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From the walls in your home to the carpet on the floor, there are vinegar
uses that you may not even realize that can help you keep your home neat and
clean. Read through the following tips and ideas to learn more about how to keep
your home spot free and smelling fresh.
Paint brushes
You can lengthen your paint brushes life by cleaning with hot vinegar after
usages. Rinse with warm soapy water and let dry for your next use.
Garbage cans
Does your garbage cans just smell too much like garbage? Wiping the
inside of your garbage can with vinegar will keep your can smelling fresher
longer.
Seized bolts
Do you have a bolt that just won’t loosen up? Soaking it in distilled
vinegar may loosen a rusted or corroded bolt
Sparkling toilet
If you have hard water, or like a sparkling toilet use three cups of
vinegar and brush the toilet interior to clean thoroughly. Inexpensive cleaning
solution for your home!
Rust dissolver
You can dissolve rust from bolts and other metals using vinegar. Soak
the piece in full strength vinegar for a few minutes or up to an hour for best
results.
Decals
Have your kids put decals or stickers in places that they shouldn’t
have? You can remove decals or stickers using vinegar. Simply brush with a
couple coats of vinegar. Allow it to soak in and then just wash it right off.
Carpet tip
When you scrub your carpets add a cup of vinegar to your solution. This
breaks down any stains that your cleaning solution can’t.Fireplace
bricks
Are you having trouble finding a quick and easy method to clean your
fireplace bricks? You can clean fireplace bricks with straight vinegar.
Wood paneling
Do you have wood paneling that never seems to come shiny? Wood paneling
may be cleaned with a mixture of 1 ounce of olive oil and 2 ounces of distilled
vinegar in 1 quart of warm water. Moisten a soft cloth with the solution and
then simply wipe the paneling. The yellowing is then removed by wiping with a
soft, dry cloth for a fresh clean and shine.
Fabric glue
Vinegar makes an makes excellent fabric type glue for your favorite
purse that ripped, your hem that fell or that particular fabric glue need you
have use this ‘recipe’
1 box of clear gelatin,
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3-4 tablespoons of water (just enough to stir the mixture)
1 teaspoon of glycerin (in cake decorating section)
Melt the gelatin and water on low, then add the other ingredients and stir
constantly mixing it well. You will have to apply this ‘glue’ while warm. And
you can also store the remaining glue in a small plastic or glass jar for the
next time you find a need for it by warming it up before you use it.
Brush your carpet
Take a soft scrub brush or even a hairbrush, and brush your carpet.
Using a brush that has been wet with vinegar will brighten up the color in your
carpet.
Dust on fans
Are you forever cleaning your air conditioner, desk or ceiling fan to
cut dust? Try this, sponge away grease, dust, and dirt with a straight solution
of vinegar for a fresh clean that won’t attach and hold new dust.
Cola spill
If you have kids you have had cola spilled on your carpet. To get cola
out of your carpet use a cloth wet with vinegar and dab the spot as soon as you
notice it. Rub gently and wash with cool or cold water to remove the stain. Tip:
warm or hot water will set a stain in a carpet!
Water rings
Do your wood end tables or coffee tables have rings from water glasses
being set down? Using one cup of vinegar with one cup of olive oil rub with the
grain on your wood furniture you can make the stain disappear.
Soap scum
Get rid of soap scum in your sinks by wiping them with pure vinegar.
This also cuts down on the amount of hard water stains that can build up over
the years.
Hair brushes
If your hair brushes are becoming discolored, boil some water in a pan,
adding two cups of vinegar, then dip the hair brush or comb into the boiling
water for a few seconds to loosen the dirt and hair spray from the comb, then
rinse with water. Tip don’t place the plastic comb or brush in the boiling water
too long or it will melt.
Static
Do you have a problem with static in your home? To destatic a plastic
item wipe it down with a mixture of one tablespoon vinegar and one quart of
water. This also helps deter the attraction of dust.
Hard water
Do you find that it is hard water that is taking a toll on your tub or
shower? Wipe your tub down with a full strength solution of vinegar to cut grime
and soap scum.
Blankets
Freshen your favorite blankets. Both cotton and wool blankets become
soft, fluffy and free of soap odor when you add two cups of distilled vinegar to
the rinse cycle of the wash.
Irons
Have you noticed your electric iron or your curling iron caked with
build up or residue? Make a paste of one part salt and one part vinegar and
polish your irons as if you are polishing silver. Rubbing in circles and then
cleaning off with a damp cloth for a clean shine.
Wood furniture
Need to clean your wood furniture but you have run out of polish? Make
your own very thrifty furniture polish using equal parts of white vinegar and
vegetable oil. Wipe it on and buff it with a soft cloth.
Brass lamps
To clean brass lamps, unscrew sections, soak in bucket with a solution
of half vinegar and half water. All green and black tarnish comes off in no
time. You can also use this to clean brass instruments if your child plays in
the band.
