve each package of drink mix into 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar in its own bowl.
2 Use string to twist your shirts into unusual shapes, then dip them into the bowls (first, put on a pair of rubber gloves).
PRETREAT PERSPIRATION STAINS • To get rid of sweat marks from shirts and other sweat-stained garments, just pour a bit of vinegar directly on the stain and rub it into the fabric before placing the item in the wash. You can also remove deodorant stains from your washable shirts and blouses by gently rubbing the spot with undiluted vinegar before laundering.
MAKE PEN INK DISAPPEAR • If you discover a pen-ink stain in a shirt pocket, treat the stain by first wetting it with some white vinegar, then rub in a paste of 2 parts vinegar to 3 parts cornstarch. Let the paste thoroughly dry before washing the shirt.
3 After drying, set your colors by placing a pillowcase or thin dishtowel over each shirt and ironing it with a medium-hot iron. Wait at least 24 hours, then wash each T-shirt separately. For a greater array of colors, of course, use real fabric dyes or strong vegetable dyes.
SOAK OUT BLOODSTAINS • Whether you nick yourselfshaving or receive an unexpected scratch, it’s important to treat bloodstains on your clothing as soon as possible. Bloodstains are relatively easy to remove before they set but can be nearly impossible to wash out after 24 hours. If you can get to the stain before it sets, treat it by pouring full-strength white vinegar on the spot. Let it soak in for 5 to 10 minutes and blot well with a cloth or towel. Repeat if necessary, then wash immediately.
in the great outdoors
USE AS INSECT REPELLENT • Next time you’re planning a camping trip, remember this old trick to keep away the ticks and mosquitoes. Approximately three days before you leave, start taking 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar three times a day. Continue using the vinegar throughout your trek, and you just might return home without a bite. Another approach is to moisten a cloth or cotton ball with white vinegar and rub it over your exposed skin.
MAINTAIN FRESH WATER WHEN HIKING • Keep your water supply fresh and clean tasting when hiking or camping by adding a few drops of apple cider vinegar to your canteen or water bottle. It’s also a good idea to use a half-vinegar, half-water rinse to clean out your water container at the end of each trip to kill bacteria and remove residue.
CLEAN OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND DECKS • If you live in a hot, humid climate, you’re probably no stranger to seeing mildew on your wooden decks and patio furniture. But before you reach for the bleach, try these milder vinegar-based solutions:
Keep some full-strength white vinegar in a recycled spray bottle and use it wherever you see any mildew growth. The stain will wipe right off most surfaces and the vinegar will keep it from coming back for a while.
Remove mildew from wooden decks and wooden patio furniture by sponging them off with a solution of 1 cup (250 ml) ammonia, 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar, and 1/4 cup (50 g) baking soda mixed in a gallon (4 L) water. Use an old toothbrush to work the solution into corners and other tight spaces.
To deodorize and inhibit mildew growth on outdoor plastic-mesh furniture and patio umbrellas, mix 2 cups (500 ml) white vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) dishwashing liquid in a bucket of hot water. Use a soft brush for scrubbing seat pads and umbrella fabric. Rinse with cold water and dry in the sun.
MAKE A TRAP FOR FLYING INSECTS
Who wants to play host to a bunch of gnats, flies, mosquitoes, or other six-legged pests when you’re trying to have a barbecue in your backyard? Keep the flying gate-crashers at bay by giving them their own VIP section. Place a bowl filled with apple cider vinegar near some food, but away from you and your guests. By the evening’s end, most of your uninvited guests will be floating inside the bowl.
GIVE ANTS THE BOOT • Get rid of household ants once and for all by pouring equal parts water and white vinegar into a spray bottle, and spraying it on anthills and around areas where you see the insects. Ants hate the smell of vinegar, so it won’t take long for them to move on to better-smelling quarters. Also keep the spray bottle handy for outdoor trips or to keep ants away from picnic or children’s play areas. If you have lots of anthills around your property, try pouring full-strength vinegar over them to hasten the insects’ departure.
