254 Uses for Vinegar

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Home Frugal Living Food and Drink 254 Uses for Vinegar. And Counting.

254 Uses for Vinegar. And Counting.by Paul Michael on 26 March 2007

280Like7 retweet

Photo: adie reed / Flickr

Vinegar. As an Englishman, I had one use for it.

I put it on my Fish 'n' Chips. Then I marri ed 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 versatili ty 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.

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

1.

A quarter cup in a quart of water makes a good window cleaner. A reader adds:

"When you use v inegar in your water to wash windows, dry with newspapers. Your

windows will sparkle!"

2.

PE R S O NA L F I NA NC E F R U GAL LI VI N G C AR E E R L I F E H AC K S B E S T DE AL S S M AL L B U S I N E S S T O P PF B L O G S M O R E

Uses for Vinegar. And Counting. | Wise Bread http://www.wisebread.com/254-uses-for-vinegar-and

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Fabric softener and static cling reducer use as you would liquid fabric softener.

3.

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 ai r.

4.

Chewing gum dissolver saturate the area with vinegar. If the vinegar is heated,

it will work faster.

5.

Stain remover for stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak

clothing in full strength vinegar.

6.

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.

7.

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 re lative from

the store.

8.

Kill grass or weeds by pouring hot vinegar on i t. 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.

9.

Wash your windshield with vinegar in the winter to he lp keep ice and frost away.

10.

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 he lp keep germs down.

11.

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.

12.

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 whi ch you've added a

tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.

13.

Use diluted 1:1 in water to take pet odors out o f 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 dir ty after blotting. I make sure to turn on a fan and

open a window, especially for large spots!

14.

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!

15.

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.

16.

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 n ight's sleep. I don't mind the taste,

but some children might.

17.

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 ni ts

use to stay attached to the hair.

18.


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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.

19.

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."

20.

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."

21.

Added by another reader: "Put vinegar on white bread around a house to get rid of

smoke smell from a fire."

22.

Another reader writes: "You can use vinegar to remove wallpaper. I just redid my

entire ki tchen 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 wi th water. You don't

have to use harse chemicals and it is cheap, cheap, cheap."

23.

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 real ly

stubborn."

24.

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."

25.

She also uses it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser, as most soaps are alkaline as

compared to skin ph.

26.

On a differen t note, most meat marinades are most effective if acidic, so an extra

few spoonfuls of vinegar can't hurt.

27.

On heavily tarnished copper or copper-alloy to be cleaned up, use a paste made

of salt and vinegar.

28.

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."

29.

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."

30.

Pour vinegar around the sides of your pool and it helps keeps flies away.

31.

Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a gallon of water to keep your vinyl no-wax floors c lean

and shining. A reader adds: "Not only does it keep the floors shiny but it ki lls 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

32.


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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.

33.

One teaspoon to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups. Another reader

writes: "I've found that gargling with cider vinegar wil l stop the most horrible case of

hiccups!"

34.

Vinegar is great for removing calcium deposit build up. Use full strength and allow

to set. Time depends on condition.

35.

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 ha lf 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 burn ing.

You must do this several times but it works and then it gives you a nice tan."

Vinegar wil l 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 wil l 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 l ived in Philadelphia, PA and I was

visiting from Flor ida). 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 undilu ted 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 v inegar, but after showering...ta da...tan) I'm not sure, but using

the red wine vinegar has seemed to help me tan faster."

36.

Use 2 cups of cider vinegar in the tub to soak sore muscles and add potassium to

muscles.

37.

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.

38.

Heat vinegar to boiling point. Then poor over your fixtures that have deposits of lime.

This will release or remove lime deposits.

39.

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.

40.

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

41.


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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.

Keep a solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to use for

cleaning windows.

42.

From a reader: "When I apply a weak bleach solution (to a counter after handling rawchicken, 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 r inse hands or counter, as opposed to gallons) as a spot

neutralizer would cause no problem. You can read the posts yourself, if you like.

43.

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.)"

44.

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.

45.

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.

46.

Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a quart of drinking water. Helps to deal

with heat stress. Also helps to repel mosquitoes.

47.

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."

48.

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."

49.

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 r inse cycle. It equalizes the ph balance.

I've been doing it ever since and, viola, no diaper rash!

50.

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26 MAR. 2007 | 6:44 PM

REPLY

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 aroun d the area infested & the y'll be gone before you

know it.

