254 Uses for Vinegar. And Counting.

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Vinegar. As an Englishman, I had one use for it. I put it on my Fish 'n' Chips. Then I married a girl from Guam and found another use for it...Adobo sauce. Mmmm. But as a frugal shopper, I began hearing whispers of the incredible versatility of vinegar. So I did some research. I was shocked! (See also: 6 Secret Homemade Stain Removers That Kick Butt)

Pop along to the frugal living section of About.com and you'll be met with a plethora of useful tips. One page is devoted to the mighty vinegar, and it's a long page. Really long. I mean "use up all of your paper printing it out" long. So here I reprint the top 50 from this huge list. The rest you can get yourselves from the link above. But I'll tell you something...you'll never be short of a bottle of vinegar in my house!

NOTE: Recently, About.com took down their vinegar list. Why I have no idea. But I hate to keep you guys hanging so this page should help out. It has many, many uses for vinegar.

  1. Used as a hair rinse, vinegar neutralizes the alkali left by shampoos.
     
  2. A quarter cup in a quart of water makes a good window cleaner. A reader adds: "When you use vinegar in your water to wash windows, dry with newspapers. Your windows will sparkle!"
     
  3. Fabric softener and static cling reducer — use as you would liquid fabric softener.
     
  4. Air freshener, used with baking soda — use 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 cups of water. After it stops foaming, mix well, and use in a (recycled) spray bottle into the air.
     
  5. Chewing gum dissolver — saturate the area with vinegar. If the vinegar is heated, it will work faster.
     
  6. Stain remover — for stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak clothing in full strength vinegar.
     
  7. Corn and callus remover — soak a piece of stale bread (a cloth would probably do as well) in vinegar, and tape it over the callus or corn overnight.
     
  8. Remedy for age spots — Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar and use it daily on age spots. This will take a few weeks to work, just like its expensive relative from the store.
     
  9. Kill grass or weeds by pouring hot vinegar on it. This might take a couple of times to work completely. Use white vinegar straight from the bottle to pour on the weeds and grasses that come up through the pavement. Just pour on and let set a couple of days and the weeds will die back and wont reappear for several months.
     
  10. Wash your windshield with vinegar in the winter to help keep ice and frost away.
     
  11. If you have a septic tank, use vinegar instead of harsh chemicals to clean the toilet bowl. Let it set overnight if you can; it will help keep germs down.
     
  12. Spray your hands with a mist of vinegar, or dip them in vinegar and dry after washing dishes or having them in soapy water to keep your hands soft.
     
  13. It's an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you've added a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.
     
  14. Use diluted 1:1 in water to take pet odors out of carpets. Find the spot, and saturate it with about 1 1/2 times the original volume. Let set for a while then blot up. Repeat if your cloth is very dirty after blotting. I make sure to turn on a fan and open a window, especially for large spots!
     
  15. Splash vinegar on your varicose veins. The vinegar is supposed to reduce the veins and relieve the pain and swelling. Of course, you might smell like a tossed salad!
     
  16. Use about a tablespoon of vinegar in the water when poaching eggs. It helps the eggs to keep their shape. No taste of vinegar, either.
     
  17. Use 1 tablespoon vinegar to an 8-ounce glass of warm water for a sore throat. Gargle every hour and swallow after gargling, with two mouthfuls. I got this from a Vermont Folk Medicine book by D.C.Jarvis many years ago. If started at the first hint of a sore throat, it always works, usually within a night's sleep. I don't mind the taste, but some children might.
     
  18. It is also helpful when children get lice, if you take warm vinegar and put it on the hair also take your nit comb and dip it in the vinegar. As you run it through the hair it helps remove the nits. It is supposed to be able to help break down the glue the nits use to stay attached to the hair.
     
  19. Set a container (shallow bowl) of vinegar throughout the house to absorb unpleasant odors. Works great on burned food odors. Do not use styrofoam. It will soak through it.
     
  20. Use vinegar and olive oil as a frugal dressing with a selection of herbs on your salad. A different reader adds: "I like to use vinegar the old-fashioned way: I eat it!! I use all sorts of vinegars as salad dressing ingredients (my favorite is the classic red wine vinegar mixed with olive oil). I also eat my fish with malt vinegar, which is also very good on french fries."
     
  21. This reader says: "I liked the 'spray mister' approach to air freshening, but as a sometimes poor bachelor cook, I have blackened fish when it isn't on the menu. Vinegar in a towel, twirled about the head will quickly stop the smoke detectors from screaming. It also freshens the air, and captures the smoke smell before the whole house is caught."
     
  22. Added by another reader: "Put vinegar on white bread around a house to get rid of smoke smell from a fire."
     
  23. Another reader writes: "You can use vinegar to remove wallpaper. I just redid my entire kitchen and it was a snap. First remove top layer of wallpaper. Then spray vinegar on and let set for a minute or two. Then pull backing away. Scrape excess glue off wall. Wipe remaining glue off with vinegar and rinse with water. You don't have to use harse chemicals and it is cheap, cheap, cheap."
     
  24. Another reader writes this: "Keep it in mind when cleaning the walls after removing wallpaper: I use vinegar water (2-3 parts vinegar to 1 part water) to remove (new or old) wallpaper paste. Add more vinegar as needed if the paste is really stubborn."
     
  25. This reader writes: "My grandmother swears by vinegar as an antiseptic for abrasions to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites, and even to help rehydrate sunburned skin."
     
  26. She also uses it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser, as most soaps are alkaline as compared to skin ph.
     
  27. On a different note, most meat marinades are most effective if acidic, so an extra few spoonfuls of vinegar can't hurt.
     
  28. On heavily tarnished copper or copper-alloy to be cleaned up, use a paste made of salt and vinegar.
     
  29. A reader writes: "I use white (not apple cider) vinegar mixed with water to rinse off the dishes after washing them to take the soap off and leave them squeaky clean. This also takes the soap residue off of my hands at the same time."
     
  30. Another reader wrote: "I am allergic to crabs. However, I love them. I have found that when I dip my crab meat in vinegar, I don't get an allergic reaction. This may not work for everyone, but it works for me."
     
  31. Pour vinegar around the sides of your pool and it helps keeps flies away.
     
  32. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a gallon of water to keep your vinyl no-wax floors clean and shining. A reader adds: "Not only does it keep the floors shiny but it kills the dust mites! Great for us since we have severe allergies." Another reader adds: "We moved into a new house 6 months ago, and it's a vinyl floor haven. Lots of vinyl floor! Since my old house was relatively small with only about a 10x8 vinyl floor in my kitchen, I usually just got down on my hands and knees to do the deed. Not now! My back isn't that great! I bought one of those mops with the detachable, washable heads, and I squirt pickling vinegar ('cause it's stronger) on the floor, mop it up and squirt more as needed. My floor is impeccable, my back is just fine, thanks, and there's no need to buy any of that Mop and Glo stuff. It's affordable (read 'frugal'!) and environmentally safe."
     
  33. Use as a meat tenderizer. Add a tablespoon to water when boiling ribs or meat for stews, and even the toughest meat will be so tender you can cut with fork or will fall off the bone.
     
  34. One teaspoon to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups. Another reader writes: "I've found that gargling with cider vinegar will stop the most horrible case of hiccups!"
     
  35. Vinegar is great for removing calcium deposit build up. Use full strength and allow to set. Time depends on condition.
     
  36. Sunburn Remedies: At bedtime, cover sunburns with a towel soaked in water and vinegar and try to persuade the victim to sleep this way. Younger ones, of course, will have a struggle with this, especially because of the smell! Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on sunburn. It soothes for quite a length of time. Just like store bought stuff.

    A reader wrote this: "I used this on my son when his legs were sunburned. I used half and half which was half water and half vinegar. I saturated tea towels in it and layed them on his legs and he said it didn't smell too good but it sure took out the burning. You must do this several times but it works and then it gives you a nice tan."

    Vinegar will take the sting out of a sunburn — just soak a paper towel and apply to burn. Smells bad but, hey, if you're in pain, who cares? To relieve swelling and fluid from too much sun, mix a paste of baking soda and apple cider vinegar and apply.

    This reader says it will draw out the fluid: "I met a girl who was told by her doctor to sit in the sun (she had some sort of skin problem). She was to use diluted red wine vinegar to keep from burning. She was out in the sun every day of the summer and had a nice tan. (You have to understand that she lived in Philadelphia, PA and I was visiting from Florida). When I went on a trip to the Keys to spend a lot of time on the water, I used a spray bottle filled with undiluted red wine vinegar. I had my friend spray my back occasionally while spraying the front more frequently. My back did get somewhat burned, but from head to toes the front of me was nicely tanned. (I did look really red from the vinegar, but after showering...ta da...tan) I'm not sure, but using the red wine vinegar has seemed to help me tan faster."
     

  37. Use 2 cups of cider vinegar in the tub to soak sore muscles and add potassium to muscles.
     
  38. Use for a throat soother. Take equal amounts of honey and cider vinegar, stir or shake until dissolved. Take a tablespoon at a time to cut mucous in the throat.
     
  39. Heat vinegar to boiling point. Then poor over your fixtures that have deposits of lime. This will release or remove lime deposits.
     
  40. Use a cup of vinegar in two gallons of water in the diaper pail to neutralize the urine in cloth diapers. It also helps keep them from staining.
     
  41. Keep a spray bottle of 50% vinegar, 50% water near the laundry station. Spray it on stains before tossing the clothing into the washer (just as you would a commercial spray stain remover). As a carpet spot and stain remover — take a trigger spray bottle and fill with one part white vinegar to seven parts water. Take a second spray bottle and fill with one part white, non sudsy ammonia and seven parts water. Saturate stain with vinegar solution. Let dwell for a few minutes and blot thoroughly with a clean, white cloth. Then go over the area with the ammonia solution, let dwell and blot again. Repeat until the stain is gone. Also works for pet stains to help remove the odors.
     
  42. Keep a solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to use for cleaning windows.
     
  43. From a reader: "When I apply a weak bleach solution (to a counter after handling raw chicken, or to grout to whiten it), even after rinsing it still smells like bleach. Spraying it with the vinegar solution does away with the bleachy smell." This also works if you use bleach when washing fabric — try an extra rinse with a cup of vinegar in it to get rid of the bleach smell. Note: A reader cautioned against using vinegar with bleach because it produces chlorine gas, so I asked about it on our chemistry guide's forum here at About.com. He said that, while the mixture does produce chlorine gas, using a few drops at a time (to rinse hands or counter, as opposed to gallons) as a spot neutralizer would cause no problem. You can read the posts yourself, if you like.
     
  44. Another reader wrote this: "Fill the water reservoir half way and run the coffee maker as you normally do and then run it once full of water and the coffee maker will be spotless. (Well, cleaner anyway.)"
     
  45. Vinegar in drinking water is very effective in eliminating the low-grade fevers that are present in Chronic Fatigue sufferers. It also helps eliminate the 'thrush' coating in the mouth which is sometimes caused by antibiotic use. Mix four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of drinking water. Drink up to one gallon each day.
     
  46. Add a splash of vinegar, a tablespoon or so, to the water when you hard-boil eggs. If one cracks, it will not boil out of the shell.
     
  47. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a quart of drinking water. Helps to deal with heat stress. Also helps to repel mosquitoes.
     
  48. From another reader: "After years of suffering from athlete's foot, consulting doctors, and spending hundreds of dollars on so called cures (some prescription, some over the counter), I read in one of the magazines in which I subscribe to try soaking in vinegar. Something was said about it changing skin ph so that the fungus could not grow. I soaked three evenings in a row. Now, no more fungus and that has been several months ago."
     