Clean Grout
To clean grout in your bathroom use a toothbrush that is dripping in
vinegar, putting a little pressure on the dirty areas the grime will wash right
away!
Paint on glass
If you have been painting around the house you most likely have some
paint on your glass windows. Using a little vinegar heated up on the stove wipe
the paint right off. No scraping needed!
Scrubbing
Do you scrub your own carpets and find that you have just too much suds
going on in the shampoo scrubber to do the job right? Cut down on suds by using
one quarter to one half cup of vinegar with each solution while scrubbing the
rugs.
Cleaning walls
If you must clean your walls use this ‘recipe’ to keep your walls free
from grease, finger marks and dust for a beautiful looking clean.
- 1 Gallon of Water
- 1 Cup of Bottled Ammonia
- 1/2 Cup Bottled Vinegar
- 1/4 Cup of Baking Soda
Put the ammonia, vinegar, and baking soda into the bucket of water. Mix well.
And then wash the walls from the bottom up because if you get drips on the
unclean surface it will leave marks that are very difficult if not impossible to
remove, just as with any other surface cleaner would.
Shower head
Do your showers run slow? Unclog a showerhead by unscrewing it, then
remove the rubber washer that is inside and then place the showerhead in a pot
filled with equal parts Vinegar and water. Bring this to a boil on your stove
and your showerhead will sparkle and run as well as new!
Soap scum
Do you have a problem with soap scum in the bathtub? No matter what
kind of tub you have you can clean bathtub soap film by wiping with vinegar and
then with baking soda. If you have a fiberglass tub be careful rubbing with the
baking soda. Rinse clean with water.
Drywall tip
If you are doing work in your home involving drywall try this. To keep
drywall from drying too fast just add a tablespoon of vinegar to the mix.
Wallpaper removal
If you are trying to remove stubborn wallpaper or border in your home
use this solution. Mix a solution of vinegar and water, spray on the wallpaper
to loosen it up. Gently pull the wallpaper off and wipe off the excess glue from
the wall with a wet cloth. This is better than smelly chemicals.
Dust and static
To reduce dust and static electricity in your home, use vinegar, and a
small amount of water to clean your fans, air conditioner, and vents through out
your home.
Wax floors
Do you find it difficult to keep your no wax floors clean? Use a
mixture of ½ cup of vinegar to a gallon of water when mopping your floor.
Woodwork
Is your trim, doors, or other woodwork in your home stained and
varnished? If your varnish is looking a little old and cloudy, softly rub with
a solution of one tablespoon of vinegar with a quart of warm water. After
washing, dry with a lint free cloth for the perfect shine.
Window cleaning
An inexpensive and great way to clean your windows is using 1 part warm
water and one part vinegar. Wash the windows with this solution and dry with a
lint free rag. The dust is removed, smells clean, kills mold, and even removes
paint from the window glass!
Aquariums
If you have an aquarium you already know how hard it can be to keep
your aquarium clean. To remove the hard mineral deposits that form on the top of
where the water is in the aquarium wash with straight vinegar and then wash with
soap and water as usual for a streak through clean shine.
Cane bamboo
Do you have sagging cane; ribbon or bamboo chairs that you just can’t
part with yet? Sponge these chairs with a solution of half water and half
vinegar and then place them out in the hot sun to dry. The sagginess will
lessen.
Glue remover
If you have glued something together that you don’t want glued
together, like paper to the table when you were doing crafts, apply a little
straight vinegar to the area until the glue weakens and you can simply peel it
off.
Wooden floors
Do you find it difficult and expensive to clean your Pergo or Hardwood
floors? Use this inexpensive and easy to use recipe: 1/3 cup white vinegar and
1/3 cup rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup water and just about three drops of
dishwashing liquid. Mix this in a spray bottle and just spray and mop! This
recipe also works wonders on ceramic floors or ceramic in your kitchen.
Chewing gum
Did you find chewing gum in your carpet, in the pile of clothes or in
the rug in your car? To remove chewing gum pour straight vinegar on the area,
saturating the gum. If you have a chance to heat the vinegar the process will
work even faster.
Humidifiers
Did you know that a humidifier is a great place for mold to start
growing? Clean your humidified weekly with a ¼ cup to ½ cup of vinegar run
through the system this promotes freshness in the surrounding air as well. Just
rinse with water.
Cast iron radiators
If you have cast iron radiators you know how important it is to keep
the valves functioning properly. To clean the valves out simply boil a pot that
is a ½ and ½ solution of water and vinegar. Boil the valves for about twenty
minutes. Then take then out of the water / vinegar solution and bake them in the
oven for ten minutes until they are dried out. You’ll see dirt in the bottom of
the pan when you are finished.
Litter boxes
Do you have cats as pets? Wash out their litter box with pure vinegar
let air dry and refill with litter to keep the fresh smell even longer!