For a great vinegar info/tips check out.

http://www.earthclinic.com/Remedies/acvinegar.html

27 MAR. 2007 | 8:10 AM

REPLY

BRENDAMO

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

24 AUG. 2007 | 1:05 PMGUEST

Hi, I am from the th e U.K and can you tell what jet dry is? is it a

cleaner or a rinse,like a streakf ree agent....

thanks.

paul from suffolk(constable country).

30 SEP. 2007 | 2:02 PMGUEST

Jet Dry is a rinse toe stop spots streaks wh ile drying

25 OCT. 2007 | 7:53 AMGUEST

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

17 SEP. 2009 | 11:54 AMGUEST

Hey there!


6 27/09/2011


8/36

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 the y don't get

water stains on them. Hope this helps!!

5 NOV. 2009 | 3:11 PMPRENTIS LAKEY

JET DRY IS A DISHWASHER DETERGENT AND RINSING

AGENT (ALL IN ONE) POPULAR IN THE US.

24 SEP. 2007 | 5:01 PMDEBBIE

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.

27 MAR. 2007 | 9:54 PM

REPLY

CHASMYN

Fantastic! except I'm only seeing 50 u ses...am I missing the othe r 204?

*scratches head*

27 MAR. 2007 | 11:20 PM

REPLY

PAUL MICHAEL

The complete list of 254 is from the lin k in the article, as I explained. 254 posted

here would have been a very long post indeed!

28 MAY. 2009 | 10:49 AMPAT VERETTO

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 im portant. :)

28 MAR. 2007 | 10:31 AM

REPLY

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.

14 JAN. 2009 | 1:25 PMKATRINA

I don't think (infact I know) that heart burn is not caused by

"tainted acid". Heartburn is cause d by an incompetent e sophageal

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 f ix-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


6 27/09/2011


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consult your doctor as this could be a sign of a serious condition.

Dr. C

10 APR. 2010 | 10:22 PMGUEST

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 cause d by an

underproduction of stomach acid. And, still other times, it can becaused by the inability of an in dividual 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.

28 MAR. 2007 | 5:12 PM

REPLY

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 u p with acouple of bottles of HP, staying away from eyes & nose. Let set a cou ple 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...

28 MAR. 2007 | 5:17 PM

REPLY

ANDREA KARIM

Um. No. I don't think so. It's a nice idea, but actual heartburn suf ferers, or

people who are suffering from something like GERD (acid reflux) would not do

well to replenish the ir supply of stomach acid. The problem is not tainted acid,

but acid rising into the esophagus.

But other than th at, yes, vinegar does indeed rock.

14 SEP. 2007 | 12:21 AMGUEST

Don't forget that some h eartburn is caused by a *lack* of stomach

acid...not too mu ch. Apple cider vinegar is an excellent supplement

that provides potassium, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus

and iron. Antacids are not always the best remedy. Our stomach s

produce less acid over time and that causes the same symptoms astoo much acid. The acid in vinegar will hel p digest your food and

over time alleviate heartburn if yours is caused by a lack of

stomach acid.

16 MAY. 2009 | 2:25 PMFREEDOM66

I have GERD..The Doctor says swallowing vinegar alone with out

something like honey or etc is too harsh.

24 AUG. 2009 | 8:17 PMGUEST


6 27/09/2011


10/36

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 f aster by bringing the acid content down the

esophagus. Things go down easier than they go up!!!

22 JUL. 2010 | 1:24 PMAZALEA

I've been suffering from GERD for two years now, the first attack

made me call 911 thinkin g it was a heart attack! Medication was

given to me but nothing seemed to sooth the pain, until I read inthe book of "THE LEMONADE DIET" which I bought at Whole

Foods, that two teaspoons in an 8 ou nce 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 aobu t 10 to 20 minutes to go away.

Azzy

28 MAR. 2007 | 7:58 PM

REPLY

PAUL MICHAEL

As a longtime sufferer of this nasty condition, the idea of swallowing vinegar is

already bringing tears to my eyes. A nice natural remedy fo r GERD and

heartburn is Aloe Juice. You can f ind it at your local Korean marke t. It's very

effective, but it does taste a little like perfum e-water that's got large boogers in

it.

13 MAY. 2007 | 11:02 AM

REPLY

TROUBLED STUDENT

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

I'm doing a project on vinegar, can you give me m ore information on vinegar?

HELP!!

13 MAY. 2007 | 11:10 AM

REPLY

PAUL MICHAEL

do you need, oh troubled one?

13 MAY. 2007 | 5:10 PM

REPLY

ANDREA KARIM

These might be i n the full li st, 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 wate r 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 th e same recipe (but m ore 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 remove s dirt and sand, better

than simply washing in normal water.