  49. This reader says: "I feed vinegar to my horses to keep the flies away. I pour 1/4 cup of cider vinegar on their grain once a day and it really keeps the flies away from them! They seem to like it too."
     
  50. I use cloth diapers and my baby kept breaking out in a rash. From another web site, it suggested adding a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. It equalizes the ph balance. I've been doing it ever since and, viola, no diaper rash!

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Guest's picture
jane

I'm personally partial to organic apple cider vinegar from whole foods, or even more so the Bragg brand, but right now I have a huge gallon of the store bought stuff.

One of my fave vinegar tips.
For fruit flies mix apple cider vinegar (acv) with a bit of sugar & some dishsoap--put in a few cups around the area infested & they'll be gone before you know it.

For a great vinegar info/tips check out.
http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/acvinegar.html

Guest's picture
Guest

I just add apple cider vinegar to soapy water to get rid of fruit flies. The apple cider vinegar attracts the flies and the soap kills them.

Guest's picture
Brendamo

I pour vinegar in place of Jet Dry in my dishwasher. It makes everything sparkle.

Guest's picture
Guest

Hi, I am from the the U.K and can you tell what jet dry is? is it a cleaner or a rinse,like a streakfree agent....

thanks.

paul from suffolk(constable country).

Guest's picture
Guest

Jet Dry is a rinse toe stop spots streaks while drying

Guest's picture
Guest

It is a rinse agent...vinegar works as well!

Guest's picture
Guest

Hey there!

To answer your question Jet Dry is a product that makes dishes dry faster while in the dishwasher. It might have a different name for where you're at. It helps the dishes dry faster so that they don't get water stains on them. Hope this helps!!

Guest's picture
PRENTIS LAKEY

JET DRY IS A DISHWASHER DETERGENT AND RINSING AGENT (ALL IN ONE) POPULAR IN THE US.

Guest's picture
Debbie

My dishwasher book, I have a kitchenaide dishwasher says with pro-longed use of vinegar will make your dishwasher not run properly. Is this true? I use to use vinegar in my dishwasher but stopped.

Guest's picture
chasmyn

Fantastic! except I'm only seeing 50 uses...am I missing the other 204? *scratches head*

Paul Michael's picture

The complete list of 254 is from the link in the article, as I explained. 254 posted here would have been a very long post indeed!

Guest's picture

About.com took the pages down because I am no longer the Guide and they belong to me. About could have paid me to keep them up, but didn't think they were that important. :)

Guest's picture
Waylon

Take a teaspoon of vinegar (any kind) and swallow when you have heartburn. The vinegar forces the stomach to replenish its natural acid, pushing the tainted acid out.

Guest's picture
katrina

I don't think (infact I know) that heart burn is not caused by "tainted acid". Heartburn is caused by an incompetent esophageal sphincter that allows your stomach acid to slosh up into your esophagus and cause the burning.

I am not sure that using another acid, albeit a weak acid, will help with heartburn.

Instead try a cheap & and useful fix-baking soda. Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with 1 cup water and drink. It tastes terrible, but in about ten minutes no more heart burn.

Of course if you get heartburn on a regular basis you may need to consult your doctor as this could be a sign of a serious condition.

Dr. C

Guest's picture
Guest

Maybe we could all make clear that heartburn can have more than one cause. Sometimes it is caused by an underdeveloped or improperly working sphincter. Other times it can be caused by an underproduction of stomach acid. And, still other times, it can be caused by the inability of an individual to digest proteins correctly.

For those who occasionally or often produce insufficient amounts of stomach acid, and sometimes for those who have difficulties digesting proteins, adding vinegar may be helpful.

Guest's picture
Guest

apple cidar vinegar balances the ph levels so yes it does help with heartburn

Guest's picture
Ellechim

A mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is an absolute miracle for neutralizing skunk spray. We've been lucky enough to get to use this mixture 3 times in the last two years. Not sure what the ideal portions are, we just dump a bunch of vinegar on the afflicted dog until it's saturated & follow up with a couple of bottles of HP, staying away from eyes & nose. Let set a couple of minutes and rinse. What's left is a mild sulphury boiled egg smell. Not posies but far preferable to skunk. Because the poor dog usually gets a face full as well, a diluted mixture on a cloth can be used to wipe off the face after the full strength rinse. This also works great in a spray bottle to neutralize skunk on clothing, carpet, upholstery, floors, towels, woodwork etc...

Guest's picture
VetTek

For the Skunk Smell Removal ...I work for a Vet for a lot of years and we had LOTS of dogs come in for a de-skunking ...The mix if I remember correctly is :

1 qt bottle of Hydrogen peroxide
1 sm box of Baking soda
1 Tblspn of Liquid dish soap
Do NOT get this in the animals eyes !
Make into a runny paste , glop the paste on to a WET previously washed ( get the excess smelly goo off ) dog , massage into coat ...LET sit on pet for TEN (10) min. Rinse with cool water and ... AIR dry do NOT blow dry .

Hope this helps .

Andrea Karim's picture

Um. No. I don't think so. It's a nice idea, but actual heartburn sufferers, or people who are suffering from something like GERD (acid reflux) would not do well to replenish their supply of stomach acid. The problem is not tainted acid, but acid rising into the esophagus.

But other than that, yes, vinegar does indeed rock.

Guest's picture
Guest

Don't forget that some heartburn is caused by a *lack* of stomach acid...not too much. Apple cider vinegar is an excellent supplement that provides potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. Antacids are not always the best remedy. Our stomachs produce less acid over time and that causes the same symptoms as too much acid. The acid in vinegar will help digest your food and over time alleviate heartburn if yours is caused by a lack of stomach acid.

Guest's picture
Freedom66

I have GERD..The Doctor says swallowing vinegar alone with out something like honey or etc is too harsh.

Guest's picture
Guest

I like how you described acid reflux. You tell about it coming up the esophagus. Now think about it. Instead of battling that ordeal, why not sooth it faster by bringing the acid content down the esophagus. Things go down easier than they go up!!!

Guest's picture
Azalea

I've been suffering from GERD for two years now, the first attack made me call 911 thinking it was a heart attack! Medication was given to me but nothing seemed to sooth the pain, until I read in the book of "THE LEMONADE DIET" which I bought at Whole Foods, that two teaspoons in an 8 ounce glass of watter would take away the pain, I tried it and it did it. Now every time I have disconfort I take it and it takes aobut 10 to 20 minutes to go away. Azzy

Guest's picture
Deberah

I had acid reflux so bad the doctors thought I was having a heart attack. I was taking 2 Nexium a day. A friend told me to try vinegar with honey in tea. It "WORK"! I no longer take Nexium and I do not have any problem with reflux. I also helped my arthritis and I am am off 90% of my pain meds. Vinegar reduces inflammation. It really does... 8-O

Paul Michael's picture

As a longtime sufferer of this nasty condition, the idea of swallowing vinegar is already bringing tears to my eyes. A nice natural remedy for GERD and heartburn is Aloe Juice. You can find it at your local Korean market. It's very effective, but it does taste a little like perfume-water that's got large boogers in it.

Guest's picture
Barabara

For those who have a sweet tooth, boil a little water, add some honey, let cool, add some apple cider vinigar. Make enough of a potion to use for next time too! Keep in fridge. If you take a couple of teaspons before food, this works wonders. You won't get heartburn! Been using it for 10 years now!

Guest's picture
troubled student

HELP!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!

I'm doing a project on vinegar, can you give me more information on vinegar? HELP!!

Paul Michael's picture

do you need, oh troubled one?

Andrea Karim's picture

These might be in the full list, but I'd like to add:

If you are cooking collard greens, first chop them up and soak them in a water, vinegar, and salt bath. I use a 1:1 ratio for the water and vinegar, and put a lot of salt in. This pulls some of the bitterness out of the leaves before cooking.

Similarly, you can use the same recipe (but more diluted... say 1:4 vinegar:water?) to soak spinach leaves in before cooking. If you don't buy bagged spinach (I don't) this lossens up and helps removes dirt and sand, better than simply washing in normal water.

Guest's picture

PM gave you props over on http://crazydiets.blogspot.com, this is a great post!

Paul Michael's picture

Very nice of you indeed!

Guest's picture
Guest

i have psorisis on my hands do you think the vinegar would help!!!!!!!!!! someone said it helped a foot fungus ....

Guest's picture
Brad

I looked at the link provided, but that is just the main page of the frugal living section and I cannot find the larger list of 254 uses. Is it still available?

Brad

Guest's picture
story

The about frugal living page was totally revamped when they got a new guide a few months ago. The old guide, the ever wise and gracious Pat Veretto, now has her own frugal blog:
http://patverettosfrugalliving.blogspot.com/index.html

She might know where the vinegar list went.

Guest's picture
Brad

I finally found an archived copy of the list:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070324072129/http://frugalliving.about.com/...

Hopefully this will display correctly.

Brad

Guest's picture

There is no evidence that any home remedies or topical medications will help with varicose vein disease.

Im sure this is just for entertainment value, but I would make sure you consult a physician.

DC

Guest's picture
Guest

who cares about evidence it works great for varicose vein

Guest's picture
Guest

I'm sure it's not for entertainment, Doc. I have had varicose veins on my feet bilaterally since 2008. I thought my only option was an expensive procedure. About 6 months ago, I started taking baths with about 2 cups of white distilled vinegar for my skin. Today, I noticed that in addition to softer and clearer skin I also had varicose veins that are flatter than before. They also are lighter (almost the color of my skin), and my pain level has decreased from a 10 to a 1. It's a 1 because if someone steps on my feet where the veins are it hurts a little. However, it's not nearly as bad as it used to hurt.

Guest's picture
Angela

Run your washing machine with just a couple towels and a cup of vinegar to clean it regularly. Makes your washing machine last longer!

Guest's picture
nikki

WHEN YOU OR YOUR KIDS HIT THEIR HEAD, PUT VINAGER ON A CLOTH AND PRESS IT TO THE HURTED ZONE, IT WILL PREVENT THE BUMP.

Guest's picture
Guest

Apple Cider Vinegar (and I'm sure other vinegars) got rid of itching from head lice and chigger bites that I so kindly acquired from a motel. It also removed the nits and lice nymphs (young lice) from my head. I tried the Nix shampoo, spraying perfume on my head, and using African American hair grease and wrapping my hair in a plastic bag overnight before using the vinegar method. They did smother out a louse here and there, but the vinegar wiped out the most difficult parts of having head lice, being the nits and itching.

I would like to add vinegar does not kill chiggers, but an equal part soak of bathwater and vinegar helps combat the itching. It is said that taking a hot bath or shower will kill any chiggers that are present on your skin, and wash your clothing and bedding with hot water to prevent re-infestation of both lice and chiggers.

Guest's picture
Guest

i use lysol on my dauther's head to kill head lice and it worked.leave on for no more then 5 mins.the i give her some benadryl.just in case.right now i'm useing it to get rid of ring worms on her head.and i leave it on for no more then 3 mins.it is taking time but it is working .after a week i see a big difference.look up and see what it kills and you will be surpised.i love lysol.

Guest's picture
Malawoomama

Chiggers ( also called no see ums in some parts of the country) are tiny bugs that use their saliva to dissolve the skin making it liquid like so they can suck it up. The chiggers are usually found in the underbrush, wild bushes and flowers in some parts of the United States like the upper mid west area. They are tiny fragile creatures that are smaller than your freckles. They like to live in vast colonies and crawl onto the skin in very large groups, and because they are so tiny, they do not have the teeth to bite a person or animal, but they do have very potent saliva. As soon as you swipe at your skin, the chiggers are swept away. The itching and redness in your skin is the result of the saliva still trying to dissolve the tissue. Adding vinegar to water and soaking the affected area of skin will help to alleviate the itching and just like a mosquito bite, the itching will return the next day. Using the vinegar/water solution for several days will help to clear up the area and reduce the itching.

