Over a year ago I wrote a post about 10 surprising uses for vinegar. I got a handful of comments — nothing spectacular… but over the past year, I have gotten a crazy number of emails and Facebook comments from people listing more and more ways to use vinegar in and around the house.
Then, my parents got me this book for Christmas… and I knew I had to write another blog post with all these additional {and really amazing} uses for vinegar.
I’ve been going crazy with vinegar lately {I had to try out all these great ideas!}, so I’ve been buying 2 or 3 of the huge 128 oz. containers at a time — which really isn’t that big of a deal since I can get them on sale for around $2.00!
I’ve saved SO much money by using vinegar instead of more expensive store-bought items… and I feel like I’m also improving our home environment by not “polluting” it with so many harsh chemicals!
It took me a while to put this entire list together… but here it is: 101 MORE uses for vinegar!
CLEANING:
in the kitchen…
1. Naturally disinfect all surfaces {mix 1 part vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle}
2. Scrub stuck on stains {make a paste with vinegar and baking soda and scrub with a sponge}
3. Clean your dishwasher {pour 1 cup into the bottom of the dishwasher and run it with no dishes inside}
4. In place of “Jet Dry” {fill the Jet Dry cup on your dishwasher with vinegar instead}
5. Clean out your coffee maker {pour 2 c. white vinegar and 1 c. water into the coffee maker and run a full brew cycle. Remove and replace the filter and run 2 cycles of just water}
6. Disinfect cutting boards
7. Clean and disinfect pots, pans, utensils, plates, cups, etc.
8. Clean your hands with vinegar to remove strong onion and garlic odors
9. Keep sponges and kitchen rags fresh by soaking in vinegar overnight. {rinse them before using again}
10. Clean “un-washable appliances” {spray white vinegar on electric griddles, George Foreman grills, etc. and then just wipe with a damp cloth or paper towel.}
12. Natural de-greaser {clean with vinegar and then rinse with cold water}
13. Microwave: {pour 1/4 c. vinegar and 1 c water in a glass bowl; microwave on high for 5 minutes; wipe clean}
14. Disinfect ice trays and remove build-up {soak ice trays in vinegar overnight and then rinse with cold water}
15. Mix vinegar with citrus juice to freshen your garbage disposal {citrus peals work great too}
16. Naturally clean your fruits and veggies by soaking them in 1 part vinegar and 1 part water
17. Clean a non-self-cleaning oven by spraying the inside with vinegar and then sprinkling with baking soda. Let sit for 5-10 minute and then scrub with a sponge
19. Remove hard water spots from stainless steel by wiping with a cloth dipped in vinegar
20. Clean the insides of water bottles and coffee thermoses by “swishing” with vinegar — this will naturally kill any bacteria lingering at the bottom where you might no be able to reach
in the bathroom…
21. Clean counters and all surfaces with 1 part vinegar and 1 part water
22. Toilets {pour white vinegar directly in the toilet, let it sit for a few minutes, and then scrub with toilet brush}
23. Mirrors {my recipe for glass cleaner}
24. Showers and bathtubs {my recipe for shower cleaner}
25. Stinky towels {wash towels with 1/2 c. of white vinegar in the rinse cycle}
26. Mold and mildew {mix 3 T. white vinegar, 1 t. Borax, and 2 c. hot water. Shake, spray, and let it soak for a few minutes, then rub the area with a soft brush or cloth}
27. Remove hard water stains from your shower nozzle by pouring 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a plastic bag. Use a rubber band to attach the bag to the nozzle and let soak for 10-15 minutes.
28. Remove limescale buildup on your shower door or in your tub by heating a small container of vinegar to the boiling point. Pour vinegar over the problem areas and it should loosen the lime.
29. Wash your shower curtain by putting in the washing machine with a few old towels. Use 1/2 c. laundry detergent and 1/2 c. baking soda for the wash cycle, and then 1 c. vinegar for the rinse cycle.
30. Clean the grimy soap build up from your soap dish by soaking it in 1 part vinegar and 1 part warm water
general home cleaning…
31. Wood floors {mix 1 c. vinegar with 1 gal. warm water; clean floors with this mixture and then dry with a clean cloth}
32. Use it in a steam mop to clean most surfaces
33. Leather sofas/chairs {spray white vinegar over surface and “buff” with a soft clean cloth}
34. Walls {wipe down pretty much any wall surface with a cloth dampened with white vinegar}
35. Disinfect kid’s toys, books, etc. using 1 part vinegar and 1 part water.
36. Remove dirt and stains from your mattress by blotting with a clean cloth dipped in vinegar. If the spot is still damp, simply sprinkle a little baking soda over the area and vacuum it up.
