10 Clever Ways to Use Vinegar

I like to start off spring with clean stuff and clean spaces, both inside and out. You probably have a stash of all kinds of cleaners for designated purposes, but I like to use vinegar as a fix-all because it’s a safe, inexpensive, all-natural household cleaner.

There are so many things you can do with vinegar when it comes to cleaning up your house and garden apparatus, and it evaporates quickly so you don’t have to worry about your clean items smelling funky.

Vinegar Uses

1. Vinegar cleans glass beautifully. I use it for my coffee press when it starts to build a film. All you need is an old rag and some vinegar to clean kitchen appliances. It works wonders on gunky buildup.
2. My scissors tend to get a little sticky with all the different projects I use them for, but pure vinegar eliminates that problem immediately.
3. If we’re talking germs, think about that computer that you use every day. You ca
   n wipe off your keyboard and computer screen with vinegar and not only will it clean things up, it will also reduce dust and static.
4. As for that constant chore of cleaning blinds is a bit easier if you just get an old sock, dip it in vinegar and just methodically wipe your hands across each of the blinds blades.
5. I like to set aside one afternoon to take down all of the bird feeders and really wash them well. I use a cleaning solution of one part vinegar to four parts water. If getting a brush inside the feeder is difficult, I use a handful of rice to serve as an abrasive to clean the interior
6. When it’s time to freshen up the garden ponds at the farm, vinegar is my go-to for cleaning up those pump parts.
7. Use vinegar and water to sanitize your butcher block. Follow this up with an application of mineral oil.
8. A batch of lavender vinegar serves as an all-purpose cleaner. You need enough lavender leaves and flowers to fill a one-quart jar half full. Place lavender in the jar then fill with white vinegar. Screw on the lid and place the jar in a dark place for four weeks, shaking occasionally. Note that vinegar will react with metal so use a plastic lid or cover the jar in plastic before screwing on the metal lid. The vinegar does double duty as a facial toner or hair rinse when diluted in water (8 parts water to 1 part vinegar).
9. For a natural air freshener, keep it simple. In an eight-ounce spray bottle, put a teaspoon of white vinegar, add about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil (I like to use orange or lemon), and fill with distilled water.
10. I have a simple solution to get your windows clean and streak-free. In a spray bottle, pour ½ teaspoon of dishwashing liquid, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 2 cups of water. Put the top on the bottle and give it a shake. Some people use newspaper or paper towels on their windows, but I have found coffee filters to be quite effective.