White Distilled Vinegar, 50 Grain, Diluted With Water to 5% Acidity For Uniform Pickling and Table Strength
Clear dirt off PCs and peripherals with a mixture of equal amounts of vinegar and water on a dampened well rung out cloth.
Erase ballpoint-pen marks on walls with a cloth that some full-strength vinegar is added to.
Clean scissors
Carefully wipe down scissor blades and dry off with a cloth.
Clean your window blinds with a solution of half vinegar and half water with a dampened cloth.
Clean off water rings on furniture with a solution of equal parts of vinegar and olive oil and apply it with a soft cloth. Use another clean, soft cloth to shine it up.
Restore your rugs by brushing them with a clean push broom dipped in a solution of 1 cup white vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Prevent mildew from forming on the bottoms of rugs and carpeting by misting the backs with full-strength white vinegar from a spray bottle.
Remove carpet stains
Here are some vinegar uses for more stubborn stains:
Rub light carpet stains with a mixture of 2 tablespoons salt dissolved in 1/2 cup white vinegar. Let the solution dry, then vacuum.
For larger or darker stains, add 2 tablespoons borax to the mixture and use in the same way.
For tough, ground-in dirt and other stains, make a paste of 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and rub it into the stain using a dry cloth. Let it set for two days, then vacuum.
To make 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 non-sudsy ammonia and 5 parts water. Saturate a stain with the vinegar solution. Let it settle for a few minutes, then blot thoroughly with a clean, dry cloth. Then spray and blot using the ammonia solution. Repeat until the stain is gone.
Brighten up brickwork and brick fireplace
Go over the bricks with a damp cloth dipped in 1 cup white vinegar mixed with 1 gallon warm water.
Clean wood paneling
Mix 1 pint warm water, 4 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a container and apply with a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak into the wood for several minutes, then polish with a dry cloth.
Conceal scratches in wood furniture
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 and more vinegar for lighter shades.
Remove candle wax
Soften the wax using a blow-dryer on its hottest setting and blot up as much as you can with paper towels. Then 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.
Unclog and deodorize drains
The combination of vinegar and baking soda is one of the most effective ways to unclog and deodorize drains
Use a funnel to pour 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1 cup vinegar into the drain. When the foaming subsides, flush with hot tap water. Wait five minutes, and then flush again with cold water. It also washes away odor-causing bacteria.
Get rid of smoke odor
Remove smoky odor by placing a shallow bowl with some white or cider vinegar in the room The odor should be gone in a few hours. Remove fresh cigarette smoke in a room by moistening a cloth with vinegar and waving it around.
Clean chrome and stainless steel
To clean chrome and stainless steel fixtures around your home, spray on undiluted white vinegar. Dry with a soft cloth.
Eliminate grease stains from stove, broiler, kitchen table, or counter by wiping them down with a cloth dampened in a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water.
Pour 3-4 tablespoons white vinegar into liquid dishwashing detergent and shake. The added vinegar will increase the detergent’s grease-fighting capabilities.
Boil 1 cup vinegar and water in a stainless steel pot to melt off stubborn slicks.
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 vegetable and fruit bins. To prevent mildew growth, wash the inside walls and bin 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.
Disinfect cutting boards
To disinfect and clean your wood cutting boards or butcher block countertop, wipe them with full-strength white vinegar after each use. When your wooden cutting surface needs deodorizing as well as disinfecting, spread some baking soda over it and then spray on undiluted white vinegar. Let it foam and bubble for five to ten minutes, then rinse with a cloth dipped in clean cold water.
Polish brass and copper items
Put the shimmer back in your brass, bronze, and copper objects by making a paste of equal parts white vinegar and salt, or vinegar and baking soda (wait for the fizzing to stop before using). Use a clean, soft cloth or paper towel to rub the paste into the item until the tarnish is gone. Then rinse with cool water and polish with a soft towel until dry.
Refresh ice trays
To remove the spots or disinfect your trays, let them soak in undiluted vinegar for four to five hours, then rinse well under cold water and let dry.
Clean a coffeemaker
If your coffee consistently comes out weak or bitter, odds are your coffeemaker needs cleaning. Fill the decanter with 2 cups white vinegar and 1 cup 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—after 40 cycles if you have hard water.
Clean a teakettle
To eliminate lime and mineral deposits in a teakettle, bring 3 cups full-strength white vinegar to a full boil for five minutes and leave the vinegar in the kettle overnight. Rinse out with cold water the next day.
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 a pot of 1/2 cup white vinegar in 1 cup water. Let it boil until the liquid is almost gone.
Make an all-purpose scrub for pots and pans
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, then rinse off with warm water and dry thoroughly with a soft dish towel.
Sanitize jars, containers, and vases
Fill the item with equal parts vinegar and warm, soapy water and let it stand for 10-15 minutes. If you’re cleaning a bottle or jar, close it up and give it a few good shakes; otherwise use a bottle brush to scrape off the remains before thoroughly rinsing.