37. Clean the filters in your dehumidifier / humidifier by soaking them in vinegar for 1 hour
38. Clean mini blinds by soaking them in a bathtub filled with warm water and a few cups of vinegar
39. Spot clean carpets by spraying a little vinegar on the spot and blotting it with a damp cloth
40. Wipe down the inside of all your refrigerator shelves and drawers for a food-safe alternative to traditional cleaners.
41. Wipe down electronics {computer keys, mouse, phone keypad, etc} by wiping with a rag dipped in vinegar.
42. Clean residue and build-up on the inside of your washing machine by dumping in 2 c. of vinegar and running it on the quick cycle.
43. Remove water rings from wood furniture by mixing 1 part white vinegar and 1 part olive oil. Dip a soft cloth in the mixture and rub on the affected area {going with the grain}. Then wipe with a clean, dry cloth.
LAUNDRY:
simply add about 1/2 c. to your rinse cycle to…
44. Remove built-up soap residue
45. Reduce static cling
46. Naturally soften your clothes, towels, blankets, etc.
47. Stop colors from running
48. Whiten whites
49. Reduce irritation for those with sensitive skin
50. Prolong the life of your tights and nylons
51. Remove lingering odors {cigarette smell, smoke, gas}
52. Eliminate that “moldy” smell from damp towels and work-out clothes
you can also soak/scrub items in white vinegar to…
53. Remove yellow stains from sweat
54. Remove blood stains {let soak for 10 minutes}
55. Remove ink stains {mix 2 parts vinegar and 3 parts cornstarch, rub on stain, let dry, wash}
when ironing, use vinegar to help with…
56. Removing wrinkles {mist clothing with 1 part white vinegar and 3 parts water}
57. Cleaning the inside of your iron {fill the water reservoir with white vinegar}
58. Cleaning the metal plate of your iron {mix 1 part vinegar and 1 part salt and scrub the plate with this paste}
59. Eliminating scorch marks {rub the scorched area with a cloth dipped in white vinegar and then blot with a clean towel}
HEALTH & BEAUTY:
60. Hair rinse {in place of conditioner}. Just pour 1/2 c. or so over your hair and rinse well
61. Clean your children’s retainers or Invisalign braces by soaking them in vinegar for a few minutes
62. Strengthen your nails by regularly dipping them in vinegar
63. Prevent infections by spraying small cuts with vinegar
64. Dry up a cold sore by dabbing it with a cotton ball soaked in vinegar
65. Drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to help relieve constipation and/or heartburn
66. Kill lice by spraying warm apple cider vinegar onto the scalp just before the final rinse. This will break down the “glue” the nits/lice use to attach to the hair
67. Soften your cuticles by soaking in a bowl of white vinegar for 5 minutes
68. Get rid of blemishes by mixing 1 part vinegar with 10 parts water and dabbing the solution on your freshly-washed face with a clean cotton ball
69. Soothe sunburned skin by soaking a towel in vinegar and then laying over the burned areas
70. Naturally whiten your teeth by dipping a toothbrush in white vinegar and brushing your teeth {only do this once a week and rinse thoroughly with water after you are finished}
71. Put cider vinegar on the pad of a bandage and cover your warts. Replace with a fresh bandage every night and the warts should be gone within a week
72. Mix a few tablespoons of vinegar in your babies bath water to help with diaper rash
73. Remove the hairspray residue from your flat iron or curling iron by wiping with a rag dipped in vinegar
74. Clean brushes and combs by letting them sit in a 1 gallon of water mixed with 1 c. of vinegar
HOME & GARDEN:
75. Clean your windshield wipers with vinegar to keep them functioning properly
76. Loosen rust — like rusted-on screws or rusty patio furniture by soaking the areas in vinegar
77. Keep flying bugs away from your outdoor parties by putting cider vinegar in a shallow dish away from your food. By the end of the night, your dish will be full of “floating bugs”!
78. Make a fly trap for your kitchen by filling a mason jar half full of cider vinegar. Then punch holes in the lid and put the lid back on. The flies will crawl through, but won’t be able to get out again.
79. Mosquito spray — just pour vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz on your skin. The vinegar smell will go away after a few minutes, but you should be bug-free all night!