Guest's picture
Guest

What is the larger website?

Guest's picture
Guest

OK, this will sound bizarre, but it's a tried and true method of dealing with chiggers.

An effective way to kill chiggers is to paint their "trails" (where they've burrowed under the skin) with nail polish, from just below the beginning to just beyond the end. In fact, I actually paint about a dime-sized spot on each end. It cuts off their oxygen and they die. Pretty simple.

An effective way to keep chiggers from getting to you is to wear pantyhose. Really. For guys, it's a little weird, but the alternative is pretty miserable. If it's really warm, just wear knee-highs. They work just as well, since chiggers generally will bite around your ankles and work their way up.

Guest's picture
Guest

Cat making a million trips to the litter box and squeezing out only a drop? If you mix your cat's food with 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, you will notice the infection disappear, within a few days (or sooner). BE SURE that it's a UTI (i.e., your cat has had them before and the symptoms are the same). Rule out that it is something more serious (like a blockage). (must contain 'the mother'...which will normally be stated right on the front..and generally found in the organic section of your supermarket.

I have multiple cats, so have to feed them all the same treated food. They really perk up after a day or so of ingesting ACV.

Antibiotics did not work on my cat with UTI, but this stuff absolutely works.

Guest's picture
Freedom66

Here is a site with 1001 tips on Vinegar uses...

http://www.vinegartips.com/

Guest's picture
Laurie

after months of going to doctors and medicines and even heel supports my foot hurt so bad that to try and stand on it was just impossible.I bought the cheap Apple cider vinegar and started soaking my foot in this and in 2 days ALL the pain was gone and i could walk with no limp after soaking for 2 weeks the heel spurs had disolved

Guest's picture

Using the Internet Archive, I copied the list... since it doesn't belong to About.com anymore. At least, that is my understanding. Enjoy!

=====================

# Used as a hair rinse, vinegar neutralizes the alkali left by shampoos.

A reader says 'it will give your hair an all out shine!'

# A quarter cup in a quart of water makes a good window cleaner.
A reader adds: When you use vinegar in your water to wash windows, dry with newspapers. Your windows will sparkle!
# Fabric softener and static cling reducer - use as you would liquid fabric softener.
# Air freshener, used with baking soda - use 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 cups of water. After it stops foaming, mix well, and use in a (recycled) spray bottle into the air.
# Chewing gum dissolver - saturate the area with vinegar. If the vinegar is heated, it will work faster.
# Stain remover - for stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak clothing in full strength vinegar.
# Corn and callus remover - soak a piece of stale bread (a cloth would probably do as well) in vinegar, and tape it over the callus or corn overnight.
# Remedy for age spots - Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar and use it daily on age spots. This will take a few weeks to work, just like its expensive relative from the store.
# Kill grass or weeds by pouring hot vinegar on it. This might take a couple of times to work completely.

Another reader says: I have used white vinegar straight from the bottle to pour on the weeds and grasses that come up through the pavement...Just pour on and let set a couple of days and the weeds will die back and wont reappear for several months. Have been doing this for several years and always works.

# Wash your windshield with vinegar in the winter to help keep ice and frost away.
# If you have a septic tank, use vinegar instead of harsh chemicals to clean the toilet bowl. Let it set overnight if you can; it will help keep germs down.
# Spray your hands with a mist of vinegar, or dip them in vinegar and dry after washing dishes or having them in soapy water to keep your hands soft.
# It's an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you've added a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.
# Use diluted 1:1 in water to take pet odors out of carpets. Find the spot, and saturate it with about 1 1/2 times the original volume. Let set for awhile then blot up. Repeat if your cloth is very dirty after blotting. I make sure to turn on a fan and open a window, especially for large spots!
# Splash vinegar on your varicose veins. The vinegar is supposed to reduce the veins and relieve the pain and swelling. Of course, you might smell like a tossed salad!
# I use about a tablespoon of vinegar in the water when poaching eggs. It helps the eggs to keep their shape. No taste of vinegar either.
# A reader says; My best use for vinegar is to use 1 tablespoon vinegar to an 8 ounce glass of warm water for a sore throat. Gargle every hour and swallow after gargling, with two mouthfuls. I got this from a Vermont Folk Medicine book by D.C.Jarvis many years ago. If started at the first hint of a sore throat, it always works, usually within a night's sleep. I don't mind the taste, but some children might.
# It is also helpful when children get lice, if you take warm vinegar and put it on the hair also take your nit comb and dip it in the vinegar. As you run it through the hair it helps remove the nits. It is supposed to be able to help break down the glue the nits use to stay attached to the hair.
# Set a container (shallow bowl) of vinegar throughout the house to absorb unpleasant odors. Works great on burned food odors. Do not use styrofoam. It will soak thru it.
# Use vinegar and olive oil as a frugal dressing with a selection of herbs on your salad. A different reader adds: I like to use vinegar the old-fashioned way: I eat it!! I use all sorts of vinegars as salad dressing ingredients (my favorite is the classic red wine vinegar mixed with olive oil). I also eat my fish with malt vinegar, which is also very good on french fries.
# This reader says: I liked the 'spray mister' approach to air freshening, but as a sometimes poor bachelor cook, I have blackened fish when it isn't on the menu. Vinegar in a towel, twirled about the head will quickly stop the smoke detectors from screaming. It also freshens the air, and captures the smoke smell before the whole house is caught.
Added by another reader: Put vinegar on white bread around a house to get rid of smoke smell fom a fire.
# Another reader writes: You can use vinegar to remove wall paper. I just redid my entire kitchen and it was a snap. First remove top layer of wallpaper. Then spray vinegar on and let set for a minute or two. Then pull backing away. Scrape excess glue off wall. Wipe remaining glue off with vinegar and rinse with water. You don't have to use harse chemicals and it is cheap, cheap, cheap.

Another reader writes this. Keep it in mind when cleaning the walls after removing wallpaper: I use vinegar water (2-3 pts vinegar to 1 part water) to remove (new or old)wall paper paste. Add more vinegar as needed if the paste is really stubborn.

# This reader writes: My grandmother swears by vinegar as an antiseptic for abrasions,to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites,and even to help rehydrate sunburned skin.
# She also uses it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser as most soaps are alkaline as compared to skin ph.
# On a different note, most meat marinades are most effective if acidic, so an extra few spoonfuls of vinegar can't hurt.
# On heavily tarnished copper or copper-alloy to be cleaned up, use a paste made of salt and vinegar.
# A reader writes: I use white (not apple cider) vinegar mixed with water to rinse off the dishes after washing them to take the soap off and leave them squeeky clean. This also takes the soap residue off of my hands at the same time.
# Another reader wrote: I am allergic to crabs. However, I love them. I have found that when I dip my crabmeat in vinegar, I don't get an allergic reaction. This may not work for everyone, but it works for me.
# Pour vinegar around the sides of your pool and it helps keeps flies away.
# Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a gal. of water to keep your vinyl no wax floors clean and shining.

A reader adds: Not only does it keep the floors shiny but it kills the dust mites! great for us since we have severe allergies.

# Another reader adds: We moved into a new house 6 months ago, and it's a vinyl floor haven. Lots of vinyl floor! Since my old house was relatively small with only about a 10x8 vinyl floor in my kitchen, I usually just got down on my hands and knees to do the deed. Not now! My back isn't that great! I bought one of those mops with the detachable, washable heads, and I squirt pickling vinegar ('cause it's stronger) on the floor, mop it up and squirt more as needed. My floor is impeccable, my back is just fine thanks, and there's no need to buy any of that Mop and Glo stuff. It's affordable (read "frugal"!) and environmentally safe.
# USE as a meat tenderizer. Add a tablespoon to water when boiling ribs or meat for stews, and even the toughest meat will be so tender you can cut with fork or will fall off the bone.
# One teaspoon to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups.

Another reader writes: I've found that gargling with cider vinegar will stop the most horrible case of hiccups!

# Vinegar is great for removing calcium deposit build up. Use full strength and allow to set. Time depends on condition.
# Sunburn Remedy:

1. At bedtime, cover sunburns with a towel soaked in water and vinegar and try to persuade the victim to sleep this way. Younger ones, of course, will have a struggle with this, especially because of the smell!
2. Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on sunburn. It soothes for quite a length of time. Just like store bought stuff.
3. A reader wrote this: I used this on my son when his legs were sunburned. I used half and half which was half water and half vinegar. I saturated tea towels in it and layed them on his legs and he said it didn't smell too good but it sure took out the burning. You must do this several times but it works and then it gives you a nice tan.
4. Vinegar will take the sting out of a sunburn - just soak a paper towel and apply to burn. Smells bad but, hey, if you're in pain, who cares?
5. To relieve swelling and fluid from too much sun, mix a paste of baking soda and apple cider vinegar and apply. This reader says it will draw out the fluid.
6. I met a girl who was told by her doctor to sit in the sun (she had some sort of skin problem). She was to use diluted red wine vinegar to keep from burning. She was out in the sun everyday of the summer and had a nice tan.(You have to understand that she lived in Phila., PA and I was visiting from FL).

When I went on a trip to the Keys to spend a lot of time on the water, I used a spray bottle filled with undiluted red wine vinegar. I had my friend spray my back occassionally while spraying the front more frequently. My back did get somewhat burned, but from head to toes the front of me was nicely tanned. (I did look really red from the vinegar, but after showering...ta da...tan) I'm not sure, but using the red wine vinegar has seemed to help me tan faster.
# Use 2 cups of cider vinegar in the tub to soak sore muscles and add potassium to muscles.
# Use for a throat soother. Take equal amounts of honey and cider vinegar, stir or shake until dissolved. Take a tablespoon at a time to cut mucuous in the throat.
# Heat vinegar to boiling point. Then poor over your fixtures that have deposits of lime. This will release or remove the deposit.
# Use a cup of vinegar in two gallons of water in the diaper pail to neutralize the urine in cloth diapers. It also helps keep them from staining.
# Keep a spray bottle of 50% vinegar, 50% water near the laundry station. Spray it on clothing stains before tossing the clothing into the washer (just as you would a commercial spray stain remover).
# As a carpet spot and stain remover - take a trigger spray bottle and fill with one part white vinegar to seven parts water. Take a second spray bottle and fill with one part white, non sudsy amonnia and seven parts water. Saturate stain with vinegar solution. Let dwell for a few minutes and blot thoroughly with a clean, white cloth. Then go over the area with the ammonia solution, let dwell and blot again. Repeat until the stain is gone. Also works for pet stains to help remove the odors.
# Keep a solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to use for clean ing windows.
# From a reader: When I apply a weak bleach solution (to a counter after handling raw chicken, or to grout to whiten it), even after rinsing it still smells like bleach. Spraying it with the vinegar solution does away with the bleachy smell. This also works if you use bleach when washing fabric - try an extra rinse with a cup of vinegar in it to get rid of the bleach smell.

Note: A reader cautioned against using vinegar with bleach because it produces chlorine gas, so I asked about it on our chemistry guide's forum here at About.com. He said that, while the mixture does produce chlorine gas, using a few drops at a time (to rinse hands or counter, as opposed to gallons) as a spot neutralizer would cause no problem. You can read the posts yourself, if you like.

