10 Ways Vinegar Can Make Your Life Easier
Vinegar is delicious on potato chips and collard greens, but adding some tang to your food isn't its only trick!
Since vinegar is highly acidic, it can also handle a bunch of cleaning tasks around the house. Plus, vinegar is nontoxic, so it's a much safer option than chemical-based cleaners!
Here are ten of our favorite household uses for vinegar:
1. Clean Your Coffee Maker
To deliver a great tasting cup of java every morning, your coffee machine needs the occasional cleanse. Every six months or so, use a mixture of water and vinegar to decalcify your machine.
2. Stop Mosquito Bites From Itching
If you or someone you know has been the unhappy recipient of a mosquito's attention, get rid of the itch by rubbing a little bit of apple cider vinegar on it.
3. Make Your Dishes Sparkle
Mineral deposits and hard water stains can leave streaks, residue and spots on your dishes. Running a cycle with white vinegar can clear up your dishware plus deodorize and disinfect the machine. Simply pour one cup of distilled white vinegar in the bottom of the dishwasher and run a complete cycle on the hottest setting.
4. De-Stink a Room
If a room in your house has developed a decidedly funky odor, a bowl of vinegar can clear it right up! Fill a small bowl with white vinegar and place it in the middle of the room for a few hours – the stench will be gone in no time.
5. Unclog Your Showerhead
To restore your water pressure to its former glory, all you need is white vinegar, baking soda, a plastic bag and a rubber band.
6. Clean Paintbrushes
If your paintbrushes are caked with rock-hard paint from old projects, clean them and soften the bristles with vinegar. First, fill an old saucepan with enough vinegar to cover the bristles of each brush and soak the brushes for 30-60 minutes. Then, heat the vinegar on the stove until it's boiling and remove the pot from the heat. Let the brushes soak for up to 30 minutes before removing them to hand-wash the bristles in cool water. Let them dry fully before using them again.
7. Remove Wallpaper
Mix equal parts vinegar and water, then saturate the wall with a sponge or spray bottle. Open a window (to combat the smell) and let the mixture soak in for several minutes. When you start scraping, the paper should come right off!
8. Dissolve Rust
Soak old tools and corroded nuts and bolts in undiluted vinegar for a few days. Then rinse them with water.
9. Eliminate Drink Rings
If the usage of coasters isn't a popular habit in your household, drink rings are bound to happen. To get rid of them, all you need is some white vinegar and vegetable oil.
10. Peel Away Decals and Stickers
Price tags and unwanted decals can be hard to remove. Use a sponge to dab undiluted vinegar on glass or plastic. Let it soak for a few minutes, then scrape the surface clean. If there is any sticky residue, rub the area with more vinegar.