I am going to try to put together all the info I have in vinegar in one post here, for all vinegar types.
WHITE VINEGAR
http://housekeeping.about.com/od/environment/a/Homemade-And-Natural-Cleaning-Products.htm
Vinegar actually cleans much like an all-purpose cleaner. All you need is to mix a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a
great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. It's always best to test any cleaner on a hidden area first to make sure no color change or damage occurs. Be aware that improperly
diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Vinegar isn't a good idea to use on marble surfaces, either. And, don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Some common uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house are...
Bathroom: Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and counter-tops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of unsightly rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down before pouring the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. You can also mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. Vinegar will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile leaving them shiny and beautiful.
Kitchen: Clean the top of the stove with equal parts vinegar and water. Most appliances can be cleaned with this same all purpose mix of vinegar and water. Counter-top surfaces can be cleaned and disinfected with the same spray. Use vinegar to clean floors and be amazed at the fresh shiny results.
(NOTE: I have seen another site where they suggest cleaning dishwasher by adding a cup of V to the empty cycle) and then following up with a cup of BC and doing another cycle)
Laundry Room: You can use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families with sensitive skin issues. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. I like to use vinegar to clean my washing machine as well.
- To clean the mirror I use vinegar and water.
- To clean the tub, I found that a 40/60 solution of vinegar to hot tap water in the bottom of the tub works well. You let the vinegar/water solution soak for about 15 minutes and then scrub with a brush and drain. Rinse with hot water and done. If you don't like the vinegar smell, don't worry it will go away after you rinse the tub. Happy safe and natural cleaning.
- Put some vinegar in a baggy and use a rubber band to hold it on to the shower head to clean away buildup.
- To keep your plastic shower curtain free of mildew, keep a spray bottle filled with white vinegar and water by the tub. At the end of your shower, spray the shower curtain, especially along the lower edge. You'll be amazed by the difference!
- The cheapest way to mop your kitchen floor is to mix vinegar with water. Buy the large containers and it makes some cheap disinfecting mop water. The vinegar smell will go away when the floor dries.
- Here's how to clean your kitchen cabinets and any woodwork in an inexpensive, green way. Mix equal parts of white vinegar with hot water (you can use less white vinegar if your cabinets are not real dirty, smudged up, greasy prints, etc.) add a few drops of olive oil and use a soft rag to clean. The white vinegar cuts grease and grime effectively and safely and also disinfects. The olive oil leaves a nice shine behind. I also use this mixture to mop my hardwood floors - it leaves them beautiful. It is so easy to use and so very inexpensive.
- We use a spray bottle with plain white vinegar as a kitchen cleaning spray. It's cheap and green. But my favorite part is that it's safe enough for my young daughters to use. So, for less money, I can help train my daughters and get some needed help in the kitchen.
- I use vinegar for everything in the kitchen. It is so easy to use. I clean my stove with it, it cuts the grease very well and I use it to clean my counters and my floors. I double mop my floors but the vinegar first helps cut the grease on the floors from regular cooking troubles.
- Use vinegar on the bathroom floor to get rid of the urine smell if you have small children or your husbands friends are messy or for a cat litter box kept in the bathroom.
- For extreme hard water problems while washing dishes in the dishwasher add 1 cup of distilled vinegar to the rinse cycle. Simply open the door and poor it in. Not only does it correct old spots, but in prevents new ones. It also helps keep the mechanics of the dishwasher free of deposits.
- Tired of wasting money on a special or fancy solution to clean out your coffee pot? Simply use vinegar! Mix part vinegar with part water and run it through like you would if you were actually making coffee (be sure to keep the carafe underneath!). The vinegar combined with the heat will leave your coffee pot like new (and your coffee will taste better too!). P.S. This is also a trick I use when I want to use my coffee pot to make hot water (it removes all the coffee taste that would otherwise be there).
- The simplest way to soften your clothes naturally is to add 1/4-1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle. I bought a softener ball and use it strictly for this purpose.
- Add just about 1/4 cup of white vinegar to sheets and towels, shower curtains and other household linens to prevent that mildew smell.
- White vinegar will also whiten your white clothes and it is not as damaging as chlorine bleach. You can use it in every load, not just once a month!
- Erase ballpoint-pen marks.
- Erase crayon marks from clothes.
- Remove stickers and price tags by dabbing a little vinegar on the sticker.
- Disinfect cutting boards by wiping it down with vinegar after every use.
- Remove carpet stains by mixing 1 tblspoon clear dishwashing liquid & 1 tblspoon white vinegar w/ 2 cups of warm water.
- Get rid of water lines on furniture by mixing equal parts vinegar and olive oil and dip a cloth in the mixture and wipe the water ring.
- Trap fruit flies by placing some in a small bowl.
- Wash away mildew from your shower curtain.
- Remove stains from pots and pans by mixing 1 cup vinegar 2 tbs baking soda 1 cup water.
- Help bruises heal faster by applying a little vinegar.
- Sooth a soar throat by gargling 1 Tb of apple cider vinegar with 1 tsp of salt.
- Clean your toothbrushes.
- Soak out blood stains.
- Keep cut fresh flowers fresh.
- Revive your paintbrushes by soaking in vinegar.
- Kill weeds in the yard by spraying them with vinegar.
- Peel off wallpaper by mixing equal parts of water and vinegar and spraying directly onto the wallpaper.
- Clean and disinfect baby toys.
- Get rid of stubborn bathtub residue.
- Keep ants away by spraying vinegar along doorways.
- Relieve a sunburn by slightly rubbing with vinegar.
- Boil better eggs by adding 2 TB vinegar to the water – keeps them from cracking.
- Make fluffier pancakes by adding 2 TB of vinegar.
- Fabric softner by adding about 1/4 cup of vinegar to your laundry load to soften your fabric.
- Gum remover – spray vinegar on the area where the gum is stuck & the gum will dissolve.
- Air freshener – Remove odor by putting a bowl of vinegar in the place where the smell is emanating. You can also put it in a spray bottle with equal parts water and deodorize the air.
- Wash your fridge. Clean your fridge by wiping it down with a mixture of water and vinegar (equal parts).
- Unclog drains. Put a bit of baking soda in your drain, then pour some vinegar over it. Let it bubble over, then flush it with some boiling water.
- Clean your microwave. Add 1/4 cup vinegar to a bowl with one cup water. Heat up the mixture in your microwave for a few minutes and let it evaporate. Then, wipe down your microwave and the condensed drops after removing the bowl.
- Renew scuffed shoes. Wipe vinegar on your scuffed leather shoes to help them shine.
- Clean windows. Mix equal parts vinegar and water and put the liquid mixture into a spray bottle and spray your windows. Wipe them down with newspaper to prevent streaking.
- Tenderize and kill bacteria in meat. Add some vinegar to your marinade to kill the bacteria in your meat and to help tenderize it.
- Wash vegetables and fruits. Mix three parts water to one part vinegar and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Before washing, spray fresh produce with the liquid to remove bacteria and pesticide residues.
- Get rid of dandruff. Rub vinegar on your scalp and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then rinse it off. Do this once a week, and you should see less flaking.