# Another reader wrote this: Fill the water reservoir half way and run the coffee maker as you normally do and then run it once full of water and the coffee maker will be spotless. (Well, cleaner anyway.)
# Vinegar in drinking water is very effective in eliminating the low-grade fevers that are present in Chronic Fatigue sufferers. It also helps eliminate the 'thrush' coating in the mouth which is sometimes caused by antibiotic use. Mix four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of drinking water. Drink up to one gallon each day.
# Add a splash of vinegar, a tablespoon or so, to the water when you hardboil eggs. If one cracks, it will not boil out of the shell.
# Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a quart of drinking water. Helps to deal with heat stress. Also helps to repel mosquitos.
# From another reader: After years of suffering from athlete's foot, consulting doctors, and spending hundreds of dollars on so called cures (some presciption, some over the counter), I read in one of the magazines in which I subscibe to try soaking in vinegar. Something was said about it changing skin ph so that the fungus could not grow. I soaked three evenings in a row. Now, no more fungus and that has been several months ago.
# This reader says: I feed vinegar to my horses to keep the flies away. I pour 1/4 cup of cider vinegar on their grain once a day and it really keeps the flies away from them! They seem to like it too.
# I use cloth diapers and my baby kept breaking out in a rash. From another web site, it suggested adding a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. It equalizes the ph balance. I've been doing it ever since and, viola, no rash!
# This readers says: I use white or cider vinegar to clean out the chicken's and cat's water containers. I pour a small amount in the container, take a rag and wash the gunky parts and rinse. I rinse an extra time and dump on my plants outside. It keeps the water containers clean without all that gunky buildup. I do it once a month.
# Soak shower head in vinegar overnight, then rinse in hot water, to remove water deposits and keep it flowing freely.
# From another reader: When my kids were small, sometimes they would not have a good car riding experience ...vomiting in the car. We cleaned it out and nothing would get rid of that small, especially when the car got warm. So, we placed a bowl of vinegar in a bowl on the floor of the car, closed it up for the night. In the morning, no more smell. And it never came back.
# Yet another reader - We live in the country with 4 dogs as part of our family,they sit on the couch,etc. BUT,they love to chase skunks since I don't usually keep tomato juice around,vinegar has come to my rescue. It doesn't take it away completely but its bearable. Keep away from eyes, of course.

A friend's neighbor's dog, black lab, had just gotten sprayed by a skunk the night before. The neighbor poured vinegar on him, taking care around the ears, face and privates, of course, let him sit a couple of minutes, shampooed him and the scent was gone. Not only did he smell much better, he had a beautiful glossy coat afterwards.

# And this one: A nurse told me molds grow in humidifiers used in sick rooms. After a couple of days' use, she rinsed out a humidifier, then refilled it, adding maybe 1/4 cup vinegar. She would run this for a couple of minutes in the bathroom, with the door closed and the window open, to kill the molds. Then she'd rinse it, run it again with just clear water, rinse that, and declare it fit for service again. She was also adamant about not just pouring more water in to refill, but rinsed the reservoir out each time to retard growth of nasty stuff she didn't want spraying all around the sick room.
# This reader says - I hate to wear gloves when gardening (except, of course when working with roses, blackberries or thistles) and once in a while I get a nick or scratch. Since I shoveled most of it INTO my garden, I know what my hands are in, and I'm 120 yards downhill from the bathroom sink and the disinfectant! My trusty spray bottle of full strength white vinegar to the rescue. Stings for a second or two until the endorphins kick in, but I don't have to stop what I'm doing and make a special trip back up hill. I've NEVER had an infection in a scratch since I discovered this trick.
# From another reader: We have a distiller for our water. Every Saturday, I put a gallon of vinegar in the distiller and turn it on. When it boils, it's done. Then I let the vinegar cool down and use it for cleaning the coffee and tea pots. A gallon usually lasts a good month before losing it's efficiency.
# . Remove water stains from leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water solution.
# Drink a couple of spoonfuls a day to keep mosquitoes away - your perspiration will be unpleasant. (Only to mosquitoes! --Pat)
# 1 tsp cider vinegar with one tsp honey taken three times daily helps with arthritis. It dissolves the crystal deposits of uric acid that form between joints (and also in muscles as with muscular rheumatism). Also dissolves osteophytes (bony spurs) over long periods.

While this seems to be effective, we are not claiming to give medical advice. Always ask your doctor before attempting to diagnose yourself or deciding upon medication to alleviate any symptoms

# That staining that occurs in clay and plastic flower pots and their saucers comes right out--no scrubbing needed. Just fill the kitchen sink with cold water and add plain white vinegar about 2/3 water-1/3 vinegar. Soak pots and saucers til they look clean and new (sometimes takes an hour). Wash with soap and water before reusing.
# Same thing works in the commode; just flush, pour in good cup of vinegar and let set overnight. Switch out with brush.
# Mix 1/3 rubbing alcohol and 1/3 white vinegar and 1/3 water. Store it in any old clean dropper bottle (like Visine eye drops) and use it to clean out your ears!! It also works fine on dogs and cats. As a matter of fact my VET gave me this tip years ago when I had a cocker spaniel that got fequent ear infections. Just squirt 8-10 drops in ear holding head to side; let it stand in ear for a minute then drain. With my three dogs, while I'm holding their head tilted I message the ear around in a circle then tilt and wipe out with Kleenex; usually apply one a month or if they are ear scratching. My current VET laughed and said 'Well, I've got animal ear cleaning drops here and it only costs 8 dollars a bottle but what you are using seems to be working. Your dogs ears are certainly clean.' Warning: If applied daily for 3 days and dogs are still scratching or rubbing ears--see VET; they have mites or bacterial infection.
# Vinegar is an excellent grease cutter. In college cafeterias we boil out our fry vats every week with vinegar and water. Very cost effective and very safe-no harsh chemicals, no risk of fire. We also use straight vinegar to clean the grill hoods. Again, very inexpensive and does a fantastic job.
# Pour 1/4 cup vinegar with dish soap- water must be hot (not boiling hot). This is great for cleaning your Corningware dishes (it removes all the stains and grease), cleaning your stainless steel pots and pans ect., clean your oven and all of stove top ( this is better than oven cleaners. it will remove all of the grease. just dab on and let it set for a few minutes then wipe clean), and cabinets in kitchen.
# Rinse water for face- pour 1/8 cup in rinse water, rinse face and let it air dry (it seals the moisture in the skin) (great for all over especially when weather is dry)
Vinegar restores the natural acid base of your skin, so it's good for skin problems, too. --Pat
# One to two table spoons of vinegar with your meat help tenderize it while you are cooking.
# To keep your freshly-cleaned oven from stinking up your house next time you bake something, wipe it with white vinegar poured directly on the sponge as a final rinse. It neutralizes the harsh alkali of oven cleaners.
# Pour 1/4 cup vinegar to your dishwasher rinse cycle for streak free, sparkling dishes everytime!!
# When you have to leave your car outside overnight in the winter, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat the windows with this solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.
# Medicine for toe nail fungus can be very costly, but you can use one part vinegar to one part warm water and soak your feet.

Another reader writes: My daughter had toe nail fungus, causing the nail to grow up instead of out, like it should. I started putting a few drops of white vinegar several times a day. To my amazement, her nail is almost normal again! Try this one, for those who have the above problem, it really works!

# Try white vinegar underarms and other areas of the body as a natural deoderant. Will not stop perspiration (which is not healthy anyway) but will neutralize odor.
# If you have problems with ants and other insects invading your home, they are probably crossing your door and/or window sills, baseboards, etc. I've found that if you 'pour' vinegar across the opening sill, it stops their coming in. For some reason, they will not cross it.
# Add approximately 5 tsp. of apple cider vinegar to your horse's oats morning and evening to dramatically reduce fly bites. We have a Quarterhorse who was literally covered in welts from fly bites. After starting on the vinegar, the bites disappeared and were kept under control for the remainder of the season.
# Vinegar in the horse feed also can help with mobility and breathing problems.
# 1/2 cup Vinegar to a quart of water sprayed onto the coat of a horse or dog works like a vinegar hair rinse. Their coats gleam! An extremely economical alternative to expensive show shine products.
# I'll add this: Add vinegar to chicken's water, especially in the winter, to keep them laying better and stay healthy. If your chickens don't have access to wild, natural food, give it to them year 'round.
# When waxing a floor after scrubbing with a floor stripper, use 1 cup of vinegar to rinse water. It neutralizes the chemicals and makes wax or floor finish adhere better.
# This reader says: My 6 year old cocker spaniel has chronic skin infections. After his weakly bath, I rinse him with a solution of 1 part cider vinegar to 3 parts water. His skin seems better.
# Sip on one teaspoon in a half to three-fourths cup of water. Honey may be added if desired to enhance flavor. I have used it for years for myself and family and it always stops that nauseous feeling without medications of any kind.. vomiting is rare when this started in time. There have been a few times when I felt the 'stomach flu' coming on and I have sipped on this vinegar mixture for 4-5 hours and been relieved of it completely. Pickle juice can be used if you are out of vinegar. My daughters used to drink pickle juice and stayed healthy!
# Because of such a severe case of contact dermatits from overuse of yeast medicines, I was left unable to walk or sit comfortably, and my skin was too sensitive for any topical medications, and oral cortisone only worked temporarily. My mother suggested using 4 tbs. of white vinegar with some juice to kill the taste. I'm glad to tell you that the vinegar, along with rest, has put me on the road to recovery in only 4 days after battling this illness for 4 months!
# Anyone who uses plaster or clay will find relief from the ph imbalance of the alkali in the material if they wash their hands with soap (more alkali), then rinse well with one to one solution of white vinegar and water each time they are done. Heard this years ago from a master artist in plaster figurines for churches.
# This is what I call my GoGo Juice. Take 2 cups of grape juice, 2 cups of white grape juice, 2 cups of apple juice and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate. Every morning before you do anything else, drink a small cup of it. Each batch lasts a week or two depending on how much you drink each morning. It tastes sort of like a strong wine. Since I have done this my energy level has increased dramatically and my coffee consumption has gone down. I also feel better altogether.
# I keep my drains clean and working great with vinegar. When they seem to be getting a bit sluggish, or even stopped up, pour white vinegar down the kitchen and bathroom sinks and shower drain. It works like a wonder and no toxics.
# A little vinegar on the tongue of a sassy toddler or preschooler works just as well as soap!
# Quite often muscle cramps, or 'charlie horse', are caused by too low a level of potassium. I take a tsp. of vinegar when suffering from a muscle cramp to quickly bring my potassium level back up and relieve the cramp.
# When making soup stock (as all good frugal-ites do), squirt in a tablespoon of white vinegar, to help leach (extract) all the calcium from the bones being used. There's no vinegar taste, and most of us can certainly use the additional calcium.
# It's never failed me yet: Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of honey and store this mixture in an air-tight container. Anytime you have trouble drifting off, take two teaspoons of this mixture and you'll drift off in less than a half hour. And you won't be groggy in the morning like over-the-counter sleep aids.
# -White vinegar can also be used to clean raw wood, such as a wooden cutting board. Pour straight vinegar onto the wood and then use a sponge to literally push the dirt away. Be sure to wipe in the direction of the wood grain, starting at one end and working to the other. This way the dirt you are trying to get rid of won't be pushed back into the wood grain.
# White vinegar is also a solvent for most glues. To dissolve any unwanted glue bonds, simply apply vinegar to the glued area and let sit until the bond becomes weak (how long depends on what kind of glue and how much was applied).
# White vinegar can also be mixed with water-based inks to make a wonderful stain for wood. The resulting finish is the color of the tint with a silvery sheen. Simply pour vinegar into a mixing jar, add the ink until the desired color is achieved and apply to wood with a brush or rag. Wipe off excess and let dry. Since the bulk of the mixture is vinegar, wood-warpage is minimal.
# To use up all those bits of tomato sauce (ketchup) or chutney etc., that come in bottles add some vinegar, oil and shake. The liquid will pour out easily; this makes the base for marinades, just add onion, garlic and spices.
# A teaspoon of vinegar relieves hiccups more effectively than anything else, including lemon juice or sugar...
# Wiping down clean metal surfaces with a vinegar solution (1 part vinegar to 5 parts water) preps the surface for painting, and reduces the incidence of peeling...
# De-gas (or at least lower to amount produced) beans by adding Apple Cider Vinegar (1/8-1/4 c) to soaking water. Soak overnite, then rinse thoroughly. Add a little to the water when you cook them also. Works for split peas and garbanzos also.
# Using apple cider vinegar to wash windows attracted fruit flies, so this reader's mother set a bowl of it to rid her house of them. The reader says: 'I've had to do this a time or two myself when I've had a problem with fruit flies. I just set out a bowl of apple cider vinegar and they come a runnin'!!'