25 JUL. 2007 | 10:09 AMMAMA BIG MOUTHQ

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


36 27/09/2011


11/36

REPLY

25 JUL. 2007 | 12:47 PM

REPLY

PAUL MICHAEL

Very nice of you indeed!

1 AUG. 2007 | 6:41 AM

REPLY

GUEST

i have psorisis on my hands do you think the vinegar would help!!!!!!!!!!

someone said it helped a foot fungus ....

8 AUG. 2007 | 6:36 AM

REPLY

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

9 AUG. 2007 | 7:19 PM

REPLY

STORY

The about frugal living page was totally revam ped when they got a new gu ide a

few month s ago. The old guide, the ever wise and gracious Pat Veretto, now ha s

her own frugal blog:

http://patverettosfrugalliving.blogspot.com/index.html

She might know where the vinegar list went.

10 AUG. 2007 | 1:41 PM

REPLY

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

14 AUG. 2007 | 12:23 AM

REPLY

VARICOSE VEINS DOC

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


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2 NOV. 2008 | 6:53 PMGUEST

who cares about evidence it works great for varicose vein

11 AUG. 2010 | 3:38 PMGUEST

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 al so 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 h urts a little. However, it's not nearly as bad as it

used to hurt.

2 JUN. 2008 | 7:37 PM

REPLY

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!

31 AUG. 2008 | 6:59 PM

REPLY

NIKKI

WHEN YOU OR YOUR KIDS HIT THEIR HEAD, PUT VINAGER ON A CLOTH

AND PRESS IT TO THE HURTED ZONE, I T WILL PREVENT THE BUMP.

4 JAN. 2009 | 1:57 AM

REPLY

GUEST

Apple Cider Vinegar (and I'm sure o ther vinegars) got rid of itching from h ead

lice and chigger bites that I so kindly acquired from a motel. It also remo ved the

nits and lice nymphs (young lice) from my head. I tried the Nix shampoo,

spraying perfume on my h ead, and using African American hair grease and

wrapping my hair in a plastic bag overnight before using the vine gar 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 taki ng 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.

7 JUN. 2009 | 10:14 AMGUEST

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 wha t it kills and you will be s urpised.i

love lysol.


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22 JAN. 2009 | 7:24 PM

REPLY

GUEST

What is the larger website?

27 FEB. 2009 | 10:46 AM

REPLY

GUEST

OK, this will sound bizarre, but it's a tried and true m ethod of dealing with

chiggers.

An effective way to kill ch iggers 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 e nd. 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 mise rable. If it's

really warm, just wear knee -highs. They work just as well, since ch iggers

generally will bite around your ankles and work their way up.

11 APR. 2009 | 10:06 AM

REPLY

GUEST

Cat making a million trips to th e litter box and squeezing ou t 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 stuf f absolutely works.

16 MAY. 2009 | 2:22 PM

REPLY

FREEDOM66

Here is a site with 1 001 tips on Vinegar uses...

http://www.vinegartips.com/

21 JUN. 2009 | 8:41 AM

REPLY

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 ju st 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

21 JUL. 2009 | 10:44 AMMAGNOLIASOUTH

Using the Internet Archive, I copied the list... since it doesn't belong to


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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 sh ine!'

# A quarter cup in a quart of water m akes a good window cleaner.

A reader adds: When you use vine gar in your water to wash win dows, dry with

newspapers. Your windows will sparkle!

# Fabric softener and static cling reducer - use as you wou ld liquid fabric

softener.

# Air freshener, used with b aking 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 cause d by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak

clothing in full strength vinegar.

# Corn and callus remover - soak a piece o f 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 itdaily 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 thetoilet bowl. Let it set overnight if you can; it will help kee p germs down.

# Spray your hands with a mist o f 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 hone y.

# Use diluted 1:1 in water to take pet odors ou t 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 vein s. 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 fo r vinegar is to use 1 tablespoon v inegar 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 s ore throat, it always

works, usually within a nigh t's sleep. I don't mind the taste, but some ch ildren

might.

# It is also he lpful 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 vine gar. As you run it through

the hair it helps remove the nits. It is supposed to be able to help break down


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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 fo od 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-fashione d 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 f ries.

# This reader says: I liked the 'spray mister' approach to air freshen ing, but as asometimes poor bachelor cook, I have blackened fish when it isn't on the menu.

Vinegar in a towel, twirled about the he ad 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 kitche n and it was a snap. First remove top layer of wallpaper. Then

spray vinegar on and let set for a minu te 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 h arse chemicals and it is che ap, 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 th e paste is

really stubborn.

