Vinegar can disinfect, deodorize, and ‘de-gunkify’ just about everything from shower curtains to sofa cushions, not to mention it’s cheap, versatile, and doesn’t irritate most allergies. Vinegar’s magic ingredient is acetic acid, which comprises about 5 percent of the finished product and acts as a disinfectant and an odor neutralizer. Vinegar has been produced commercially for about 2,500 years, making it one of the oldest products in use by humans. There are many different types of vinegar out there, but white vinegar is the most useful and the most versatile by far.
Maids2000 TIPS:
Remove mold…
Put straight white vinegar into a spray bottle, spay on moldy area, and let set without rinsing. Smell will dissipate within a few hours.
Toilet Rim…
Use same full strength bottle to spray toilet rim. Let sit 5-15 minutes then scrub with a toilet scrubber or wipe with a rag.
Deodorize cutting board…
Use same bottle to spray cutting board. Spray before bed and let sit over night. No need to rinse.
Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal…
Mix equal parts vinegar and baking soda and putting it down the drain. After letting this fizzing mixture sit for a few minutes, flush out the drain with warm water for a clean and stink-free sink.
Clean and deodorize microwave…
Steam a bowl of equal parts vinegar and water in the microwave for 5 minutes. Wipe loosened, caked-on food with a clean towel.
Fruit fly trap…
Set out a small dish of white vinegar and some smashed fruit, cover with plastic wrap and poke small holes in it. The flies crawl into the trap, but can’t get out.
Decloud stemware…
If your stemware is cloudy from the dishwasher, wrap the glasses in paper towels soaked in vinegar, let them sit, and the cloudy deposits will rinse right off.
Clean grout…
There’s no need to use bleach on tile grouting when you can let vinegar soak on it and thenscrub with a toothbrush.
Clean CDs & DVDs…
Bring lightly scuffed or dirty DVDs back to life by wiping them down with some vinegar on a soft cloth.
Water marks on wood…
If you have water condensation marks on your wood, just rub the piece of furniture with equal parts vinegar and vegetable oil to remove them. Make sure to rub with the grain.
Cleaning mattress…
If a child has an “accident” on a mattress, clean it with a solution of vinegar and water. Afterwards, pour some baking soda onto the mattress, and brush or vacuum the residue once it’s dry.
Laundry…
Spraying vinegar onto deodorant-stained shirts before the wash can remove the discoloration. It’s also great for fighting mustard, tomato sauce, or ketchup stains. Adding a cupful ofvinegar to the rinse cycle of your washing machine freshens bright colors and gives you cleaner laundry, too. Acetic acid won’t harm fabrics, but dissolves the soap residue that can dull dark clothing. It also acts as a fabric softener, a static reducer, and a mildew-inhibitor.
Gum remover…
Vinegar will also loosen chewing gum stuck to car upholstery, rugs, and carpeting.
Windows…
Mix 1/4-1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent, 3 tablespoons vinegar and 2 cups water in a spray bottle, shake and use as you would a commercial brand. The soap in this recipe is important. It cuts the wax residue from the commercial brands you might have used in the past. Also, wiping down home and car windows with a three-to-one vinegar-water mixture keeps them frost-free in the wintertime.
Weed & slug killer…
Kill weeds and crabgrass growing in sidewalks and driveways by pouring vinegar onto them. A half-and-half solution of vinegar and water can even kill garden slugs if it’s sprayed directly onto them.
Extend the life of cut flowers
Add a few tablespoons of vinegar to the water in their vase, along with a teaspoon of sugar.
Pet care and protection…
Wipe out itchy ears with undiluted vinegar to keep dogs and cats from scratching at them.
Cats avoid vinegar, so to keep them from scratching furniture or sitting on certain areas, spray a vinegar solution onto the spot.
For outdoor areas, soak a sponge in vinegar and place it in the forbidden area to keep cats away. If kitty likes to mark his territory, spraying the area with vinegar can help eliminate the smell and deter recurrences.
Vinegar also gets rid of skunk odor. Soak the animal with a half-and-half vinegar and water solution, and then rinse with fresh water.