Another reader writes:
I found that they were attracted to the vinegar, but didn't die. Instead, put one tsp sugar, two tsp apple cider vinegar and several drops of dish soap in a small shallow plastic container. Fill the rest of the way with water. The flies are attracted to the vinegar, but the soap kills them

And another reader: My mother has been using apple cidar vinegar to get rid of fruit flies for years! You take a small bowl and fill it partway with vinegar, than wrap it in plastic wrap. Poke a few pinholes in the plastic wrap, and the fruit flies will fry in, but can't fly out, so they drown in the vinegar! Place the bowl whereever you are seeing the fruit flies (like near the garbage, or the bananas).

# Vinegar makes excellent fabric/leather glue: 1 sachet clear gellatin, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 3-4 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of glycerine. Melt the gellatin and water on low fire,then add the other ingredients and mix well. The glue has to be applied when warm. Store the remaining glue in a small plastic or glass jar. Warm it up next time before use. Cheap, efficient, and clear glue for fabrics and leather.
# I have poured vinegar around my children's sand box to keep cats from using it as their litter box. About every two months I reapply just to be sure. It has worked so far.
# My grandmother got me started doing this. I do it once or twice a week. Dipping a wet toothbrush in white vinegar and brushing my teeth. It does away with any bad breath, especially after eating onions. And it also whitens my teeth. (Always rinse your mouth well with plain water after using vinegar, as it will dissolve the enamel of your teeth over a period of time.)
# I was advised to pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the water of our whirlpool tub, once a year and run it. This will keep the jets from clogging up from soap scum, etc. everyweek I mop with water and white vinegar, not only does it keep the floors shiny but it kills the dust mites! great for us since we have severe allergies.
# When the weather changes and the sinus start running I get that nagging cough, I simply take 2 tablespoons of any kind of vinegar and that nasty cough stops.
# Cheap solution to replace those expensive PERGO flooring cleaners (got this from a PERGO Distributor)

1. 1/3 part white vinegar
2. 1/3 part rubbing alcohol
3. 1/3 part water
4. 3 drops diswashing liquid

Mix this into a (recycled) spray bottle and you have the equivalent of the Pergo floor cleaner. Just spray and mop; also great for deodorizing a room and for a fast cleanup. I also use this on my tile floors with great results.
# I have a history of having problems with boils and bear the scars of them. They are quite painful and at times have had to have them lanced. A few people in my family told me about vinegar tea. One tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar , one tablespoon honey mixed in a cup of hot water at least twice a day has dissolved more than one of my boils. Not only the vinegar tea but also: the recommended daily amount of water. Stay away from sodas and chocolate, as they seem to agravate the infected area even more. If the boil does come to a head where it is going to open contuine to drink the vinegar tea and the water. Use hot packs on the boil for 15-20 minutes three times a day. Doing this has more than once saved an unwanted visit to the doctor. What is also important is not to squeeze a boil. I hope this will help someone out there.
# Soak (rinsed and dried) egg shells in vinegar until they dissolve. Dilute with water, and drink your (very easy to assimilate) calcium supplement. Oyster shells can also be dissolved in vinegar until dissolved, then drunk, for a calcium supplement. (Pearls may be dissolved also, but this is not very frugal ;-))
# When taking calcium-magnesium tablets/or powder, wash it down with something acidic (like vinegar diluted in water), so that it will dissolve the cal-mag, so that your body can assimilate it.

Any time you take vinegar internally, be sure to rinse your mouth with plain water. Acid remaining on teeth will eventually (over time), dissolve your teeth, as it does with calcium deposits around the sink. (I never thought of my teeth as calcium deposits, but, hmmm, I guess they are...like my bones...)

# I use vinegar to get rid of the hard water deposits around my sink and it's so simple. Soak a paper towel(s) with vinegar and place them around the area that needs to be cleaned, or for cleaning the faucet you can soak the towel and wrap it around and then rubberband it in place. I do this overnight and the next morning it's a cinch to wipe clean. This has been safe on my brass faucets as well.
# My dad is 77 years old and his skin on his face is just so smooth and soft looking. His secret is he uses vinegar for aftershave. Also if he gets any rashes or pimples he uses vinegar for that as well. He drinks apple cider vinegar, honey and hot water every morning. The vinegar odor goes away very quickly when he uses it for aftershave. He started this when he always broke out in a rash after using the regular aftershaves.
# To clean my microwave, I put 1 Tablespoon of vinegar, one cup of warm water & 1 or 2 drops of dish soap in a small microwave safe bowl. Put it in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes and let stand for 15 minutes. Then wipe the microwave out with a damp sponge. The steam & use of vinegar loosens up the build up in the microwave.
# Use boiling vinegar (no water) to clean hardened acrylic paints from paint brushes. Don't soak them too long, since it could loosen the hairs from the brush.
# Make your own very frugal furniture polish using equal parts of white vinegar and vegetable oil. Wipe it on and buff with a soft cloth. To clean brassware to like-new condition without scrubbing, soak in 1:10 parts of white vinegar:water. To clean brass lamps, unscrew sections, soak in bucket. All green and black tarnish comes off in no time. Learned this from a band director who uses vinegar to clean student's brass instruments.
# I find most Americans I've talked to overlook the easiest and most delicious way to use it...on french fries! I don't know how many American friends I've made cringe at the mere mention of it but when you live in Canada it's as much a condiment for french fries as ketchup. Who knows, before you know it your fast food restaurants will supply little packets of it as a necessity if it catches on over there.
# We use 1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar to 1 tbsp rubbing alcohol to prevent swimmers ear.
# I have used vinegar for removing rust on the screws of hand me down baby equipment. I have also removed rust from nails (you know the big and expensive ones) that were left out in the rain. The trick is to put the metal object(s) in a container and cover with vinegar, seal the container and shake, let stand over night or 24 hrs.
# To remove rust from bolts and other metals, soak them in full strength vinegar.
# Strange as it sounds, vinegar soothes the itching and burning of hemorrhoids. Just take a cotton ball and dab the affected area with full strength apple cider vinegar! Caution: some people find the full strength solution stings. If this happens to you, just dilute the vinegar half and half with water.
# My husband insists that we wash any flesh foods with vinegar before cooking to reduce the bacteria, especially chicken. It makes the foods more pleasant to work with, and I feel more confident about working with, cooking and serving the food.
# Keep cut flowers fresh longer (or even perk up droopy ones) by adding two tablespoons of vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar to each quart of water.
# We have very hot weather here, and from time to time a load of laundry doesn't get dried soon enough or fast enough. I rewashed a load of clothes and dumped some white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Presto, no stinky mildew smell.
# I use vinegar full strength on a clean white cloth to clean spots from my carpeting. This will dissolve most substances except for waxy stains. With young kids and a husband we have plenty of food spots.
# My friend from the Dominican Republic taught me that if you put a few drops of vinegar in pasta as it boils, the starch is cut. This makes the pasta less sticky.
# Vinegar is extremely effective on yeast infections. When I get an infection, I pour about 1 cup of white vinegar in my douche bottle and finish filling with warm water. I douche twice daily and in about 2 days my infection is gone. The vinegar smell leaves in about an hour.

Another reader writes: I have found that the vinegar bath also cures yeast infections, not only mine but also my infant daughter. My midwife suggested the vinegar bath while I was pregnant and it cured it and hasn't come back since. Twice daily and in about two days it's gone.

# To clean grout pour white vinager full strength let sit and scrub with a tooth brush. This works great!
# I discovered that vinegar works great to remove tempera paint like you use when you decorate your windows for the holidays. It takes it right off almost immediately, sponge vinegar over paint then wipe off finish removing residual with paper toweling, or, as I prefer, reusable terry cloth towel:)
# I have found that the vinegar bath also cures yeast infections, not only mine but also my infant daughter. My midwife suggested the vinegar bath while I was pregnant and it cured it and hasn't come back since. Twice daily and in about two days it's gone.
# I nurse my daughter who has extremely sensitive skin. It seems that everytime I turn around, I have eaten something that breaks her out. I started giving her vinegar baths. I run her bath water and pour about a cup of apple cider vinegar in. It has been weeks now and her skin is smoother than it has ever been.
# I have four cats, and anyone who has cats know that cat urine is almost impossible to get out. Just mix 1/2-1 cup vinegar to you laundry, and wash as normal. Vinegar is great if you want to rid pet odors.
# Put 1/2 cup into a pan to soak your feet in before a pedicure. It softens your skin.
# I rinse fresh fruit and vegetables in it. This replaces the expensive advertised vegetable wash.
# I put it in my steam vac to rinse my carpets with after shampooing. The carpet will stay fresh longer, because it removes any detergent residue. I use a quarter of a cup, per gallon of water.
# I have seen many posts about using vinegar on a sunburn. When I burn myself when cooking I splash some white vinegar on a bit of paper towel and put it on the burn. It stops hurting immediately and if you keep it on, you will not develop a blister.
# Another reason to use vinegar in the rinse cycle is that it cuts down on the lint. I put 1/2 to 1 cup in the rinse cycle. I have a long haired white cat and I have definitely noticed the reduction in lint on my family's clothes since I started using vinegar.
# This reader got this from a column in a newspaper in 1953 and has used it to clean walls ever since.

1. 1 GALLON OF WATER
2. 1 CUP BOTTLED AMMONIA
3. 1/2 CUP BOTTLED VINEGAR
4. 1/4 CUP BAKING SODA.

Put the ammonia, vinegar and baking soda into the bucket of water. STIR TO MIX THOROUGHLY. Wash the walls from the bottom up for if you get drips on the uncleaned surface,(any other cleaner used will do the same) it will leave marks that are very difficult if not impossible to remove. (This caution was printed in the paper along with the recipe for the solution.)
# To remove food residue, mineral deposits, soap scum and chemical residues caused by water from your dishwasher:
Set TIMER to WASH CYCLE (to prevent any water from being added to vinegar). Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into bottom of dishwasher. Activate washer and allow to complete cycle to wash with vinegar and rinse with clean water.
# To get ride of calcium buildup on brick or on limestone, use a spray bottle with half vineger and half water, then just let it set. The solution will do all the work.
# If you have a recipe that calls for sour milk (or buttermilk), add a bit of vinegar to the milk, it works!
# We use vinegar on wasp/yellowjacket stings. Just soak a cotton ball in cider vinegar and hold to the sore spot (can tape it on with bandage tape). Within a few minutes the pain stops. It would work on bee stings too, only you'd probably need to get the stinger out.
# I was recently told to buy a product to clean the white deposits on the tray in my refrigerator's water/ice dispenser. I boiled vinegar and let it set for one minute and poured it (while still hot) into the tray, waited just a little and wiped it clean.
# I use a white vinegar solution 2 parts vinegar 1 part water to clean the rust off cast iron pans. I collect antique cast iron pans and after cleaning the old grease off them many times they are rusty under the old seasoning. I soak the pan overnight in the vinegar solution and the vinegar just dissolves the rust. Very rusty pans many take an extra evening. Don't leave it in there too long or you will not have a pan. The vinegar actually dissolves the metal. This would work on new cast iron pans also.
# It used to be that when anyone in my family saw a roach, they'd go running for the bug spray and hit him with a blast. The critter would run in a frenzy to escape, and then we'd find him turned over somewhere half an hour later, whereupon he'd be flushed down the toilet in a paper towel.