CLEAN BIRD DROPPINGS • Have birds been using your patio or driveway for target practice again? Make those messy droppings disappear by spraying them with full-strength apple cider vinegar. Or pour the vinegar on a rag and wipe the droppings off.
in the garden
TEST SOIL ACIDITY OR ALKALINITY • To do a quick test for excess alkalinity in the soil in your garden, place a handful of soil in a container and pour in 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar. If the soil fizzes or bubbles, it’s definitely alkaline. Similarly, to see if your soil has a high acidity, mix soil with 1/2 cup (125 ml) water and 11/2 cups (375 g) baking soda. This time, fizzing would indicate acid in the soil. To find the exact pH level of your soil, have it tested or pick up a simple, do-it-yourself kit from a garden center.
CLEAN A HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER
Humingbirds are innately discriminating creatures, so don’t expect to see them flocking around a dirty, sticky or crusted-over sugar-water feeder. Regularly clean your feeders by thoroughly washing them in equal parts apple cider vinegar and hot water. Rinse well with cold water after washing and air-dry them outdoors in full sunlight before refilling them with food (but never with honey, as it can spread disease).
SPEED GERMINATION OF FLOWER SEEDS • You can get woody seeds, such as passionfruit, morning glory, pumpkin, and gourds, off to a healthier start by scarifying them—lightly rubbing them between a couple of sheets of fine sandpaper—and soaking them overnight in 1/2 cup (125 ml) apple cider vinegar and 1 cup (500 ml) warm water. Next day, remove the seeds, rinse them off, and plant them. You can use this solution (minus the sandpaper treatment) to start many herb and vegetable seeds.
It’s a rural legend that you can substantially lower your soil’s pH (which is the same as raising its acidity) by simply pouring a vinegar–water solution around your garden.
In fact, it takes a lot of hard work to lower the pH of high-alkaline soil. You can, however, use vinegar around the garden to help existing plants (see the tips below and here for treating plant diseases and encouraging blooms on azaleas and gardenias). But even that takes diligence—and repeated applications. Also, vinegar loses most of its potency after a rainfall. So you’ll need to reapply any treatments after those surprise downpours.
KEEP CUT FLOWERS FRESH • Everyone likes to keep cut flowers around as long as possible and there are several good methods to achieve this. One way is to mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sugar with the vase water before adding the flowers. Make sure you change the water (with more vinegar and sugar, of course) every few days to enhance your flowers’ longevity.
WIPE AWAY MEALYBUGS • They’re among the most insidious and common pests on both houseplants and in the garden. But you can nip a mealybug invasion in the bud by dabbing the insects with a cotton swab dipped in full-strength white vinegar. You may need to use a handful of swabs, but the vinegar will kill the fluffy monsters and any eggs left behind. Be vigilant for missed targets and break out more vinegar-soaked swabs if you spot more pests.
ELIMINATE INSECTS AROUND THE GARDEN • If insects are feasting on the fruits and vegetables in your garden, give them the boot with this simple, nonpoisonous trap. Fill a 2-quart (2-L) soda bottle with 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar and 1 cup (250 g) sugar. Slice up a banana peel into small pieces, put them in the bottle, add 1 cup (250 ml) cold water, and shake it up. Tie a piece of string around the neck of the bottle and hang it from a low tree branch, or place it on the ground, to trap the freeloaders. Replace used traps with new ones as needed.
ENCOURAGE BLOOMS ON AZALEAS AND GARDENIAS • A little bit of acid goes a long way towards bringing out the blooms on your azalea and gardenia bushes—especially if you have hard water. Both bushes do best in acidic soils (with pH levels between 4 and 5.5). To keep them healthy and to produce more flowers, water them every week or so with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) white vinegar mixed in a gallon (4 L) water. Don’t apply the solution while the bush is in bloom, though; it may shorten the life of the flowers or harm the plant.