80. Clean the grill by scrubbing the grates with vinegar and scrubbing with a grill brush
81. Spray it on your weeds as a natural weed killer
82. Clean all your patio furniture with 1 part vinegar and 1 part water in a spray bottle
83. Clean your lawn mower blades {spray vinegar on the blades and scrub off}
84. Keep cats out of your children’s sand box by pouring vinegar around the outside of the box
85. Put a few drops of vinegar in your dog’s water bowl to neutralize his/her urine and prevent those ugly brown/yellow patches in your grass
86. Keep flies away from your pool by pouring vinegar around the outside edges of the pool
87. Spray ripening melons and pumpkins with vinegar to prevent mold from growing on the skin
88. Quickly clean bird droppings by spraying the area with vinegar and then wiping with a cloth/sponge. This will also disinfect the area.
89. Keep uninvited guests out of your veggie garden by soaking several rags in vinegar and then placing them around your garden. Repeat the process every 7-10 days.
90. Before you start painting, wipe down the surfaces with a cloth dipped in vinegar and let dry. This will assure that all the dirt and grease is removed and the paint will adhere properly.
91. Remove the “skunk smell” from dogs {or anything else} by washing with 1 part vinegar and 1 part water and then rinsing thoroughly with warm water.
MISC:
yes, there are even a few MORE uses for vinegar!
92. Make your favorite vinaigrette or salad dressing
93. Tenderize tough cuts of meat mixing a little vinegar in with your other marinating ingredients.
94. Use it to “pickle” almost anything!
95. Freshen smelly shoes by spraying the insides with vinegar, placing them in a paper bag, and then putting the bag in the freezer overnight.
96. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the water when boiling an egg to prevent the yolks from turning brown
97. Add 2 tablespoons to the water when poaching an egg to stop it from “spreading” out
98. Naturally sanitize baby bottles/nipples by washing with vinegar and warm water and then storing in the freezer
99. Remove sticky residue from labels, stickers, gum, etc. by rubbing the area with a rag dipped in vinegar
100. Use vinegar and baking soda as rising agents in vegan cake {I’ve never tried this, but I’m told it works}
101. Polish sliver by mixing 1/2 c. white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda together. Then letting your silver soak for 2-3 hours, rinse with cool water, and dry immediately.
Who knew you could do SOOOO many things with vinegar!!
Grace Sullivan says
This is all terrific information!
is there hard copies available.
Milagros says
When my daughter got chicken pox, she had to stay away from her learning center, She also had assignments to keep her updated. In one of the novels that she was assigned, the son of the family had measles. The mother prepared a concoction of salt and vinegar to apply to his skin. It dried all the itching and sores. My daughter asked me to do the same thing to her because the calamine was not effective. At the beginning, I refused; but, she insisted so much, that I decided to do it so that she will stop pestering me. She asked me the concoction in her body but not on her face. The following morning all the sores in the body were dried and she did not have any itching! Immediately, she asked me to put it on her face. Within ten hours her face was free of any itching or sores. Because there was an epidemy, I recommended it to several mothers and it worked as well.
Andrea says
This is so helpful — thanks for sharing. Hopefully it will help another family who is suffering from itchiness!
Nancy Kennedy says
I used vinegar to clean our a REALLY cruddy fountain – great job! Can I use it in the water without harming bird?
Andrea says
Hmmm… I’m not 100% sure on this, but considering the fact that vinegar won’t harm people, I’d think it should be OK for birds too.
That said, I know it’s NOT ok for grass — it will kill the grass, so it might be worth a bit more research 🙂
Colleen says
It’s not environmentally safe and costs a lot of money to use wipes and paper towels. The wipes aren’t all cotton and has plastic within them. A good old cloth and even sponges do the same thing as those do anyway. Sponges are great for cleaning windows and mirrors.
acv vinegar says
Apple cider vinegar, better known as cider vinegar or apple cider vinegar, is made from the fermentation of sugars, either apple juice or cider. In addition to its culinary utilities, it has other properties that will serve you to look better. First, it can be used to improve the condition of your skin, but since it has a high acid content, it must be diluted with water. Thisis very important because if applied pure it could damage it. The ratio to be used is three parts of water for each part of vinegar, i.e. one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (10 ml) for every three tablespoons of water (30 ml in total). Then, you should soup it in a clean cotton or gauze and apply it to the face. Another key recommendation is to perform this treatment overnight before bedtime, wash your face thoroughly the next day with plenty of warm water and then apply cream to your face. Washing well the worked area as soon as we get out of bed is paramount as it could be harmful to the skin exposed to the sun.