The problem with this method is that toxic chemicals from the bug spray would end up on the carpet or furniture. One day, after seeing a roach, I tried an experiment. I got one of the children's squirt guns and filled it with vinegar. Since the vinegar is non-toxic, I wasn't afraid to blast him if he got on the furniture. As it turned out, it didn't take much. With the bug sprays, roaches would scurry away to escape the fumes, but one hit of the vinegar and he stopped in his tracks. Now I always keep a spray bottle handy for the next bug that gets brave.
# My wife and I have been raising rabbits as a food source for several years. When we put the Doe into the Bucks cage for breeding and she is non-receptive, we put her back into her cage and add one tablespoon of white vineger to her fresh water. After 24 hours the Doe will be VERY receptive, and the Buck seems happy too. :o}
# I use white vinegar in my wash if washing something that will bleed. I just pour some white vinegar in the washer filling with cold water and then add my soap and clothes. It works great.
# This was taught to us when we first moved to the south. (You've never truly experienced ticks 'til you've been to Tennessee) I didn't believe it until I tried it. Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a day. (I mix mine with orange juice.) You'll never get a tick. (I walk through tall grass, woods, etc...) Dosen't seem to work for chiggers though.
# Hot vinegar can be used to remove paint from glass (works great around windows where you've accidentally gotten paint on the glass...). Just heat up vinegar on stove and use a cloth to wipe away paint -- it's that easy.
# I have been dealing with a problem of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. If I sip water with apple cider vinegar during the day, those symptoms disappear. It works for me and would certainly be worth a try for those who experience this distressing problem.
# White vinegar is the *best* cleaner for rabbit litter boxes. If it's used each time the litter box is cleaned, it keeps the litter boxes like new. If there is already a buildup of dried urine in the box, scrubbing with vinegar will get rid of it.
# Take 3 gallons of fresh goat milk, heat for about 45 minutes, stirring constantly. When the milk is hot and foam is on the top, cook for another 15 minutes, add 1/4 cup vinegar and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring slowly. After 15 minutes, strain, using a very clean towel. When most of the whey is drained, add 1/2 tablespoon of salt and stir into the cheese. Grab all the edges and middle of the towel, wrap a rubber band around the top and then hang from a kitchen cabinet. Leave bowl under it as the remaining whey drains out, about an hour or so. Cheese will be cooled and hard. Remove cloth and place in zip lock bag, and refrigerate.

It is now ready to eat on sandwiches, with pasta, use on pizzas, fried cheese, etc.. anytime you use store bought cheese, you can use this homemade cheese.

This doesn't taste like vinegar. The vinegar separates the cheese from the whey.
# Use vinegar in the rinse aid dispenser of the dishwasher to keep spots of dishes and glasses also it helps keep the washer clean. The dishwasher service man said it works better than these pricey store bought solutions.
# My great grandmother swore by vinegar for almost everything. Two uses that I have tried and had great success with.

For a stiff neck , take a half vinegar half warm water solution and soak a rag in it, then wring the rag out and wrap it around your neck. Put a layer of plastic wrap (to keep your sheets dry) and finish up with a towel (be careful not to strangle yourself). Leave this on over night and in the morning you will not believe the difference.

For bruises and swelling follow the directions above, but use cold water. You can hold the "compress" in place with an ace bandage. leave on for at least an hour, but the longer you leave it the better the results. I have personally used this long after ice was effective for reducing the swelling and it works like a miracle.
# For cleaning dentures - leave your dentures in vinegar for as long as you would leave them in a denture cleanser - about 15 minutes to half an hour, or longer, if you wish. Then brush them thoroughly. Your dentures will be cleaner and whiter than a proprietary dental cleaner can do it!
# When baking, if you are short of eggs substitute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per egg. This may be the way they make cakes for people allergic to eggs. I have done this in cakes and muffins, seems to work.
# I put 1 teaspoon of white vinegar into a super-soaker water gun and train my puppy great dane. You can reach him from anywhere across the room and he immediately stops his behavior. With the hint of vinegar it lingers.
# I use a lot of embroidery floss and always dip the whole skein in white vinegar and then air dry. This "sets" the colors and when I have washed something I have not experienced any "running" of the colors.
# I was so disappointed when I got a big lump of tar on my Levi jeans. Today I was trying to get the stains out and had no stain remover in the house, so I just poured a few drops of Vinegar on the stains. I had nothing to lose. The jeans I thought were ruined anyway. But it worked like magic, I have since put them in the washing machine and they're as clean as ever now!!!
# I used vinegar with baby oil on holidays this year, got a great tan and never burned!
# I suffer from migraines and take Imitrex for them. When I dont have any on hand I use vinegar and it always helps me. May not be the cause for everyone though. I take a wash cloth and put water and vinegar on it and put it over my forehead. Seems to work great for me. If you suffer from migraines it is worth a try.

An old fashioned remedy for any headache was to soak brown paper with cider vinegar and apply it to the forehead. Possibly something about breathing the fumes helps in some cases, anyway.

# Makes a great eyeglass cleaner. Mix white vinegar 1/2 and 1/2 with water. I keep a tiny spray bottle in my purse.
# Another use for vinegar on the microwave is if the electronic control pad is not functioning correctly, try some warm vinegar on a soft cloth to clean all over the area, then dry with another cloth or kleenex, can take care of some baffling problems!
# Being a scuba diver for many years I swear by vinegar to remove the sting of a jellyfish.
# When you "let out" hems on children's clothes such as skirts, dresses etc., usually there is a white mark where the cloth was turned up. Warm up your iron, and with an old toothbrush dipped in a little vinegar diluted with small amount of water, scrub the mark and press. It usually comes right out, if not, then repeat.
# I use vinegar and baking soda as a weekly cleaner/degreaser/deodorizer for my kitchen/bathroom drains.
# Vinegar is great for eliminating tobacco smoke odors. Use small disposable containers and fill about half way with cider vinegar.Sit around in rooms where they can't be seen or found by children. This gets rid of the smoke odors. You will want to discard each container and replace with new container and fresh vinegar. Do this every 2 or 3 days.
# We have old fashioned cast iron radiators with metal valves on the side. To clean the valves out to keep them functioning properly, boil them in a pot of vinegar and water (I did 50/50 mix). Then empty the water out of the valves and "bake" them in the oven for a few minutes to dry them out. (They won't work well if damp.) To avoid wasting the oven heat, I do this when I'm going to be baking something anyway. When I boiled my valves (about 5 of them) I ended up with a ton of sludge in the bottom of the pan.
# Use vinegar as dishwasher rinse aid. I cannot see paying all that money for a rinse aid so I use just plain vinegar. Works great too.
# We are grain farmers, and sometimes have diesel fuel get spilled either on clothes or yourself. The smell is horrible and refuses to go away. A little vinegar added to the washer takes most (if not all) the smell out. This is amazing, but it works.
# To eliminate cat litter box odors: When you clean the litter box, rinse it out and pour about 1/2 inch of cheap white vinegar in the box. Let it stand for 20 minutes or so, then swish it around, rinse with cold water, and dry the box. The acid in the vinegar neutralizes the ammonia smell.
# I use white vinegar to clean the mineral deposits that accumulate at the top of my fish aquarium. I take a hand towel and soak it in the vinegar. I simply wipe around the inside of the tank where the water has evaporated and left the white mineral deposits. I don't even have to scrub. I also use it to clean my aquarium ornaments. It is harmless to my fish so I don't worry if some of the vinegar happens to get into the water.
# Soak a cotton ball or piece of paper towel in vinegar, place it on the aching tooth... bite down - in moments the toothache is temporarily gone, giving you time to get to a dentist.
# Many elderly people with high cholesterol have tried this drink with much success.
Recipe:

1. 2 cups of grape juice
2. 1 cup of apple juice
3. 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

Mix together and take 2 ounces before your largest meal everyday; only 2 ounces is needed for results.
# One time I had a gallon of milk spill on the carpet of my car. It was warm out and it created quite a mess. I tried everything but could not get the smell out. A few days later a friend suggested white vinegar. The odor disappeared.
# Instead of buying expensive facial products, I mix up my own "toner" using 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar and a few aspirins. The acids in the vinegar force your old skin cells to flake off, much like the store-bought "alpha hydroxy" products. The aspirin is my own anti-acne solution. A lot of acne products use salicylic acid, which is basically aspirin with a few small chemical differences. The aspirin won't dissolve completely, but it doesn't seem to matter. This works especially well against those big, deep acne spots which older people often get. I've been using this twice a day on my face for five years now and people are always amazed when I tell them my real age (44). One caution, though: Be sure to also use a face lotion with at least SPF 15 everyday--even in winter (Oil of Olay knock-offs are fairly cheap)--because the vinegar mixture will make your skin thinner (just like the expensive store-bought ones will) and more susceptible to sun damage. The SPF prevents age spots from forming, and that's worth the money in my book.
# Taking a little bit of vinegar with or just before meals isolates the fat in food and it passes through your system. I learned this a diet clinic. it works really great.
# For as long as I can remember, it's been a fight to get cantaloupes to ripen without being attacked by mold. For the past couple of weeks, I've been rubbing each melon with about a teaspoonful of full-strength vinegar. I haven't detected a speck of mold since I started this... even as they fully ripen.
# I want to share with you how white vinegar just saved me money. I had out of town guests over Memorial Day and my water-saver toilet became clogged. Not having a plunger on hand I decided to pour white (not having cider on hand) vinegar into the bowl. To my surprise and pleasure, within an hour results could be seen. Over night, and a little more vinegar the line was completely cleared.
# You can use vinegar for fleas on puppies too young for regular flea products. Straight white vinegar applied with a cotton ball, keep from nose and eyes. I warm it a little bit first, the puppies don't seem to mind the smell and their coats are so soft.
# We have a Border Collie on our farm and when she gets to smelling pretty rank in the summertime, we add vinegar to her bath water to get rid of the odor.
# A couple of years ago I was suffering from a very stubborn infection in both of my ears. My ear doctor tried several antibiotics, but to no avail. Cultures of the infection showed strong resistance to most antibiotics, including Cipro. Eventually they had me on a regimen of intravenous injections (which I had to do myself 3 times a day), and a nurse would periodically come to my home and change the vein into which I would inject the antibiotic. This was all very nerve wracking.