STOP YELLOW LEAVES ON PLANTS • The appearance of yellow leaves on plants accustomed to acidic soils—such as azaleas, hydrangeas, and gardenias—could signal a drop in the plant’s iron intake or a shift in the ground’s pH above a comfortable 5.0 level. Either problem can be resolved by watering the soil around the afflicted plants once a week for three weeks with 1 cup (250 ml) of a solution made with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar in a quart (1 L) water.
TREAT RUST AND OTHER PLANT DISEASES • You can use vinegar to treat a host of plant diseases, including rust, black spot, and powdery mildew. Mix 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar in 2 quarts (2 L) of water and pour some into a spray bottle. Spray the solution on your affected plants in the morning or early evening (when temperatures are relatively cool and there’s no direct light on the plant) until the condition is cured.
Mix together 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt in a glass jar.
Add 25 old copper coins to the solution, and let them sit for 5 minutes. While you’re waiting, take a large iron nail and clean it off with some baking soda sprinkled on a damp sponge. Rinse off the nail and place it into the solution. After 15 minutes, the nail will be coated with copper, while the coins will shine like new. This is a result of the acetic acid in the vinegar combining with the copper on the coins to form copper acetate, which then accumulates on the iron nail.
CLEAN YOUR LAWN MOWER BLADES • Grass, especially when it’s damp, has a tendency to accumulate on your lawn mower blades after you cut the lawn—sometimes with grubs hiding inside. Wipe down the blades with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar. It will clean off leftover grass on the blades, as well as any pests that are stuck to the blades.
KEEP OUT FOUR-LEGGED PESTS • Some animals—including cats, deer, dogs, rabbits, and racoons—can’t stand the scent of vinegar even after it has dried. You can keep these unauthorized visitors out of your garden by soaking several recycled rags in white vinegar and placing them on stakes around your veggies. Resoak the rags every 7 to 10 days.
EXTERMINATE DANDELIONS AND UNWANTED GRASS • Are dandelions sprouting up in the cracks of your driveway or along the fringes of your patio? Make them disappear for good by spraying them with full-strength white or apple cider vinegar. Early in the season, give each plant a single spray of vinegar in its midsection, or in the middle of the flower before the plants go to seed. Aim another shot near the stem at ground level so the vinegar can soak down to the roots. Keep an eye on the weather, though; if it rains the next day, you’ll need to give the weeds another spraying.
for pet care
KEEP CATS AWAY • If you want to keep cats out of the kids’ playroom, or discourage them from using your favorite easy chair as a scratching post, sprinkle some full-strength distilled white vinegar around the area or on the object itself. Cats don’t like the smell of vinegar and will avoid it.
UNMARK YOUR PET’S SPOTS • When housetraining a puppy or kitten, it’ll often wet previously soiled spots. After cleaning up the mess, it’s essential to remove the scent from your floor, carpeting, or couch. And nothing does that better than vinegar:
On a floor, blot up as much of the stain as possible, then mop with equal parts white vinegar and warm water. (On a wood or vinyl floor, test a few drops of vinegar in an inconspicuous area first, to make sure that it won’t harm the floor’s finish.) Dry with a cloth or paper towel.
For urine stains on carpets, rugs, and upholstery, thoroughly blot the area with a towel or some rags, then pour a bit of undiluted vinegar over the spot. Blot it up with a towel, reapply the vinegar, and let it air-dry. Once the vinegar dries, the spot should be completely deodorized.
ADD TO PET’S DRINKING WATER • Adding a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your dog or cat’s drinking water provides needed nutrients to its diet, gives it a shinier, healthier-looking coat, and also acts as a natural deterrent to fleas and ticks.
PROTECT AGAINST FLEAS AND TICKS • To give your dog effective flea and tick protection, fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar and apply it directly to the dog’s coat and rub it in well. You may have more trouble doing this with cats, because they really hate the smell of the stuff.
CLEAN YOUR PET’S EARS • If you’ve noticed that Rover has been scratching around his ears a lot more than usual lately, a bit of vinegar could bring some relief. Swabbing your pet’s ears with a cotton ball or soft cloth dabbed in a solution of 2 parts vinegar and 1 part water will keep them clean and help deter ear mites and bacteria. It also soothes minor itches from mosquito bites.