Clean a dirty thermos
To get a thermos bottle clean, fill it with warm water and 1/4 cup white vinegar. If you see any residue, add some uncooked rice, which will act as an abrasive to scrape it off. Close and shake well. Then rinse and let it air-dry.
Purge bugs from your pantry
Do you have moths or other insects in your cupboard or pantry? Fill a small bowl with 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar and add a couple of drops of liquid dish detergent. 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 detergent or 2 cups baking soda in 1 quart (1 liter) water. Discard all wheat products (breads, pasta, flour, and such), and clean off canned goods before putting them back.
Trap fruit flies
Fill a jar about halfway with apple cider vinegar. Punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on.
Clean windshield wiper blades
Dampen a cloth or rag with some full-strength white vinegar and run it down the full length of each blade once or twice.
Care for your car’s carpets
Vacuum first. Mix a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar and sponge it into the carpet. Wait a few minutes. Then blot it up with a cloth or paper towel. This will also eliminate salt residues left on car carpets during the winter months.
Remove bumper stickers
Saturate the top and sides of the sticker with undiluted distilled vinegar and wait 10-15 minutes for the vinegar to soak through. Then use an expired credit card (or one of those promotional plastic cards that come in the mail) to scrape it off. Use more full-strength vinegar to get rid of any remaining gluey residue. Use the same technique to detach decals from the windshield.
Keep car windows frost-free
Spray 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.
Wipe away mildew in the bathroom.
Scrub soap scum or water spots on the ceramic tiles around your sink or bath with 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup borax mixed in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) warm water. Rinse well with cool water and let air-dry.
Clean sinks and bathtubs
Put the shine back in your porcelain sinks and bathtubs by giving them a good scrubbing 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 white vinegar under running hot tap water. Let the tub fill up over the stains and allow it to soak for four hours. When the water drains out, you should be able to easily scrub off the stains. To whiten the grout, dip a toothbrush in white vinegar and scrub.
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 white vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda mixed in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) warm water.
Remove mineral deposits from showerheads
Wash away blockages and mineral deposits from removable showerheads by placing them in 1 quart (1 liter) boiling water with 1/2 cup distilled vinegar for 10 minutes (use hot, not boiling, liquid for plastic showerheads). When you remove it from the solution, the obstructions should be gone. If you have a non-removable showerhead, fill a small plastic bag half full of 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.
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 full-strength white vinegar and let it sit for three to five 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 scrub brush, or even a recycled toothbrush, to get up tough stains.
Wipe down bathroom fixtures
With undiluted white vinegar onto a soft cloth wipe chrome faucets, towel racks, bathroom mirrors, doorknobs, etc.
Fight mold and mildew
To remove and inhibit bathroom mold and mildew, pour a solution of 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 1 teaspoon borax, and 2 cups hot water into a clean, recycled spray bottle and give it a few good shakes. Then spray the mixture on painted surfaces, tiles, windows, or wherever you see mold or mildew spots. Use a soft scrub brush to work the solution into the stains or just let it soak in.
Disinfect toilet bowls
Pour 2 cups white vinegar into the bowl and let the solution soak overnight before flushing. Including this vinegar soak in your weekly cleaning regimen will help keep away water rings that appear above the water level.
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 white vinegar into the wash cycle the first time you wash them.
Stop reds from running
Soak new garments in a few cups of undiluted white vinegar for 10-15 minutes before their first washing.
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 laundry detergent and 1/2 cup baking soda to the load, and wash it in warm water on your machine’s regular cycle. Add 1 cup white vinegar to the first rinse. Before the machine goes into the spin cycle, remove the curtain and let it hang-dry.
Clean your washing machine
An easy way to periodically clean out soap scum and disinfect your clothes washer is to pour in 2 cups vinegar, then run the machine through a full cycle without any clothes or detergent. If your washer is particularly dirty, fill it with very hot water, add 2 gallons (7.5 liters) vinegar, and let the agitator run for 8-10 minutes. Turn off the washer and let the solution stand overnight. In the morning, empty the basin and run your washer through a complete cycle.
Soften fabrics, kill bacteria, eliminate static, and more
Add 1 cup white vinegar to your washer’s rinse cycle to kill off any bacteria, keep clothes soft and smelling fresh.
Added to the last rinse, a cup of vinegar will keep your clothes lint- and static-free.
Brighten wash loads
Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to your machine’s wash cycle to brighten up the colors in each load.
Whiten dingy crew socks
Add 1 cup vinegar to 1 1/2 quarts (1.5 liters) tap water in a large pot. Bring the solution to a boil, then pour it into a bucket and drop in your dingy socks. Let them soak overnight. The next day, wash them as you normally would.
Get the yellow out of clothing
Soak clothing overnight in a solution of 12 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar. Wash them the following morning.
Spray away wrinkles
Mist clean clothes with a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Hang them up and let them air-dry.