That didn't seem to be making much progress, but my doctor learned of an ear specialist who apparently had a regimen that seemed effective in solving tough ear infections. Ironically, the night before I went to see this doctor, my dear old mother-in-law tried to convince me to try using a vinegar ear wash. Seems she had a book on "miracle" uses for vinegar. Can you guess what the Phoenix doctor's special regimen was? Vinegar and water! Use any vinegar, white is fine, and mix in equal amounts with water. Warm slightly so you don't screw up your equilibrium by putting cold water in your ear. Be sure not to make it too warm. Get an ear flush bulb and flush the affected ear 2 -3 times with the mixture twice a day. In a few days my infection was history!
# For cleaning antique appliances: Pour white vinegar straight out of the bottle onto a sponge, or pour it into a dishpan to soak stubborn buildup for a few minutes. After your appliance's first-time cleaning, future quick cleanups are easiest using a small spray/squirt bottle with diluted vinegar-water.
# I am a cake decorator and that is a mess, but I have to use diferent types of frosting doing this job. So I boil all of my cake decorating tips and spatulas in vinegar and water it removes all of the grease from them and gets them really clean!
# For those very painful "Charlie Horses" and muscle cramps, use half vinegar and half water, on a wet towel. Heat in microwave 20 seconds and place on pained area. It works great.
# I use full strength vinegar on a rag to wipe away the lime deposits the sprinklers leave on my car's paint and windows. There are lots of products for BIG $$$ that will do the same thing... I WONDER what their "secret ingredient" is???!!
# I color my own hair and when I go to rinse, I first rinse with warm water then I dilute white vinegar with water for the final rinse. Use water as cold as you can stand. This really seals your color so it doesn't fade out as quickly.
# I use a splash of vinegar when preparing rice. 1c rice, 2c water, a splash of vinegar. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer 20 minutes, uncover and fluff with a fork. The vinegar cuts the starch and the rice is not gummy. I usually add the rice to broth for a great tasting soup, or to crushed pineapple.
# I am 49 years old and have suffered with very severe headaches since I was a young girl. I have tried many medications and remedies, but this simple and inexpensive thing can relieve the pain, sometimes within minutes. I usually lie down and rest, or try to nap, after doing this, but it's surprising how fast and effectively it works: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar. Make a "tent" with a bathtowel over your head and breathe in the vapors, deeply and slowly. (If it makes you cough, cut back on the vinegar.) A few minutes of doing this will cure most headaches as well as pills or shots.
# Nail polish will go on smoother, and stay longer if you clean your finger nails with white vinegar before applying nail polish.
# I have psoriasis and my skin is very dry. After I have showered, I spritz all over with a spray bottle filled with 3 parts cider vinegar and 1 part water and rinse again. There is no soap residue left on my skin and I don't feel itchy. I think it helps body odor, also.
# I use white vinegar as a rinse aid in the dishwasher.
# If you have hard water put vinegar in your bath water and also rinse your hair with it. It gets out all residue from shampoo and conditioner.
# I add 1/4 cup of vinegar to a half bucket of warm water. I wring my cloth out real good and wipe all dirt and built up wax away. I don't rub the furniture, just wipe it down and then buff with a dry towel. You'd be amazed what a job it does.
# I keep a two small spray bottles in the kitchen - one filled with vinegar and one filled with hydrogen peroxide. These are the best safe disinfectants for counters, cutting boards and washing produce. More effective against bacteria if used separately. I stumbled on the research by accident at this site: Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide as Disinfectants
# We add apple cider vinegar to our goats water all year around. It seems to repel flies in the summer and causes the water not to freeze as fast in the winter. We only add about an eigth of a cup to each 5 gallon bucket. Some people told us that this would give the milk an "off" flavor, but we have yet to find that. Maybe it would if we were giving them white vinegar. Anyhow, the bonus is that our goats LOVE it!
# I use approximately 1/3 cup of white vinegar and 1/3 cup of all purpose cleaner (Lysol, etc.) or laundry detergent in a 32 oz. spray bottle filled rest of the way with water to clean my shower. I sprayed heavily and use a light net scrubbie or sponge to get hard water and soap scum off. Rinse completely. Then, I spray every day after showering with same mix. You could even use plain vinegar and water for the daily mist. I use this to clean with on the weekends and it works great!!! Can even be used in toilet and sink. You may have to experiment with the cleaner/water/vinegar ratios
# I have a lot of silk floral arrangements throughout my house. I have a spray bottle filled with vinegar. When they get dusty, I spray them lightly, and the dust is gone. They also look brand new!
# I put a capful of vinegar in a glass of water when I am having indigestion problems. It gets rid of the gassy, bloating, diarrhea problems. It seems to help balance the acid needed for digestion.
# For cleaning antique appliances: Pour white vinegar straight out of the bottle onto a sponge, or pour it into a dishpan to soak stubborn buildup for a few minutes. After your appliance's first-time cleaning, future quick cleanups are easiest using a small spray/squirt bottle with diluted vinegar-water.
# ust one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water at meals can change your life completely. How? Apple cider vinegar contains acedic acid which stimulates the production of stomach acid. The more stomach acid the better as it breaks down your food into smaller molecules. The smaller the molecules the more efficiently your intestines and liver can absorb the nutrients it needs. In the old days the stomach would be producing acid all day long so it would be ready for meal time. But these days when the body is stressed the stomach stops producing acid so at meal time there's not enough acid to digest the food. This creates all kinds of problems; indigestion, gastic reflux, IBS, bad breath, diverticulus, fatty liver, lactose intolerance, allergies, fatique, you name it. But just a little bit of apple cider vinegar gets the stomach working again.
# When I bought my dark towels a few years ago I was told to add 1/2 cup of vineger to laundry to prevent fading.
# For reducing swelling on a horse (or any animal), wrap the leg in a rag soaked in apple cider vinegar. Wrap in plastic and then bandage to hold it in place - leave on for 4 or more hours.
# To keep sour cream from spoiling, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar to a small container and about 2 tablespoons to a larger container of sour cream. I tossed out many a container because it would spoil before we used it. I read this in a local paper's "Good Neighbor" column. I add the vinegar after the first use and you don't notice the taste. I works well.
# I won a colorful handmade quilt a few years back and the older ladies who made it included instructions to soak in lots of cold water using 1 cup of vinegar at the first time the quilt is laundered. This is to prevent colors from fading.
# I work in fragrances and it is generally recommended that vinegar is what to use when you want to remove the odor of a perfume you don't like. Just apply it to the skin that has been sprayed with the undesired perfume.
# I take one cup vinegar to one gallon of water and wash my vegetables and fruits with it, then rinse with water. This is much cheaper than the ones that sell in the stores.
# I put white vinegar in a spray bottle, take the top off and heat in the microwave until warm. Be careful that your spray bottle can be heated. I take it in the shower and clean our fiberglass shower with just the warm vinegar a sponge and the shower water. It really makes the shower look sparkling white. You can clean the silver fixtures too. Helps remove soap scum really well. I have used on white porcelain sink and fixtures as well, it works really great!
# I got a new puppy just covered in fleas. The store bought flea killers were for older puppies. We used apple vinegar to dip him in and rinsed him off with water. It did the trick.
# I had a completely white bulldog with black spotted skin. He had dark tear stains running from his tear duct area down. I tried a few of the tear bleaching products sold for dogs but none worked (besides being expensive). I also tried some suggested home remedies (e.g. hydrogen peroxide, etc.) and those were not effective either. A vet told me the tear stains were caused by the acidity in the dogs system and if I neutralized his system, the stains would go away.

His suggestion was to put vinegar in the dogs drinking water! He suggested putting just a "tiny" bit of vinegar in the drinking water for a few days (I interpreted that as about 1/4 of a vinegar bottles cap full) and then increase the amount of vinegar added until I was adding about a teaspoon to the drinking water each day (I would estimate his drinking water bowl to contain about 5 cups of water.) Each time I changed or added water to his bowl, I also added the vinegar. Within a few weeks, the tear stains were gone for good!
# I thought I had broken my ankle. It was so bad I had to crawl on my knee and my leg and foot were one! My grandmother told me to soak a brown paper bag in vinegar and wrap it around my foot all night. Incredible results. The swelling had gone down two thirds and in three full days I was walking on it again. I just knew I had to go to the doctor!
# I have suffered for 9 years with chronic sinus and ear and throat infections. I've had dozens of antibiotic treatments and corrective surgery. One day I drank a tablespoonful of white distilled vinegar and noticed that I felt some level of relief, so I took this one step further. I took 12 ounces of distilled water and one tablespoon of distilled white vinegar and used it to rinse my sinuses. This was painful I admit, butI was desperate after nine years and I was getting nowhere with my physicians. I did this for two weeks twice a day. Now after 10 years of pain and suffering I can tell you that I am cured . Anyone who wishes to try what I have done please be cautious as the solution stings the nose a little bit, but the pain quickly passes. While rinsing your sinuses you must have your head down the water will pass through your mouth. Never do this with your head upright as you could drown if water enters your lungs. Please talk to your physician before doing this. I was already familiar with salt water rinsing before substituting vinegar for salt.
# Years ago, I put vinegar in my two dogs drinking water. I had never seen a flea. Start with only a little, so they will get used to the taste. I am now doing it to my Siamese cats. No fleas.
# I keep a solution of vinegar and water - 1-2 TBLSP in a 4 oz bottle of water for cleaning eyeglasses. I also use it to clean glass on photocopier.
# Keep vinegar and water solution handy in a spray bottle for cleaning in the office. Those in our office who are chemically sensitive have no problem. We even use it to "deskunk" the air of residual scent when people visit wear perfume or smoke.
# The representative from Wrangler Jeans said to wash jeans for the first time by turning them inside out and adding one cup of vinegar to the wash. It takes the stiffness out of new jeans.
# Instead of using pesticides to get rid of ants in the kitchen, clean the countertop with a vinegar and water mixture. It is a good cleaner, and it also leaves a residue that ants will flee from.
# If you have a slug problem, drop a few drops (an eye dropper works well) of white vinegar on them and they will dissolve. But be careful not to get the vinegar on plants, it will kill them.
# When i got my belly button pierced a year ago, the artist told me that if it got infected to warm up some vinegar and soak my belly button in it. A few months later, I actually did get a little infection and after soaking my belly in vinegar, the infection left. I only had to soak it about three times!
# I recently got my nose pierced. I was running out of the bottle antiseptic medicine the piercing saloon gave me. I started to use vinegar to clean the piercing and the ring in it. I only used it after I ran out of the bottle and used after about a month and a half of my piercing. I still use it for daily cleaning. It works great. I don't think people should replace the antiseptic stuff, but using vinegar in a pinch or for daily cleaning, or spot infections could help them out. I thought it was infected at one point and I went to the school Dr. She said it wasn't and that using vinegar to clean the piercing really couldn't hurt me and it might have helped. Remember any person who gets pierced should follow the instructions of a quailfied piercer or their doctor.
# When I had ceramic tile floors installed the tile man told me this: if I would always mop them with a solution of white vinegar and water that it would not only clean them better than a soapy mop job but would cut my work in half (no rinsing) and would preserve the color of the grout. He was 100% correct.
# Our son had a wart starting to grow near the cuticle of his finger and it was actually starting to go under his nail. After putting apple cider vinegar on a band-aid and wrapping it on the finger for about one week, the wart was gone and never grew back. Place a new apple cider vinegar band-aid on the wart each night.
# My mother drinks this vinegar recipe every day and does not have high cholesterol. My aunt had very high cholesterol and tried a prescription drug for it. The drug caused some liver problems and she had to stop taking it. Then she tried this recipe and lowered her cholesterol by 40 points. We don't think the juices do anything special, they just make the vinegar palatable.