WARNING: Do not apply undiluted vinegar to open lacerations. If you see a cut in your pet’s ears, seek veterinary treatment.
REMOVE STINKY ODORS • If your dog has rolled in something unpleasant, here are some ways to help him get rid of the smell:
Bathe your pet in a mixture of 1/2 cup (125 ml) white vinegar, 1/4 cup (50 g) baking soda, and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) liquid soap in 1 quart (1 L) of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Work the solution deep into his coat, give it a few minutes to soak in, then rinse the mixture out thoroughly with clean water.
Bathe your pet in equal parts water and vinegar (preferably outdoors), then repeat using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, followed by a good rinsing.
If cleaning the dog means you also get the rotten smell of whatever he’s rolled in on you, use undiluted vinegar to get the smell out of your own clothes. Let the affected clothing soak in the vinegar overnight.
for the do-it-yourselfer
WASH CONCRETE OFF YOUR SKIN • Even though you wear rubber gloves when working with concrete, some of the stuff inevitably splashes on your skin. Prolonged contact with wet concrete can cause your skin to crack, and may even lead to eczema. Use undiluted white vinegar to wash dried concrete or mortar off your skin, then wash with warm, soapy water.
DEGREASE GRATES, FANS, AND AIR-CONDITIONER GRILLES • Even in the cleanest of homes, air-conditioner grilles, heating grates, and fan blades eventually develop a layer of dust and grease and grime. To clean them, wipe them over with full-strength white vinegar. Use an old toothbrush to work the vinegar into the tight spaces on air- conditioner grilles and exhaust fans.
REMOVE PAINT FUMES • Place a couple of shallow dishes filled with undiluted white vinegar around a freshly painted room to get rid of the strong smell.
DISINFECT AIR-CONDITIONER AND HUMIDIFIER FILTERS • An air-conditioner or humidifier filter can quickly become inundated with dust, soot, pet hair, and even potentially harmful bacteria. Every 10 days or so, clean your filter in equal parts white vinegar and warm water. Let the filter soak in the solution for an hour and simply squeeze it dry before using. If your filters are particularly dirty, let them soak overnight to dislodge stubborn grime.
KEEP THE PAINT ON YOUR CEMENT FLOORS • Painted cement floors have a tendency to peel after a while. But you can keep the paint stuck to the cement longer by giving the floor an initial coat of white vinegar before you paint it. Wait until the vinegar has dried, then begin painting. This same technique will also help keep paint fixed to galvanized metal.
GET RID OF RUST
If you want to clean up those rusted old tools you recently unearthed under your house or picked up at a garage sale, soak them in full-strength white vinegar for several days. The same treatment is equally effective at removing the rust from corroded nuts and bolts. And you can pour vinegar on rusted hinges and screws to loosen them up for removal.
REVIVE YOUR PAINTBRUSHES • To remove dried-on paint from a synthetic-bristle paintbrush, soak it in full-strength white vinegar until the paint dissolves and the bristles are soft and pliable, and wash in hot, soapy water. Does a paintbrush seem beyond hope? Before tossing it, try boiling in 1 to 2 cups (250–500 ml) vinegar for 10 minutes, followed by a thorough washing in soapy water.
PEEL OFF WALLPAPER • Removing old wallpaper can be messy, but you can make it peel off easily by soaking it with a vinegar solution. Spray equal parts white vinegar and water on the wallpaper until it is saturated and wait a few minutes. Then zip the stuff off the wall with a wallpaper scraper. If it is stubborn, try carefully scoring the wallpaper with the scraper before you spray on the vinegar solution.
SLOW HARDENING OF PLASTER • Want to keep your plaster pliable a bit longer to get it all smoothed out? Just add a couple tablespoons of white vinegar to your plaster mix. It will slow down the hardening process to give you the extra time you need.
