More Ways to Clean with Vinegar

Every product should be this affordable and versatile.  Let alone you can clean just about anything with it while it’s perfectly safe to ingest, too.  That sort of makes vinegar a freak of nature, right?  And yet one that no one on the planet complains about.

Well, if you’ve been putting it to effective use around your house, now we give you even more ways to do so.

Vinegar as Deodorizer

Vinegar is great as a natural deodorizer that can be used in several ways. You can add it directly to the washing machine or dishwasher to remove the smell of mildew. You can spray it onto carpets and, if you want to add a fresh scent while de-odorizing, try adding a few drops of an essential oil such as citrus, lavender, or vanilla. Vinegar also can be boiled to get rid of any lingering garbage smells, or the sourness of burnt food.

Vinegar to Help Polish Metal

Vinegar is wonderful at restoring the shine to silver, brass, or copper. Make a solution with equal parts vinegar and baking soda, then let your silverware or jewelry sit in the solution for 2 hours. Rinse in warm water and wipe clean! For larger items rub a paste made of baking soda and vinegar onto a platter or pot. Rub until the tarnish is gone, and rinse with more vinegar. When the fizzing has stopped wipe clean to reveal your shiny items.

Vinegar for Car Care

A great way to take care of your floor mats is to clean them with a vinegar and water solution. Mix the two ingredients and blot the solution onto the mat with a sponge.  Then rub dry with a towel. This not only removes ground-in dirt, but eliminates the salt left over from a long snowy winter.

Vinegar in the Garage

Wipe down lawn mower blades with undiluted vinegar to remove grass along with any grubs or bugs that had planned on making your garage their home this winter. You can also remove rust from tools and scissors by soaking them in vinegar for 2 days. They should wipe clean after that!

Vinegar to Repel Pets and Pests

If you want your cat to stay out of a room or closet, spray the air with full strength white vinegar. This is effective even once the vinegar has dried. You can also spray some outdoors to repel animals from eating your garden, flowers, or shrubs.

And yes, vinegar is still an effective weapon against stubborn drain clogs.  Pour half a cup each of vinegar and baking soda down the drain, let it sit for 30 minutes, and then flush the mixture with a teapot full of boiling water.  It may take more than application to succeed.  But if it doesn’t, that’s your cue to contact Your 1 Plumber, the right plumbing company for all your sewer and drain needs.