1. 1 quart apple juice
2. 1 pint purple grape juice
3. 1/4 to 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Mix together and serve well chilled. Drink 1/2 to 1 cup daily.
# Clean copper bottomed pans (or any copper) by spraying a thin layer of pure vinegar then covering with salt. The stains and tarnish should disappear in a matter of seconds.
# If you douse your cold sore reapeatedly with vinegar it will dry up the cold sore and eventually prevent further outbreaks.
# Over the last sixty years I have made everything from men's suits to baby clothes to wedding dresses - for setting creases - and also removing them when in the wrong place - iron with a pressing cloth soaked in a solution of 1 part vinagar to 2 parts water. This is a strong, smelly solution so use in a well ventilated room! The smell will soon leave the garment after airing.
# One of our managers at the steel mill where I work as the Safety Supervisor had told me that for years he had been using a vinegar soaked cloth for quick relief and disinfection of lime or alkali burns. In the steelmaking furnace facilities Lime is a very commonly used product and employees are regularly getting minor skin burns from exposure to the lime dust. Vinegar's natural acidic properties help neutralize the pH of the skin when an alkali material causes a caustic burn.
# To remove the solid residue on the underarm of a shirt left by deodorants, soak the area in white vinegar until saturated then wash as usual(also removes any odor as well).
# I had a dermatitis rash on my hand for eight years. I had been to the doctor many times and tried many different prescriptions but nothing helped. I read somewhere that cider vinegar was helpful for itching so I started using it for that and found that not only did it help relieve the itching, it actually seemed to improve the condition so I started applying it 2-3 times a day and in two weeks, the rash was GONE!!
# When dying fabric, include one cup white vinegar in hot dye bath to set color.
# I had a rash on my hand for eight years. I had been to the doctor many times and tried different prescriptions but nothing helped. I read that cider vinegar was helpful for itching so I started using it and found that not only did it relieve the itching, it seemed to improve the condition so I started applying it 2-3 times a day and in two weeks, the rash was GONE!!
# I was having terrible hot flushes during the day and night until a friend told me about apple cider vinegar. I take 1 or 2 tsp of vinegar with a glass of water 3 times a day or more and the hot flushes are gone right away. The taste is not bad at all and it doesn't upset my stomach. I feel like I'm back in the land of the living!
# I use vinegar to clean/remove the greenish color that forms on a black glazed figurine. I dip a q-tip into the vinegar, and apply directly onto the areas that are affected.
# My grandmother was from Scotland and used vinegar extensively on a cloth placed on her forehead to stop hangover headaches after weekly family get to-gethers.
# Grandma used to give me a straight teaspoon of vinegar to stop Diarrhea, normally once the vinger was taken the visits to the toilet stopped after about 30 minutes.
# I have used raw vinegar in water for arthritis and it takes the swelling and stiffness away. I use 1 tablespoon in any amount of water twice a day. It has given me my life back.
# This was given to me by a chiropractor who checked my urine and told me it was "gunky." Drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in 4 ounces of water once a day for 5 days. It works.
# I use vinegar in my dishwasher as the rinse instead of commercial products. The glasses and things come up just as clean.
# I add a couple drops of vinegar to the water in my drip coffee maker each time I make a pot, it doesn't change the flavor and prevents mineral build up.
# I put a couple of drops in my dog's water dish, prevents build up there, too. It doesn't take much to do a really good job and therefore doesn't hurt the taste.
# You can mix 1/3 Vinegar (any type but Apple Cider smells better), 1/3 water, and 1/3 Pine Sol (and scent but I like Orange)
Mix in a spray bottle and it makes the greatest fly spray for horses (and other animals(dogs, goats, etc)) as well as barn spray to keep flies down. I live in Texas where the flies are monsters and this REALLY truly works!!! The three vets I have talked about it with said it was 100% safe and the Pine Sol contains less powerful and harmful chemicals than actual fly spray! The 1,000's of horse owners that have used it (I got the recipe off a very popular horse website) have used it with no ill effects what so ever for years now. This will save you a ton of money and less yucky chemicals!
# I discovered using vinegar in my laundry when we started using terry cloth nappies for my new born son. I use half the recommended detergent during the wash and skip the fabric softener. Instead, I put them through an additional rinse at the end and fill the softener dispenser with vinegar. This both sterilizes and neutralizes any residue left by the detergent which may cause my baby's sensitive skin to react.
# When I fried fish, I boiled a tablesppoon of vinegar in the pan that i used to fry fish in, and the smell was gone from my pan.
# I used vinegar to remove the adhesive on old linoleum. It worked perfectly - came right up.
# If you do dishes by hand, sometimes glasses seem to have a sour smell. A little vinegar in your rinse water will help get rid of it.
# For a cough that will not stop, make a remedy my brother and I always called Witches Brew. This was from my Great Grandmother.

* Mix 1 Tbs Butter
* 1 Tbs Sugar
* 1 Tbs Vinegar

Melt it all together, and take while still warm
# My husband was dealing with a toothache for 2 days trying all the over the counter relief medicines with absolutely no relief. I had been reading the pages about medicinal uses of vinegar and when I read how it takes the pain out of a sprain and arthritis I figured, "What does he have to lose?" So we put some apple cider vinegar on some cotton balls and he put it in his mouth and bit down easily for a few minutes. To our surprise his pain was gone. My mother then told me later that her father used to use vinegar for his teeth. Its amazing how the old fashioned "home remedies" really work, and of course they are alot cheaper. (Note: Always rinse your mouth thoroughly after using vinegar, as it deteriorates the enamel. --Pat)
# To prevent mildew on plastic shower curtains, I keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water in the bathroom and spray the curtain after every shower.
# I have blepharitis, a recurrent eyelid condition that causes intense itching, redness and swelling. After trying every OTC I could think of (and reading the Vinegar Page) I tried dipping a cotton swab in full strength apple cider vineger and *carefully* swabbing the affected eyelid 2-3 times a day. Within a week the symptoms were gone! I told my doctor about it and he said just be careful not to get the vinegar in your eyes.
# My husband went to an acupuncturist and her recommendation for tedoniditis was to soak in warm apple cider vinegar twice a day.
# Use a paste of vinegar and baking soda to clean the sole plate of your iron. Smooth, clean and shiny. Will not harm any surface.
# As a child I was plagued with sprains. My grandmother mixed apple cider vinegar with red clay, heated it and made a paste. It was placed on the sprain and then wrapped with strips of an old sheet. After an hour the paste was soaked off with warm water and my sprain was healed.
# Put vinegar on newspaper and use to wipe down the insides of glass fireplace doors. Cleans instantly and does not streak.
# After moving to a very humid environment, my leather purses developed a nice green mold while on the top shelf of the doorless closet. My aunt suggested using a cloth dipped in vinegar to remove the mold. It worked and didn't leave spots like water would have.
# If you rub or spray yourself with vinegar, it will keep ticks and chiggers off. They may get on you, but will not stay... And no, once it dries, you do not smell like vinegar.
# Put a tablespoon of vinegar in your dog's drinking water every day and you will no longer have those brown spots in your lawn from the dog's urine.
# Mix half vinegar and half water and put into a spritzer bottle. When ironing use the spray to help remove iron made creases or shiny areas in the fabric. Spritz a shirt for a clean, odor free , crisp garment, especially collars and underarm areas. Use a press cloth that has been dampened with straight vinegar and use to set creases, folds, pleats that are still there after you wash the garment. Use this same damp cloth and gently rub shiny areas -like those that appear when the iron is too hot and you iron over a zipper- then repress and the shine will be gone. May have to be repeated. Spritz the ironing board cover to freshen it up and iron while it is still damp. Cheaper than any purchased fabric freshener or odor eliminator.
# For the past 5 years or so, I have used vinegar to deter birds building their mud nest in my carport and on my front porch. When I see they are interested in building where they are not wanted, I drench the area with full strength vinegar. They try to brave the vinegar smell to light anyway, but the smell is too strong. They will try several more times to make a nest. When I see them interested again, once more I again drench the area they are trying to use. They become discouraged after several attempts and go elsewhere.
# Whenever I wake up in the morning with a hangover, I go strait to the fridge and drink pickle juice (or eat a pickle).. (Pickles are canned in vinegar. --Pat)
# Soaking coffeepots with vinegar/ water mix will take off the stains.
# Vinegar is also great for preserving the color of swim suits. Put a little in water and soak your new suit and the color will last a lot longer even if you swim alot in pools with lots of chlorine

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Guest

Do not use it instead of Jet Dry! I tried it, and it worked well for several months, until I noticed that it was stripping the finish off my dishes. It quickly removed all the designs from plastic cups and glasses, which I didn't mind so much. However, now all of my Pfaltfzgraff plates and bowls are ruined because it stripped the glaze off them. They are now chalky and soak up liquid.

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PirateKitty

My mom taught me this one: If you wipe your mixer bowl with a bit of vinegar (I usually use a splash on a towel) before whipping egg whites, you'll get a fluffier result. The vinegar breaks down any residual oil stuck to the surface of the bowl which would inhibit the egg whites.

And it's not vinegar, but... when I was working in theatre managing costumes we used to make a 50/50 mix of vodka and water in spray bottles to spritz the costumes that were to delicate (or large for that matter) to be washed every night. It disinfects them and removes even the nastiest B.O. smells!

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Guest

Wherever you may travel through out the world you will find vinegar. Vinegar is used primarily in pickling but there are so many more uses that can make your taste buds jump for joy! If you experiment with the uses of vinegar in your home, you will notice many tastes of food are actually enhanced with vinegar. What are you waiting for – get cooking!

Less gas
If you are a bean lover, but you don’t like the gas that beans gives you, try this little trick. Using apple cider vinegar, soak your favorite bean (or split pea or even garbanzo beans!) in the vinegar overnight. Rinse the beans completely. Works great!

Pasta
If you put a few drops of vinegar in pasta as it boils, the starch is cut way lower. This makes the pasta less sticky and makes it so much easier to handle.

Egg yolk substitute
If you are in the middle of baking and you find that you are running short on egg yolks you can substitute one tablespoon of white vinegar for each egg that you are short for the same great results!

If you are allergic to eggs, use a tablespoon of vinegar as a replacement for eggs in cakes, muffins, brownies or cookies for a great taste that you can eat!

Scrambled eggs
When scrambling eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to your mixture to boost the flavor of your eggs. While milk makes your eggs fluffy, vinegar adds zest.

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Guest

I had a problem with a moldy smell in the bathrooms and on towels. A small glass filled with white vinegar and the smells were gone. The easiest and cheapest fix ever!!!
I read it will also get rid of the residual smells of cigarette smoke by someone who smoked in the bathroom.

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Guest

a lot

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fuzz

vinegar can also tighten up the pussy "snap back"

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Tina W

I use apple cider vinegar in my horses water in the summertime. This really does help repel flies and they won't breed in the manure either because of the vinegar residual. The horses love it too! Just pour about a quart in 50 gal, and that is all you need!

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m65

Vinegar. As an Englishman, I had one use for it. I put it on my Fish 'n' Chips. Then I married a girl from Guam and found another use for it...Adobo sauce. Mmmm. But as a frugal shopper, I began hearing whispers of the incredible versatility of vinegar. So I did some research. I was shocked!

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Rene

Great blog!

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Epps

adding a couple capfuls to your bath water (ladies)... will help snap that p-ssy back... whpppssshh

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Paola

wash your hands in vinegar when cutting an onion and it will prevent you from crying!!

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Gina

Any suggestions for little flies on the siding of our house?

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Guest

is inegar a good body kleanser?

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Ronald Westcott

iI think it is great!! I use 50/50 vinigar and water to clean my face and it gets rid of pimples and unclogs pores

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Guest

I have had a problem with scaly scalp in spots for years. After i started rinsing my hair with vinegar (and then water) the scaly spots have disappeared!

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Guest

i must agree i have had itchy scalp for years ,it would be ok the day after i shampoo but if i didnt shampoo every day it wioud get itchy the folowing day,i have tried many shampoos i think they all dry the scalp! so i dont do that anymore,a cup of vinigar in the bath and i wash my hair with that and all of me! my natural oils are improving my skin and hair and the vinigar kills all the bactebia that creates any body oder,big improvement!! can wash my hair once or twice a week and it feels great!!

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Margaret

I really like white vinegar for removing yellow underarm stains. Just soak the garment's underarms in white vinegar for awhile, then wash as usual....no yellow underarms!

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Guest

does vinegar help repel fleas

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Chris

Good article full of useful uses.

I think you could do with specifying what type of vinegar should be used for certain things. Mainly the vinegar on sunburns.

I use apple cider vinegar to remove moles from my body due to it being so acidic. If you leave it on for too long though it will burn your skin and can be really painful. Last thing you would want to be doing to your child on top of a burn!