Not many people would think of using vinegar for cleaning. While it may not have the most pleasant smell, here’s a list of vinegar uses you really should know about. The fermented product isn’t just good for flavoring your favorite dish, it’s also a powerful cleaning tool.
Vinegar can be used to unclog a stubborn drain, neutralize odors, fight fruit flies, remedy wrinkled clothes and much more. Although many of the vinegar uses below call for white vinegar, that kind of vinegar is made from GMO corn, making it a possible source of glyphosate exposure, so it’s best to use organic raw apple cider vinegar to keep your home as green as possible.
1. Unclog A Drain
If your kitchen sink is always backed up, pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain and follow up with a 1 cup of vinegar. Wash the mixture down with boiling water once it’s stopped foaming. Your sink will be like new!
2. Remove Sticky Tape Residue
Tape is a great tool, but it can leave an unpleasant residue once it’s removed. To clean up the mess it leaves behind, saturate the area with vinegar, let it sit for a few seconds, and scrub clean.
3. Neutralize Trash Can Odors
Months of use will make your trash can sticky, even when it’s empty. To clear away any lingering smells, soak a piece of bread in vinegar and place it at the bottom of your empty trash bin overnight. Remove it the next day for a stink-free trash. Try it in a stinky gym bag or smelly shoe closet too!
4. All-purpose Cleaner
Throw out your chemical cleaners and switch it up by filling a spray bottle 1/3 of the way full with vinegar, topping it off with water and using it as you would any other cleaning product. For extra power, sprinkle baking soda on tough spots, spray with the vinegar solution and let it foam up. Wipe up the mess with ease.
5. Fruit Fly Trap
If you’re victim to a fruit fly infestation, bag up any produce on your kitchen counter or in your cupboards and leave out a small bowl of apple cider vinegar. Cover the top of the bowl with saran wrap and poke a few holes at the top. The flies will be drawn into the bowl and won’t be able to find their way out. Make sure to throw any food scraps in an outdoor trashcan during this time or the flies will ignore your bowl of vinegar.
6. Instant Ironing Job
For a quick way to get rid of stubborn wrinkles on your favorite shirt, combine 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water in a spray bottle. Hang your shirt and spray it with the solution. Within a few minutes, the largest wrinkles should be gone! If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, add a few drops of lavender essential oil or rose water into the mix.
7. Cat Deterrent
If your cat has a bad habit of using your furniture as a scratching post, spray his go-to area with vinegar. Cat has sensitive noses and will avoid the area at all cost.
8. Flower Saver
Flowers make any home instantly more welcoming, but they don’t last forever. Prolong their short life by adding a bit of ACV to the cold water in your vase. It’ll kill any bad bacteria that might prematurely kill your flowers. It’s also important to change the water every day and trim the stems of your flowers every day.
9. Streak-free Glasses Cleaner
Get rid of fingerprints and other annoying marks by placing a bit of vinegar on a clothing cloth and rubbing your glasses. You’ll see clearer instantly!
10. Cookware Saver
Accumulated grease can make any pot or pan look worn and unclean, no matter how many times your runt hem through your dishwasher. To clean them up, add 1-2 cups of vinegar and equal parts water to your pot, boil for 5 minutes and wash as usual. It’ll look brand new!