7 Surprising Ways to Use Vinegar
The one product everyone needs in their pantry is white vinegar. Besides being a culinary staple in your kitchen, there are a myriad of other uses, according to The Spruce. From cleaning stubborn stains to removing stickers from plastics to cleaning out clogged drains, vinegar is a safe, effective, inexpensive, and green household wonder.
Natural All-Purpose Cleaner
White vinegar is one of the best cleaners with dozens of uses. Dilute it to clean windows, shower curtains, carpets, and glassware. It’s easy to DIY your own cleaner with this recipe from Live Simply. Just combine one cup of vinegar with water in a spray bottle and you are ready to go. You can even add a few drops of essential oils to cover up the vinegar smell. It has excellent cleaning abilities and contains acetic acid which may kill bacteria and viruses.
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Laundry Aid
Vinegar also belongs in the laundry room, according to The Spruce. You can use it to remove heavy stains like grass and ketchup by spraying the stain with a vinegar solution before washing. Soak whites in vinegar to get rid of the dingy greys. You can also use vinegar to help break down detergent in your washer when you add a cup (less for a front loader) to the rinse cycle.
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Soap Scum Remover
Make your bathroom sparkle with vinegar. According to Real Simple, you can remove soap scum off of your bathtub or shower by wiping it down with a sponge and vinegar. Tough grime can be cleaned by adding a small amount of baking soda to the sponge. This will make it fizz and the dirt will wipe right up.
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Clean your Coffee Maker
Vinegar can also clean and descale your coffee maker. Use diluted vinegar every month to clean with and rinse well. You can also use vinegar to clean out your dishwasher and microwave. Just pour some vinegar in a bowl of water and microwave for a few minutes. Afterwards, you can simply wipe it out. This will remove even baked-on foods.
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Streakless Windows
Vinegar makes a perfect streakless window cleaner that you can DIY. One Crazy Mom has an easy-to-follow recipe that uses two cups of water, a quarter cup of white vinegar and a half teaspoon of dish detergent. You will have clean sparkling windows in no time.
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Drain Cleaner
If your sink is draining slowly, it could be clogged with grime. Don’t reach for harsh chemicals, use vinegar instead. Pour a quarter of a cup of vinegar and a quarter of a cup of baking soda down your drain. Let it stand for 15 minutes and then pour very hot water down the drain. No plunging required!
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Natural Weed Killer
There are uses for vinegar in your garden too. You can make a solution of vinegar, salt and dishwashing liquid to make a natural weed killer. This mixture works best on sunny days. Just be careful to spray only the weeds because this mixture is not weed specific. It’s best to use this for killing those pesky weeds tat sprout from cracks in your walkways.
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