# This reader writes: My grandmother swears by v inegar as an antiseptic for

abrasions,to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites,and even to help

rehydrate sunburned skin.

# She also use s it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser as mo st 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 whi te (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 alle rgic 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 kee ps flies away.

# Add 1/2 cup vinegar to a gal. of water to keep you r vinyl no wax floors cle an

and shining.

A reader adds: Not only does it keep th e floors shiny but it kills the dust mites!

great for us since we have severe allergies.

# Another reader adds: We moved into a ne w 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 dee d. Not now! My back isn't that great! I bought o ne

of those m ops with the detachable, washable h eads, and I squirt pickling vinegar

('cause it's stronger) on the flo or, mop it up and squirt more as nee ded. My floor

is impeccable, my back is just fine thanks, and there's no need to bu y 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.


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# One teaspoon to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hi ccups.

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 fu ll strength and

allow to set. Time depends on condition.

# Sunburn Remedy:

1. At bedtime, cover sunburns with a towe l 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 f or 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 h is 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 su nburn - 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 o ut the fluid.6. I met a girl who was told by he r 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 vi negar. I had my friend spray my

back occassionally while spraying the front mo re 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 mu scles 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 fixtu res that have deposits

of lime. This will release or remove the deposit.

# Use a cup of vinegar in two gallons o f 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 lau ndry 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 amo nnia 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 f or pet stains to help remo ve

the odors.

# Keep a solution o f 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to u se 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 white n it), even after rinsing it still sm ells

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 th e bleach smell.


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Note: A reader cautioned against using vinegar with bleach becaus e 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 doe s 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 feversthat 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 whe n 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 ch anging 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 kee p the flies away. I pour 1/4

cup of cider vinegar on their grain once a day and it really kee ps the flies away

from them! They seem to like it too.

# I use cloth diapers and my baby kept breaking ou t in a rash. From anothe r 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 w hite or cider vinegar to clean out th e chicken's and

cat's water containers. I pour a small amoun t in the container, take a rag and

wash the gunky parts and rinse. I rinse an e xtra 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 sm all, especially when the car got warm. So, we

placed a bowl of vinegar in a bowl on the floor of th e car, closed it up for the

night. In the morning, no m ore 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 nightbefore. The neighbor poured vinegar on h im, 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 ou t a humidifier, the n 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 m olds. Then

she'd rinse it, run it again with just clea r water, rinse that, and declare it fit for

service again. She was also adamant about n ot just pouring more water i n to


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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 wea r 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 mo st of it INTO my garden, I know what m y

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 th e endorphins kick in, but I don't have to s top

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 rea der: We have a distiller for o ur water. Every Saturday, I put a

gallon of vinegar in the distiller and turn i t on. When it boils, it's done. Then I let

the vinegar cool down and use it for cleaning the coffe e and tea pots. A gallon

usually lasts a good month before losing it's efficiency.

# . Remove water stains f rom leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar

and water solution.

# Drink a couple of spoonfu ls a day to keep mosquito es away - your perspiration

will be unpleasant. (Only to mosqu itoes! --Pat)

# 1 tsp cider vinegar with one tsp honey take n three time s 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 you rself 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 kitche n 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 clea n 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 m inute

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 see ms 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 infe ction.

# Vinegar is an excellent grease cutter. In college cafeterias we boil out our fry

vats every week with v inegar and water. Very cost effective and very safe-noharsh 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.

ust dab on and let it set for a f ew minutes then wipe clean), and cabinets in

kitchen.

# Rinse water for face- pour 1/8 cup in rinse wate r, 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 you r skin, so it's good for skin


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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 w hite 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 fo r 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 s olution. This vinegar andwater 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 f eet.

Another reader writes: My daughter had toe nail f ungus, causing the nail to grow

up instead of out, like it s hould. I started putting a few drops of white vine gar

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 othe r areas of the body as a natu ral

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 fou nd that

if you 'pour' vinegar across the opening sill, it stops thei r coming in. For some

reason, they will not cross it.

# Add approximately 5 tsp. of apple cider vinegar to your horse's oats m orning

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 he althy. If your chickens don't have access to wild,

natural food, give it to them year 'round.

# When waxin g a floor after scrubbing with a floo r 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 chron ic skin infections.

After his weakly bath, I rinse h im with a solu tion 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 for4-5 hours and been relieved of it completely. Pickle juice can be used if y ou are

out of vinegar. My daughters u sed 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 me dications, 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 yo u that the vin egar, along with rest, has put me

on the road to recovery in o nly 4 days after battling this illness for 4 mon ths!