Madonna Vance says
I also use vinegar as a safe alternative to fabric softener in my pets laundry….It takes the static out of their blankets as well as gives the laundry detergent a cleaning boost.
josh says
what cool ways to use vinegar!!!!
judy says
look-up essential oils – Miracle essential oils is what I use
Holly says
Tried everything, even prescription stuff to get rid of that “derma” odor my dog gets between baths so today when he got his bath I poured a cup.of white vinager thru his fur to see if it would help. I’ll have to get back to you to let you know if it worked tho.
Jamie says
Is it safe to use mixture from the baking soda, vinegar & alcohol for gold & gold-plated jewelry?
Andrea says
sorry Jamie, I have no idea. You’d probably want to ask a jeweler.
Ron Westcott says
I use apple cider vinegar and green tea 50/50 and apply to any skin problem or infection, acne and pimples, even a fatty cyst disappeared after this was repeated for several weeks, twice a week. even kills skin cancer BCC as I had one on my nose and it went away after several weeks. I have been to skin specialist and he said I didn’t need any spots frozen off and concidering I am 56 years and have fair skin is such a relief, as before I would go every year and get things frozen off as normal routein. I have also had many fatty cyst treated with anti-biotics but this time I put some ACV&tea on it and it soon srunk in size and wasn’t hot and infected,after a few weeks it was gone.I have a friend who suffered with acne so I gave her some ACV& tea and told her to apply it twice a week and in two weeks she looked so much better !
Thanks Ron.
Marion says
You forgot the medicinal uses of Vinegar. Vinegar is better than any prescription medicine for the treatment of psoriasis. It is also the best antiseptic I have ever used and I also use it for anti itch.
Millie says
Will vinegar harm any of your pool equipment if used to clean the hard water stains off your tile?
Jilian Monro says
I use white vinegar in the bathroom cleaning almost every day but I had no idea that I can use it even for the garden! I have a little veggie garden at the backyard. Thanks for the advices! I will try your hints!
Latoya Roman says
I use vinegar for cleaning at home, but I really had no idea that there are so many different purposes it can be used for. Thank you for the cleaning solutions recipes, I have new ideas to try. And thank you for the beauty and health section, there are so many things I learned about vinegar’s useful properties. Greets!
Leone's Building Service says
I don’t think I saw this on on the list, so I’ll share here! For those of you who experience cold and snow: Wipe or spray a solution of three parts white vinegar and one part water to the outside of your windows to keep them from frosting up. This doesn’t last forever, but it should for a few weeks.
Andrea says
Thanks Leone. That’s a great tip!
Tasha says
Laundry Rinse Cycle – This is actually the one that I use the most often. I stopped using a commercial liquid fabric softener and have been using vinegar in its place. It gets rid of odors, softens fabrics, and helps to get rid of static.
web site says
Vinegar rocks! I love it on everything (ok, well, almost everything) – but I never thought to clean with it though! Thank you for opened my eyes!
website says
The mixture of vinegar and water makes the best windows cleaner. I should tell you that my windows and mirrors have never been so shiny!
Nancy says
I recently saw an article about using distilled white vinegar on your vegetable plants to keep away bugs. Yesterday I did it, and today everything in my garden is pretty much dead. I am one unhappy person.
kim says
vinegar KILLS weeds and does not discriminate between good plants or bad plants… ONLY spray on the weed and it will kill it to the root.
kim says
Vinegar as an Insect Garden Spray | Garden Guides
http://www.gardenguides.com/99364-vinegar-insect-garden-spray.html
Landscape Design · Dry Gardens · Edible Gardens · Flower Gardens · Garden Styles · Wet Gardens … Not being able to use pesticides on a garden, however, can present a challenge to organic … A vinegar spray can ward off several different species of insect. … Avoid spraying vinegar directly on your vegetables or flowers.
Sandra says
Hi Andrea,
I used vinegar to clean my bathroom floors and I LOVE the fresh smell!
Sandra
Micki says
Thank you so much for all these white vinegar uses. I live where we have Apartment Inspections (2 days from now). I read this just in time for clean mirrors, floors, carpet, throw rugs, laundry, wood, venetian blinds, walls & leather furniture. I’m sure I will find several more ideas too.
I can’t wait to share this information with 100 other residents!!
Micki T