The Many Faces of Vinegar

Lately, I've been pleasantly surprised by the "all-around" uses of Distilled White Vinegar. Apparently, Vinegar is a natural cleaner, heating agent, and antiseptic. So, it's uses are many. Here's a few you might find useful.

Dishwashing Rinse-Aid: Just add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse aid cup. No more spotted dishes! For a couple of years now I've gone without a rinse aid, content to deal with spotted glasses in order to maximize the budget and minimize the chemicals in our home. But, when I learned about vinegar, I tried it and it works great!

Carpet Cleaner: For spot cleaning, just spray vinegar directly on the spot and blot up. It's worked great on all sorts of spots...new ones, old ones, you name it! I also put it in my carpet cleaner instead of soap. It works great, leaves no residue to attract dirt, and surprisingly, does NOT leave a funny odor.

Mildew Remover: Spray on bathtubs, tiles, and bathroom fixtures (not marble, limestone, or travertine) to get ride of mildew.

Now a few I haven't tried, but sound great:

Laundry Soap Booster: Add 1/2 cup to a load of laundry to freshen and brighten clothing.

Wrinkle Spray: Mist dried, wrinkled clothing with a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water. Hang to dry.

Ease sunburn and bug bites: Dab affected area with cotton ball saturated with Vinegar.

Clean Store-bought Produce: Combine 4 Tablespoons of vinegar with 1 gallon water. Rinse produce with mixture to clean.

And, my son's personal favorite: Volcano Builder: In a baking pan, pack clay or mud around a small soda bottle until the structure resembles a mountain. Do not get the clay or mud inside the bottle. Fill the bottle 3/4 with warm tap water and, if desired, food coloring. Add 6 drops of dish detergent and 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the bottle. To create the eruption, slowly and carefully pour vinegar into the bottle. (Note: We've never built the whole volcano, but my son loves to combine baking soda and vinegar to create eruptions.)