Vinegar. We use a vinegar. Everything from an all-purpose cleaner, to a substitute for Jet Dry, to use in the laundry. And since I like to use my spray bottle A LOT, it means we go through a fair amount of vinegar. Costco has Heinz Vinegar for $3.76 for a 1.32 gallon jug - and that price makes it much cheaper than store-brand name vinegar. But I'm sure you want to know all of the uses for this amazing liquid! One thing I will tell you. DO NOT USE VINEGAR ON GRANITE, or any other type of natural stone including marble, travertine etc!!! Ok, now that I've said it, I'm sure you're wondering why. Vinegar is a weak acid. The acid interacts with the granite and turns it dull. Over time, the vinegar will etch the surface of the granite, allowing stains to penetrate the rock.
My husband hates it when I clean with vinegar, he says the house smells like a salad. But the vapors do evaporate shortly after it has dried. Best yet, I can clean and not have an asthma attack. So go to the Dollar Store and buy a ton of spray bottles and enjoy cleaning the way I clean my house!
All-purpose cleaner: 2 parts vinegar, 1 part water.
Steam Mop: Every once in a while, I add 1 part vinegar to my steam mop. Helps to clean out the mop incase of any mineral buildup.
Dishwasher: There are many ways to use vinegar in the dishwasher! My favorite being in place of the spot free rinse! It says in the manual of most dishwashers not to use vinegar every time, but I've been using it in place of that expensive blue spot remover for over 5 years and never had any problems.
Also, instead of buying the dishwasher cleaner, just run your dishwasher with a dishwasher-safe cup filled with plain white vinegar on the top rack of the dishwasher. Using the hottest water available, run the dishwasher through a cycle – except for the cup of vinegar, the dishwasher needs to be empty. After using the vinegar to sanitize the inside of the dishwasher, sprinkle a cupful of baking soda around the bottom of the tub and run it through a short but complete cycle using the hottest water. The baking soda will help freshen the smell of the dishwasher as well as brighten up the look of the inside of your appliance by removing stains.
**Remember: Do NOT run the baking soda and the vinegar at the same time, it will cause a bubble explosion and you will have a mess.
Pee stains on carpet (presumably from pets): Blot up the initial stain, flush it with water, then apply equal parts vinegar and cool water. Blot it all up, rinse, and let dry. This will eliminate odors and stains.
Hard water stains and mineral deposits: Allow a cloth soaked in vinegar to sit on a hard water stain (for example behind your faucet) or mineral deposit for a few hours. Wipe clean. Or fill a baggie with vinegar and rubber band to your shower head, soak for a few hours, wipe clean then the hard water will be gone!
Appliance cleaning: Clean your coffee maker or laundry machine by running vinegar through it, followed by water. This reduces soap buildup and keeps everything in working order.
Remove labels from glass jars: Saturate the labeled area in vinegar and scrape the stickiness right off.
Dirty pot bottoms and cooking utensils: Fill the pot with enough water to cover the stain, add 1 cup of vinegar, and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Let cool, then scrub the stains off. While you're at it, put your stainless steel cooking utensils in the pot to get them sparkly clean too.
Coffee stains on china: Use a mixture of salt and vinegar to clean coffee stains from china.
Fruit/Veggie maintenance: http://notsogross.blogspot.com/2012/06/raspberries-are-my-favorite.html
Cutting boards: Wooden cutting boards are great, except they can be a hothouse for bacteria (especially if grooves have been cut into the board with use). Disinfect it regularly with vinegar to keep it (and your food) clean.
Kill grass and weeds: Pour or spray full strength vinegar on grass or weeds poking through your driveway or rearing their heads in other unsavory places.
Kill soap scum: Wiping a scummy area with vinegar and rinsing with water will do as good a job as any at attacking your bathroom shower grime. If the scum is particularly stubborn, scrub with baking soda (a great natural abrasive) after wiping with vinegar. Rinse with water.
Hair rinse: vinegar neutralizes the alkali left by shampoos.
Cloth Diapers/All Laundry: add a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle, it will help balance the pH and remove any buildup.
Easter Eggs: Add 1 tsp of vinegar (for every 1 cup - ish of water. Adding vinegar to your easter egg colors will make colors brighter.
I can go on and on about the uses of vinegar, and maybe I'll continue this post at a later date
Who knew that vinegar could do so much? It serves a purpose in just about every room of the house, and there are dozens of household products that vinegar can replace. It's cheaper, better for the environment, and better for your health and home (in eliminating unnecessary chemicals).
My family likes a lot of tots, so sometimes I do duel layers. It just depends on how many I have!
