Is There Anything Vinegar Can't Do?

Vinegar! The more I use it the more I find more uses for it. Not only is it great in my recipes but it is a great garden, beauty, pet and cleaning product. I have found what you can't clean with Borax you can clean with vinegar. In my opinion borax, vinegar and baking soda are the holy trinity of natural cleaners. Effective cleaners that are inexpensive, don't cause bacterial resistance and do not contain chemicals. According to studies vinegar kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of viruses. Wow!

What you need:

• Keep on hand a large container of apple cider and plain white vinegar.
• A spray bottle filled with white vinegar.
• An old rag, sock, wash cloth.

Just Some of the Thousands of Uses of Vinegar:

• Cleaning eye glasses
• Natural mold and mildew remover and growth inhibitor
• Homemade Fruit and Vegetable Wash
• Fabric softener - put 1/2 cup in the rinse cycle
• Stainless steel cleaner - spray on and wipe with newspaper.
• Prolong the life of flowers - add two tablespoons of vinegar plus three tablespoons of sugar per 4 cups of warm water in a vase.
• Remove skunk odor from a dog by rubbing fur with full strength vinegar; rinse. Wish I had this tip years ago when my dog was sprayed.
• Relieve itching by using a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites. 
• Fight dandruff, by rinsing with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water, after shampooing.
• Clean and freshen up the washing machine. Twice a year I pour 1 cup of vinegar into the washing machine and run the machine on warm through a normal cycle, without clothes.
• Remove perspiration stains from clothes by applying one part vinegar to four parts water, then rinse.
• A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee and tea stains from chinaware.
• Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate overnight, then cook without draining or rinsing the meat. Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired.
• Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by spraying with vinegar. Try spraying it on the cutting board and don't clean it off just leave overnight to dry.
• Make buttermilk. I have used this tip for years. I never buy buttermilk anymore because it always went bad before I could use it. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
• Prepare fluffier rice by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when it boils.
• Soothe a sore throat. Pour a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.
• Natural Air Freshener: Pour 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/4 cup of water into a small bowl. Add about a tablespoon of nice-smelling spices such as cinnamon or whole cloves. Keep this bowl near a heat source (such as a sunny window) and wait. The vinegar will evaporates and your home will be filled with the scent of the spices.

Cost Savings: $60
With vinegar at about $6 for 4 litres it saves a ton of money when you figure the myriad of other products it can replace.

For other great sites with Vinegar tips:

http://www.vinegartips.com/
http://www.canadianliving.com/life/green_living/44_things_to_do_with_vinegar.php

Anyone else have a great vinegar tip? Please post I would love to hear it.