Elizabeth Flaherty
Vinegar is a natural cleaning solution that yields numerous benefits in and around your home
Get Rid of Salt Residue on Shoes
You can clean off the residue quickly with a simple solution you can make at home. Fill a spray bottle with water and add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar. Shake it up and spritz the mixture onto a clean paper towel. Gently wipe your shoes and watch the salt residue disappear. Keep the spray bottle near your shoe collection so you can clean off your shoes as the season goes.
Homemade All-Purpose Cleaner
Try using this homemade all-purpose cleaning solution on countertops and surfaces to disinfect and freshen your home. The recipe includes vinegar, which removes stains and odors, plus anti-microbial essential oils to keep your home germ free.
The Best DIY Gnat Trap to Try
Tired of the annoying gnats around your home? Gather a few small jars, pour in four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and whirl in a few drops of liquid dish soap. With the lids off, place the jars wherever you see the most gnats. The gnats will be drawn to the smell of the apple cider, but once they land in the mixture the soap makes it difficult for them to escape.
These non-toxic traps work like a dream. I set them out one night and the next morning, all the gnats were in the jars! — Gina Kinnan
Thin Wood Glue
I recently wrote to the Borden Company, asking what to do when their Elmer’s wood glue becomes too thick to use. They suggested mixing in a drop or two of vinegar. It sounded like an old wives’ tale, but I tried it and found it really works.
Simple Cleaner Soft Scrub
Industrial soft scrub cleaners can contain strong chemical ingredients, but you can get your tub and shower just as clean with a homemade cleaner. This simple soft scrub recipe will clean a bathroom faster and better. It uses a mixture of baking soda and vinegar, which dissolves hard mineral deposits and easily cuts through soap scum.
Vinaigrette Scratch Remover
Minor scratches in wood furniture don’t need to be sanded out; you can hide them. Mix one part vinegar with three parts canola or olive oil and wipe it on the scratch using a soft cloth. The scratch virtually disappears, and you can dress your salad with the leftovers.
Brilliant DIY Indoor Fly Trap
Wondering how to get rid of annoying flies around your home? Wash a plastic beverage bottle and cut off the top. Stick the cutoff top upside down in the bottle’s bottom. Mark a line slightly below the bottle’s spout. This will serve as a “fill to” line. Fill with apple chunks, the riper the better, and two cups of white vinegar to deter bees from the trap. Place the cutoff top upside down in the bottle. Flies can easily get into the wide opening, but it’s difficult for them to get back out.
Note: The better the bait, the more effective these fly traps will be. Any type of decomposing fruit or vegetable will work, too. Try different ingredients to see what’s most effective in your house. Because you’re using rotting food to attract the flies, make sure to place the homemade fly trap where the smell won’t bother you or the neighbors.
Lemon and Vinegar Cleaner
Skip the expensive store-bought surface cleaners and make an all-purpose homemade cleaning solution using vinegar. Just mix one part distilled white vinegar, two parts water and a squeeze of lemon juice. This homemade cleaner works in the kitchen, bathroom and on floors. You can add a little baking soda to help whiten grout and sinks, just rinse with water after scrubbing.
An Old School Remedy
A little research will show you that cleaning wood floors with white vinegar and water is highly contested, but it’s definitely worth a try if you’re looking to avoid harmful chemicals.
Depending on the strength of acetic acid (the chemical component in vinegar that breaks down oils and sugars) you’re looking to apply to your floors, go for anywhere from a half cup to a full cup of vinegar per gallon of water. Another plus? If you’re into natural remedies, you likely already have a variety of vinegars in your cabinet or refrigerator (but probably avoid the red wine variety).
Clean Grease
Vinegar (acetic acid) cuts grease and doesn’t streak, which makes it ideal for cleaning glass. We recommend a solution of 50 percent white vinegar and 50 percent tap water. In most cases, vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner, but there are some things that you shouldn’t clean with it.
Add Vinegar to Your Dishwasher
Use vinegar in your dishwasher to give your glassware an extra sparkle and
prevent filmy residue from hard water.
To give this trick a whirl, make sure your dishwasher is full — the best and most environmentally conscious way to go — then grab a small bowl that’s dishwasher safe. Pour it half full of white vinegar (yes, we’re optimists) and stabilize it in the top rack. To avoid damage to the dishwasher’s gaskets, don’t pour the vinegar directly into the rinse aid compartment. Then add dishwasher soap and run a regular cycle.
From its top-tier position, the vinegar should evenly distribute among both levels. Then remove and enjoy your gleaming glassware.
