White, distilled, and apple cider vinegar are all you need to effectively clean your home and more! Vinegar is known as an effective household cleanser that can be used to remove mold, bacteria, and germs due to its high level of acidity. Using vinegar is a great way to avoid the use of harmful chemicals, to be more friendly to the environment, and is entirely more economical than store-bought cleaning products.
Here are some great tips on how to use vinegar. Try out some of these solutions and vinegar will never just be a salad dressing again!
Mix ⅓ cup of baking soda with ⅓ cup of vinegar in a measuring cup. Pour it down the drain immediately, as the mixture will start to fizz. Plug the drain and let the mixture sit in the drain for about 45 minutes to an hour.
The fizzing should help get rid of the grime clogging the drain. Now, unplug the drain and pour a pot of boiling water to flush out the mixture and any debris. Keep pouring more hot water until the drain is clear.
9. Disinfect the kitchen sponge
15. Soften blankets and denim
While vinegar is known as a wonderful fabric softener by itself, it is especially effective at softening stiff jeans and making your blankets extra soft. Begin by adding between half and an entire cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle, and launder as usual from there. For machine-washable blankets, such as cotton or wool, add 2 cups of vinegar to the rinse cycle instead.
16. Launder baby clothes
Hypoallergenic and gentle, white vinegar is able to clean baby clothes without damaging the flame-retardant fabric. All you need to do is add a single cup to the wash cycle. You may also want to pre-soak any stained items in a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar, as well as a teaspoon of baking soda.
17. Zap static cling
Either add a quarter to half a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle or pour a quarter of a cup into the fabric softener dispenser. This will prevent static from forming.
18. Handwash delicates
For maximum results, wash your delicates as usual with a gentle cleanser. However, add around a tablespoon or two of vinegar to the rinse water to get rid of any soap deposits and odors that may have built up.
23. Effective fruit fly trap
What you need:
- A jar
- Apple cider vinegar
- A small piece of paper
- Liquid dish detergent
What to do:
1. Mix ⅔ cup apple cider vinegar and about a tablespoon of dish detergent in a jar.
2. Create a cone out of the piece of paper and put it in the jar, as shown in the picture.
24. DIY Air Freshener
Vinegar works best at getting rid of alkaline odors, such as fishy smells, pet smells, sweat, etc. It’s also a mild antimicrobial agent, so it will remove musty smells. Don’t worry about the vinegar smell - it will dissipate after 10-15 minutes.
Get a misting spray bottle, vinegar, and water. Fill the bottle with 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water, and mist it around the room. To add a pleasant smell to your room, you can also add a few drops of essential oils, such as lemon, peppermint, and lavender.
25. Wash walls29. Remove bumper stickers
If you want to get rid of those glue stains or an entire sticker you no longer like, pick up a bottle of vinegar. Without diluting, saturate the sticker with vinegar and wait 10-15 minutes. During this time, the vinegar will eat through the sticker.
All you’ll have to do is use an old gift card or an expired credit card to scrape off the sticker. Repeat as needed until no glue residue remains on the surface of the car.
30. Make a rinse to improve your dog’s skin and coat
After washing your dog as usual, brush some apple cider vinegar through the pet’s coat. This will improve the shine of your dog’s coat and will also act as a deodorant. Don’t use apple cider vinegar if your pet’s skin is damaged, dry, or irritated.
31. Clean your dog’s ears
The antibacterial properties of apple cider vinegar make it a suitable option to clean out your dog’s ears. This will help prevent infection and ward off parasites. Soak a small cotton ball or a clean cloth in a 1:1 vinegar and water mix, and gently wipe your dog’s ears.
32. Spray your dog’s coat to repel fleas
If your dog spends a lot of time outdoors, apple cider vinegar can help keep fleas away. Simply mix two cups of water and two cups of apple cider vinegar in a clean spray bottle. Spray your dog’s fur once a week.
33. Add apple cider vinegar to bathwater to fight fleas
If your dog already has fleas, you can drown them using a mixture of soapy water and apple cider vinegar. Make a mixture of ½ gallon of water, ¼ cup of dish soap, and ½ gallon of apple cider vinegar. Bathe your dog in the solution.
Cover the fur and use your fingers to work the solution into the skin. You will want to work up a rich lather to kill the fleas. Let the solution sit for around 10 minutes before washing off. Avoid getting it into your dog’s eyes.
34. Improve your dog’s health with apple cider vinegar
Feeding your dog apple cider vinegar will keep its skin and fur healthy. It will also keep fleas away. Simply add a teaspoon to your dog’s water bowl twice a week. If your canine friend doesn’t like the vinegar smell, don't force it. You can create a special apple cider vinegar treat by mixing it with a teaspoon of peanut butter.
35. Treat your dog’s digestive problems
If your dog has constipation or diarrhea, try giving apple cider vinegar once a day. Simply add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the water bowl daily. If your dog is over 50 pounds, increase the dose to 2 teaspoons daily.
36. Soothe itchy skin
Apple cider vinegar offers relief from a rash because it is antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. It also contains acetic acid which has been used for the disinfection of wounds for more than 6,000 years. It also soothes itchy scalps and eczema.
For maximum results, apply apple cider vinegar to the affected area with a cotton ball. Alternatively, add 2-3 cups of vinegar to bathwater and take a bath for 15-20 minutes. Please note, however, that this is not advisable for people with cracked and bleeding skin.
37. Homemade cough remedy
What you need:
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 tablespoons of water
- ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
What to do:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.
2. Take 1 teaspoon for a child aged 2-9 years, and 1 tablespoon for ages 10 and up.
38. Give your haircare a boost
What you need:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Baking soda
- Water
- Squeeze bottle
What to do:
For a hair wash:
1. Mix 4-5 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 cup of water and pour into a squeeze bottle.
2. Wet your hair, then pour the mixture on it. Make sure to get it on all of your hair.
3. Let it sit for about a minute, then rinse thoroughly.
For conditioning:
1. Make a mixture of 1:4 ACV and water.
2. Squeeze any excess water from your hair.
3. Cover your hair with the mixture and rub it in as you would with regular conditioner.
4. Thoroughly rinse your hair.
39. Soothe a sunburn
Apply it directly to the burn, or dilute it with a bit of water if it stings too much. Use a towel or washcloth and keep it on the affected area for 20-30 minutes.
40. Get rid of warts
What you need:
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cotton wool
- Medical tape
What you do:
1. Clean the area.
2. Fully soak the cotton wool with apple cider vinegar.
3. Place the soaked wool on the wart and cover it with medical tape.
4. Repeat daily until the wart dries out and falls off (should take up to a week).
