Vinegar. Amazing stuff. It's been around for thousands of years, and even in today's post-modern world, we still have few products that can compare. Don't believe me? Read on.
Vinegar was discovered by accidentally leaving wine in the barrel too long. As far back as 5000 BC the Babylonians discovered its uses as a preservative and condiment. They were the first to flavor it with herbs and spices. Cleopatra once bet that she could drink a fortune in a single night. She won it by dissolving pearls in vinegar and then drinking it. (For some reason when I have been sharing that fun-fact with my friends, they have not been as impressed as I have been....lol.) As recently as WW1 vinegar was used to disinfect wounds.
I wouldn't recommend the pearl dissolving use and modern-day disinfectants are much better, however there are many other uses which you might not be aware of. Not only do these work as well or often better than the chemicals on the market, but it is cheaper and better for the environment. Those of you with little kids will appreciate the fact that you can have fewer toxic chemicals stored around the house or slathered on playing areas. Vinegar reduces soap build up. The acidic component of vinegar, acetic acid, is a powerful yet safe disinfectant. It has so many uses. Below are just a few ideas. If I say "vinegar" but do not say which type, assume distilled white vinegar.
Bugs: You actually do not catch more flies with honey than vinegar. If you have a bunch of fruit flies, remove the source of the bugs and then put a cup of vinegar on your ledge.
Carpet Stains (non-oily): As soon as you discover the stain, mix 1 teaspoon liquid detergent, 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar and a pint of lukewarm water. Apply to stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently (I prefer an old toothbrush). Rinse by blotting with a clean wet towel. Dry with a blowdryer.
Coffeepot: To disinfect a coffee pot that hasn't been used in a while or to remove hard water buildup inside it, pour 1 cup vinegar in your coffeepot, fill the rest of the way with water. Run it through a cycle as usual (sans coffee grounds). Rinse the pot out. Fill it with fresh water and run another cycle without coffee to rinse the inside of the coffee maker (as you probably don't want vinegar coffee). I try to do this about twice a year to keep my beloved coffee pot running well.
Clogged Drains: Many of you might recall from "volcano" experiments back in elementary school that when baking soda mixes with vinegar, it foams and expands. You can use this fact to unclog your drain. Dump 1 cup of baking soda down your drain and follow it with 1 cup of vinegar. Allow a few minutes for the mixture to work, then flush with hot water for several minutes.
Dishwasher: Throw a cup of vinegar in your dishwasher and let it run a full (empty) cycle once a month or so to reduce soap build up and keep your dishwasher safe. (a good thing to add to your monthly cards.)
Icy Car Windows: Spray a mixture of three parts vinegar to one part water on your clean car windows in the winter. It will save you hours of scraping. Reapply every 2-3 weeks (best if right after going to car wash, but not required). Be careful to wipe away any of the mixture that gets in your car or on your paint as it will eat away at the paint or interior.
Fridge Smells: Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into a glass and leave in fridge for 2-3 days.
Frugal Pedicure: All us ladies need one from time to time, but getting one done professionally can be very expensive. Soak two towels in a mixture of 50/50 vinegar to warm water. Wrap the towels around your feet for twenty minutes. When you remove them, wipe your feet and you will notice all the dead skin is gone, leaving you with smooth feet. Paint your toenails and you are good to go!
Mirrors: Mix equal parts vinegar with warm water. Spray onto windows and wipe. If you use a newspaper to wipe the vinegar away, a chemical reaction will occur that will get your mirrors extra shiny.
Shower head: Remove the gross soapscum and corrosion from your showerhead or facuet by wrapping a terry cloth soaked in distilled white vinegar around the showerhead or faucet overnight. Other lime-scaly bathroom products could be removed and then placed in a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water heated in the microwave. Plop the piece into the warmed mixture and remove a half hour later.
Stove-top: Spray full strength vinegar onto the baked on grit on your stove-top (or your 50/50 mixture if you have a container of it laying around, but you will need to use more). Let it set about three minutes and then go back to scrub your gunk away.
Tile Floors: Mix one part vinegar to five parts water and scrub away at your tile floors. If you dislike the smell, add a few drops of essential oils to the mixture.
Water marks on wood: If you forgot to use a coaster and have that icky water mark you can remove it by rubbin with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and, for best results, polish with wood oil.
In general, vinegar can help remove many dirty occurances around your house more cheaply and safely than commercial cleaners. I always keep a spray bottle of 50/50 vingegar with water around to spray on various tricky spots. For the super severe I will sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar spray and let sit for a few minutes while it bubbles. Works miracles!
There are so many uses of vinegar. Below are a few other conglomerates of vinegar uses. What is your favorite use for vinegar?
http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html
http://dontdatethatdude.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/vinegar-who-knew/
http://frugaldad.com/2008/12/12/household-uses-for-vinegar-the-ultimate-frugal-solution/
http://www.vinegarbook.net/vinegar_book_household_uses.shtml
http://www.vinegartips.com/