Maintain your iron
To eliminate mineral deposits and prevent corrosion on your steam iron, give it an occasional cleaning by filling the reservoir with undiluted white vinegar. Place the iron in an upright position, switch on the steam setting, and let the vinegar steam through it for 5-10 minutes. Then refill the chamber with clean water and repeat. Finally, give the water chamber a good rinsing with cold, clean water. You can remove scorch marks from the soleplate of your iron by scrubbing it with a paste made by heating up equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan. Use a rag dipped in clean water to wipe away the remaining residue.
Reshape woolens
Shrunken woolen sweaters and other items can usually be stretched back to their former size or shape after boiling them in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water for 25 minutes. Let the garment air-dry after you’ve finished stretching it.
Brush off stains on suede
To eliminate a fresh grease spot on a suede jacket, skirt, or shoes, 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.
Lift out many water-soluble stains — including beer, orange and other fruit juices, black coffee or tea, and vomit –from 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, soak the clothing overnight in a solution of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part cold water before washing.
Eliminate stains
Blood, cola, hair dye, ketchup, 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 and launder immediately afterward. For severe stains, add 1-2 cups vinegar to the wash cycle as well. Older, set-in stains will often come out in the wash after being pretreated with a solution of 3 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent in 1 quart (1 liter) warm water. Rub the solution into the stain, then blot it dry before washing.
Remove perspiration discoloration
Scrub the material 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 also works on ink stains). This approach also works to remove light mildew stains from clothing. You can also pour a bit of vinegar directly on the stain and rub into the fabric before washing.
Clean lawn mower blades
Wipe down blades with a cloth dampened with undiluted white vinegar.
Eliminate insects around the garden
Fill a 2-liter soda bottle with 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Next, slice up a banana peel into small pieces, put them in the bottle, add 1 cup 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 and kill the insects. Replace used traps with new ones as needed.
Test soil acidity or alkalinity
To do a quick test for excess alkalinity in the soil in your yard, place a handful of earth in a container and then pour in 1/2 cup white vinegar. If the soil fizzes or bubbles, it’s definitely alkaline. Similarly, to see if your soil has a high acidity, mix the earth with 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup 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 or meter.
Clean a hummingbird feeder
Regularly clean 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.
Speed germination of flower seed
You can get woody seeds, such as moonflower, passionflower, morning glory, and gourds, off to a healthier start by scarifying them—that is, lightly rubbing them between a couple of sheets of fine sandpaper—and soaking them overnight in a solution of 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 pint (half liter) warm water. Next morning, remove the seeds from the solution, rinse them off, and plant them. You can also use the solution (minus the sandpaper treatment) to start many herb and vegetable seeds.
Wipe away mealy bugs 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 them and any eggs left behind. Be vigilant for missed targets, and break out more vinegar-soaked swabs if you spot bugs.
Stop yellow leaves on plants
The sudden 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 of a solution made by mixing 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in 1 quart (1 liter) water.
Encourage blooms on azaleas and gardenias
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 white vinegar mixed in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water. Don’t apply the solution while the bush is in bloom, however; it may shorten the life of the flowers or harm the plant.
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 apple cider vinegar in 2 quarts (2 liters) water, and pour some into a recycled 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.
Keep out animals
Some animals—including cats, deer, dogs, rabbits, and raccoons—can’t stand the scent of vinegar even after it has dried. You can keep them out of your garden by soaking several recycled rags in white vinegar, and placing them on stakes around your vegetables. Re-soak the rags about every 7-10 days.
Exterminate dandelions and unwanted grass
Spray them with full-strength white or apple cider vinegar. Early in the season, give each plant a single spritz 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.
Make a trap to lure flying insects
Place a bowl filled with apple cider vinegar near some food, but away from you and guests. By the evening’s end, most of your uninvited guests will be floating inside the bowl.
Remove ants
Pour equal parts water and white vinegar into a spray bottle. Then spray it on anthills and around areas where you see the insects. Ants hate the smell of vinegar. 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 bugs’ departure.
Clean off bird droppings
Make those messy droppings disappear in no time by spraying them with full-strength apple cider vinegar. Or pour the vinegar onto a rag and wipe them off.
Get rid of rust on tools
Soak them in full-strength white vinegar for a few days. Do the same treatment for removing the rust from corroded nuts and bolts. And you can pour vinegar on rusted hinges and screws to loosen them up for removal.
Disinfect air-conditioner and humidifier filters
Every 10 days, fill a bucket with equal parts white vinegar and warm water and let the filter soak in the solution for an hour, then squeeze it dry before using. If your filters are particularly dirty, let them soak overnight. You can also keep them clean by periodically wiping them down with full strength vinegar.
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 affixed to galvanized metal.
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, then wash in hot, soapy water. Or, try boiling it in 1-2 cups vinegar for 10 minutes, followed by a thorough washing in soapy water.