# 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


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done. Heard this years ago from a master artist in plaster figurines for churche s.

# This is what I call m y 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 kitche nand bathroom sinks and showe r drain. It works like a wonder and no toxics.

# A little vinegar on the ton gue of a sassy toddler or preschooler work s 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 m aking 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 u s 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 ho ur. And you won't be groggy in the morning like ove r-the-counter

sleep aids.

# -White vinegar can also be u sed to clean raw wood, such as a wooden cut ting

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 th e 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 wo od 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 becom es

weak (how long depends on wh at kind of glue and how m uch 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 e xcess 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 su rfaces with a vinegar solutio n (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 amo unt produced) beans by adding Apple Cider

Vinegar (1/8-1/4 c) to soaking water. Soak overnite, the n rinse tho roughly. Add a

little to the water when you cook them also. Works for split peas and garbanzosalso.

# 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 the y 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 sm all

shallow plastic container. Fill the rest of the way with water. The flies are

attracted to the vinegar, but the soap kills the m


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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 pinhole s in the plastic wrap, and the fruit flies

will fry in, but can't fly out, so they drown in th e vinegar! Place the bowl

whereever you are seeing the fruit flies (like near the garbage, or the bananas).

# Vinegar makes excellent f abric/leather glue: 1 sachet clear gellatin, 3

tablespoons of white v inegar, 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 smallplastic or glass jar. Warm it up next time bef ore 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 s tarted 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 kee p 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 m e about vinegar tea. One tablespoon o f 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 th ey dissolve. Dilute with

water, and drink your (very easy to assimilate) calcium supplement. Oyster

shells can also be dissolve d in vinegar until dissolved, then drunk, for a calcium

supplement. (Pearls may be dissolved also, but thi s is not very frugal ;-))

# When takin g 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,


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as it does with calcium deposits around the sink. (I never thought of my teeth as

calcium deposits, but, hmmm, I gue ss they are...like my bones...)

# I use vinegar to get rid of the hard water deposits around my sink a nd it's so

simple. Soak a paper towel(s) with vine gar and place them around the area th at

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 h is face is just so smooth and softlooking. 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 wate r

& 1 or 2 drops of dish soap in a small m icrowave safe bowl. Put it in th e

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 w ith a soft cloth. To clean brassware to

like-new condition without scrubbing, soak in 1:10 parts of wh ite vinegar:water.

To clean brass lamps, unscrew sections, soak in buck et. 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 Am erican 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 su pply little packets of it as a necessity if it catche s 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 affe cted 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 mo re confident about working with , cooking and serving

the food.

# Keep cut flowers fresh longer (or eve n 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 stain s. With young


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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 cu t. 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 i nfection 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 suggestedthe 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 f ull 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 fe et in before a pedicure. It softe ns 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 sh ampooing. 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 h ave

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 ne wspaper in 1953 and has used it to

clean walls ever since.

1. 1 GALLON OF W ATER

2. 1 CUP BOTTLED AMMONIA

3. 1/2 CUP BOTTLED VINEGAR

4. 1/4 CUP BAKING SODA.

Put the ammo nia, vinegar and baking soda into the bucket of wate r. 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 th e solution.)

# To remove food residue, mineral deposits, soap scum and chemical residues


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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 w ith bandage tape). Within afew minute s the pain stops. It would work on be e 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 wh ite 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 e vening. Don't leave it in there to o long or you

will not have a pan. The vinegar actually dissolves th e 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 fren zy 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 furnitu re. 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. W ith 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 he r cage and add one tablespoon of white vineger to h er

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 Tenne ssee) 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 throu gh tall grass, woods, etc...) Dosen't seem towork 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 t o 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 sym ptoms 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 ti me

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 vine gar will get rid of it.


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# 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 minu tes, 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 che ese. 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. Che ese 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 alm ost everything. Two uses tha t I

have tried and had great success with.

For a stiff neck , take a h alf vinegar half warm wate r solution and soak a rag in

it, then wring the rag out and wrap it around your ne ck. Put a layer of plastic

wrap (to keep your sheets dry) and finish up with a towel (be careful not tostrangle 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 fo r 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 dentu res 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 wh ite vinegar into a super-soaker water gun a nd train my

puppy great dane. You can reach him from anywh ere 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 h ave washed some thing I

have not experienced any "running" of the colors.

# I was so disappointed when I got a big lum p 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 h ad 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 o n 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

t

254 Uses for Vinegar

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