Uses for White Vinegar

Uses for White Vinegar
Gloria Hutson
11/1/2009

Vinegar has its own pungent smell but it is a useful household product. The word vinegar means soured wine. The following lists some uses vinegar is good for and may change your view that vinegar is just another bad smell--or maybe not. Here are a few ways to use vinegar.

• Removes sticky tape and label residue found on glass or windows
• Works to brighten and soften laundry (color safe)—use during the wash cycle or rinse cycle. (Does not mix with bleach can cause harmful vapor)
• Run through coffee makers to remove hard water calcium and lime build up.
• Helps lift perspiration stains from clothing underarms.
• Helps make dyes in fabric colorfast.
• Remove soap scum from sinks and tubs--use with baking soda as a light abrasive.
• Helps remove hard water spots from faucets, handles, and glass.
• Helps remove hard water spots from glass shower doors.

These are just a few uses for vinegar in cleaning household items but knowing a few simple tips can save a person a lot of scrubbing and fingernail damage.
Instructions

• When trying to remove tape or label glue from glass or windows, spray a mix of water and vinegar solution over the label of tape allowing the liquid to soak for about 5 minutes. If removal is more stubborn than anticipated apply straight vinegar to the tacky label or tape and lightly scrape away with a one sided utility razor. If you do not have razors on hand, you can use a metal spatula.
• Pour ½ cup of white vinegar in with laundry or to the rinse cycle. Do not mix with bleach as the vinegar replaces the bleach and mixing the two could cause harmful vapors. Helps brighten and soften laundry.
• Run a quart or coffee pot full of straight white vinegar through the coffee maker for a regular cycle. When done pour down the sink and run water through for another cycle to rinse the vinegar taste away and other residue.
• When dying fabric, add a cup of vinegar and one half cup of salt to make dye color fast. Apply to a rinse cycle in the washer.
• Mix spray bottle half vinegar and half water as a cleaning solution for the bathroom and kitchen sinks, tubs and shower doors to remove soap scum. You can apply baking soda as an abrasive if you like.
• To unclog showerheads of lime build up unscrew the showerhead to soak the head in a bowl of warm water and vinegar. Soak for about an hour in a half and half mixture. If the build up is not too bad, you can spray with cleaning solution when cleaning the bathroom sinks and faucets.

Check back from time to time for updates to this post with additional tips.