24 Amazingly Clever Uses For Vinegar

August 29, 2014December 10, 2018Home And Garden

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by Jeff Roberts

It’s a smell we are all too familiar with – the pungent, acidic odor which many of us associate with ballpark fries and battered halibut. Vinegar, a simple but handy ingredient which has yielded many interesting uses throughout mankind’s civilized days.

The active ingredient in vinegar is the corrosive acetic acid, which makes up about 5% of the useful solution and is made by the fermentation of acetic acid bacteria and the subsequent oxidation of ethanol. Besides the conventional uses of vinegar with food, it also has a ton of non-conventional uses.

Perhaps you’d be surprised to find out that vinegar can act as an anti-frost for your car windows, or that vinegar can be used to magnificently brighten gold jewelry? Here is a list of 24 ingenious uses for vinegar:

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Cool Uses For Around The House

1) Coffee maker cleaner – Vinegar can be used to thoroughly clean the hard build up in coffee makers, just run the vinegar through along with a subsequent water cycle and bravo!

2) Carpet stains – A mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar in a pint of lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat this procedure until the stain is gone.

3) Mirror cleaner – Cleaning your mirrors with vinegar will leave them glossy and gleaming – plus, you won’t be putting harmful window cleaning ingredients into the air or environment.

4) Water marks on wood – Rubbing an equal solution of vinegar and olive oil will remove those finicky water glass/alcohol stains on wood tables or bars. Make sure to go along with the wood grains.

5) Cleaning microwaves – Microwaving a bowl containing ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water with break up nasty build-up inside your microwave. Tip: Adding lemon makes for a fresher smelling finish.

6) Deodorizing the sink – Pouring a cup of vinegar down your sink once every week or so will eliminate that funky odor emanating from its depths.

7) Disinfecting wood cutting boards – Wiping down your cutting board with vinegar after handling contaminants is sure fired way of killing pesky bacteria and viruses.

8) Toilet cleaner – Acetic acid is strong enough to kill most of the commonly found germs in your household. The key is to use hot water and lots of elbow grease to wipe away any organic material.

9) Decalcifying your showerhead – Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or faucets by soaking them in white distilled vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.

10) Kill weeds and unwanted grass – Pouring/spraying full strength vinegar on grass or weeds will halt their growth in no time.

11) Fresher flowers – Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a 1-quart vase of water. Trim stems and change water every five days.

12) Removing old annoying stickers – Wiping down any no-longer wanted stickers or price tags with vinegar will quickly get them off and out of your way.

There are many types of vinegars other than white vinegar which yield awesome health benefits. See our “related article” link for more information about the incredible apple cider vinegar.

13) Paintbrush softener – Sticking your old paint brush in white vinegar then wash with hot soapy water.

14) Cleaning gold jewelry – Dunk any old gold jewelry in 1 cup of pure white vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes.

15) Washing fruit and vegetables – Kill bacteria and remove any surface pesticides by rinsing fresh fruit and vegetables with a solution of water containing 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

16) Eliminating funky kitchen smells – Eradicate off-putting cooking smells by letting a small pot of vinegar and water boil and vaporize into the air.

17) Fluffier rice – For fluffier and great tasting rice, add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water before adding rice. Rice will be easier to spoon and less sticky.

Health Related Uses

18) Alleviating heartburn – Surprisingly, drinking a shot of vinegar will signal the stomach to stop producing stomach acid.

19) Stinky dogs/pets – If you’re finding your favorite little pet is smelling musky, wash him down with a solution of 1 cup of vinegar to 2 gallons of water. Finish them off with your favorite essential oil for a whole new pet!

20) Pet health – Placing a tsp of vinegar (preferably apple cider) in their water bowl will help with nutrient absorption. This also applies to humans.

21) Sunburn relief – Gentlyrub apple cider vinegar on the affected area and reapply when needed.

22) Toenail fungus – Soak toes in a solution of vinegar and water, using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.

23) Wart Remover – Mix lukewarm/warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar. Immerse area with wart and soak 20 minutes every day until wart disappears.

24) Bug Spray – Combine equal amounts of water, white distilled vinegar and liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Use on skin, as needed.

Well it looks like our ancestors were on to something all along. Who knew that such a cheap and readily available ingredient had so many practical uses? What other uses for vinegar have you guys found? Share with us below!

Related: 12 Reasons Why Apple Cider Vinegar Will Revolutionize Your Health

References:

Jeff Roberts is a writer and editor for Collective Evolution, where this article first appeared. I’ve been with the CE team for over a
year now and it’s been an awesome ride so far. Simply put, I love to
write, whether it’s fiction or non-fiction 😀 If you have a question or
wanna chat you can contact me at [email protected] 🙂