vinegar! a wonder product for cleaning, personal, and other uses

vinegar is wicked cheap and has SO many uses outside of food. i've been compiling a list of its various uses from a lot of sources, namely my favorite cookbook, "how it all vegan."

if you want to be REALLY diy, you can make your own vinegar. full explanation here: www.vinegarman.com/VinegarMaking.shtml

1. glass cleaner: pour equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
2. weed killer: pour or spray on full strength until they die.
3. deter (not kill) ants: spray around doorways or window sills (not the wooden part!) or counters with ant problems.
4. skunk smell remover: rub full strength on area, let sit for about a minute, rinse.
5. cat repellent (haha): train cats not to walk on counters by sprinkling full strength
6. floor cleaner: 1/2 cup per gallon hot water.
7. un-wilt veggies: soak wilted veggies in 2 cups cool water + 1 Tb. vinegar.
8. itch/sting reliever: dab on bee stings (and maybe mosquito bites? haven't tried it yet).
9. sunburn reliever: dab a few times a day to take the edge off
10. dry, itchy skin reliever: add 2 Tb to bath water, or if you don't take baths, fill an empty shampoo bottle with warm water, add 1 Tb, and apply a bit before, during, after shower.
11. dandruff treatment: combine 2 Tb cider vinegar, 2 Tb water, and 2 Tb flax or olive oil into a container with a cap. shake mixture until mixed. massage into scalp, let sit 15-20 minutes, shampoo out.
12. sore throat treatment: pour 1 tsp into a glass of water, mix, gargle, swallow.
13. sinus relief: add 1/4 cup to a vaporizer.
14. drain deodorizer: pour a cup slowly into a drain. don't use the faucet for 30 minutes. if the problem persists, try again a few days later. DO NOT USE VINEGAR COMBINED WITH, BEFORE, OR AFTER CHLORINE BLEACH!! it will produce toxic vapor!
15. disinfect cutting boards: wipe (with a sponge if you choose) with full strength vinegar. tip: to use less, hold the board flat while you wipe instead of pouring vinegar over it while holding it vertically over a sink. this will also disinfect more effectively if it has a chance to penetrate the knife grooves.
16. cut grease: if you do dishes by filling one side of the sink with hot, soapy water, add 1 Tb to the water instead of using more soap.
17. teapot cleaner: for hard-to-remove teapot grime, boil a pot of water mixed with 1/4 cup vinegar, let it sit for a few minutes, pour out, wash pot like any other dish.
18. freshen a lunch box: soak a slice of bread in vinegar, put it in your lunchbox overnight, rinse.
19. fridge cleaner: instead of soap or chemical-y "kitchen cleaner," wash out the inside of your fridge with equal parts water and vinegar and a scrubby rag.
20. unclog a drain: sprinkle a handful of baking soda into the drain, add 1/2 cup vinegar, replace the plug on its closed position or plug with something fairly airtight for 20 seconds. rinse with hot water.
21. clean jars: jars are super useful to keep around to use as cups, fermentation vessels, to keep snacks fresh, etc, but you don't want trail mix tasting like pickles (unless you're into that?), so after you wash it out, fill the jar 1/4 way full of vinegar and shake it. if it still smells, repeat, but let the vinegar sit for a few minutes.
22. clean stainless steel: use full strength with a cloth.
23. remove stains from pots: these stains can hold onto germs and any soap you use in washing, so it's wise to do this when stains build up. boil 3 Tb vinegar per pint of water, boil well and let it sit cooling for several minutes, scrub off.
24. clean/deodorize a microwave: heat a cup of water + 1/4 vinegar and scrub.
25. dissolve rust: soak in full strength vinegar.
26. remove clothing lint: add 1/2 cup vinegar to the RINSE CYCLE of a load of laundry. i haven't tried this, but it apparently helps to brighten color, too.
27. remove clothing stains: softly rub into a stain before washing.
28. remove smoke smell from clothes: this seems like a waste of water and heating energy, but if you think it's absolutely necessary, add 1 cup vinegar to a very hot bath (can be just a few inches deep) and hang clothes, horizontally if possible, close to the water so they absorb the steam.
29. remove stickers: soak in or cover with a vinegar-saturated cloth, full strength, and let sit for a few minutes then wash off. make sure that what you're removing it from won't be destroyed by vinegar!
30. clean eyeglasses. wipe them with a drop or 2.
31. freshen flowers: 2 Tb vinegar + 1 tsp sugar per quart of water.
32. hair conditioner: mix 1 Tb vinegar + 4 cups water in a container. use a quarter to a half (depending on hair length) after shampooing and rinse.
33. unclog shower heads: for metal, mix 1/2 cup per quart hot water. for plastic, equal parts. submerge 15 minutes to an hour.
34. deter fleas? i'm still testing this one out, but so far it seems to be working. after a good vacuum, drizzle full strength vinegar on your carpet. i keep it in a shampoo bottle for this so it can drip evenly instead of pour. i'm not sure that this kills the eggs (does anything??) but it sure seems to be reducing their numbers.