Vinegar for the Car and Around the Outside of the House

Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.

Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots. Soak
the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted
vinegar overnight.

Keep car windows frost free. Coat the windows
the night before with a solution of three parts
vinegar to one part water.

White Goat

One of the most interesting going green innovations to come out will be coming out this year. When I saw this video I stared at it wide eyed and slack jawed and it isn't just because of the head cold I have right now either.



A solid 10 on the greener meter.

Economic Downturn

After going on and getting $7800 out of debt last year in prep for the inevitable, I learned my site is being closed on April 5th. I'm glad that I worked through the debt I had last year and only have about 3k left plus a car loan. My severance is enough to get us through for several months and there are already job prospects on the horizon.

What is hard is not losing the job. It's the people. The job is good and I enjoy doing it, but it is the people that I will miss more than the work. The company I work for (GMAC) has taken a turn that has led them to this path and 7 years under my belt means that I'll be handsomely compensated but that doesn't give me the time with the people that I work with, which is what I mourn more than anything.

While a good chunk of us will end up at the same place, it won't be the same atmosphere, nor will it be under the same circumstances. Being in management, it is difficult for me to accept a position where I take a hefty pay cut because we have a certain standard of living that we've achieved. There are management positions for which I'm qualified, however, the time and energy I've put into this company will mean nothing there other than "You're hired".

We're lucky to work for a company that cares enough to give us a two day workshop on how to write a resume and how to sell yourself in an interview. Not to mention the mini job fairs that are going on at the site to help us find other jobs with other companies. First Tennessee Bank, Vanderbilt Mortgage and others will be coming to our GMAC site to help us fill in positions at their facilities so that we're still comfortable and have an income. I can't say that for many places, considering I've driven to work before and found out I didn't have a job when I got there because the doors were chained. We're lucky to have two months notice. It gives us an opportunity to say the things that need to be said and time to find the right job instead of accepting the first to offer because we're not sure what the future will hold.

It is distressing. It is hard. It will be hard. I will miss the people. I'll miss the things that happen every day. I'll miss my boss, my co-workers and my direct reports! I will be in a new place and it will be difficult because I won't have the knowledge of this company that I have for my current one or the seniority that will help to carry me into new positions and new teams. It is astounding to me that this chapter in my life is coming to a close.

The first thing I thought when the news came was that I didn't know how to look for a job I've been with the company so long. I don't want to interview and fill out applications and submit resume after resume. But in the end, there is no choice and I will have to do what needs to be done.

We'll keep on trucking.

Vinegar in Various Places

Use vinegar in the steam cleaner to reduce soap bubbles.

Mix vinegar with lind seed oil and use it to clean your wood.

Clean eyeglasses by wiping each lens with a drop of vinegar.

Soak new wicks for several hours in white vinegar and let them dry before inserting. Propane lanterns will burn longer and brighter on the same amount of fuel.

Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air freshener when sprayed in a room.

Turn a chicken bone into rubber by soaking it in a glass of vinegar for three days. It will bend like rubber.

Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or paint fumes. Place a small bowl of vinegar in
the room.

Remove decals or bumper stickers by soaking a cloth in Vinegar and cover the decal or bumper sticker for several minutes until the vinegar soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should peel off easily.

Cleaning windows by using undiluted Vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry off with newspaper.

Prevent patching plaster from drying by adding one tablespoon vinegar to the water when mixing to slow the drying time.

Plastic can be cleaned and made anti-static by wiping down with a solution of 1 tablespoon of
distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water. This will cut down on the plastics' tendency to attract dust.

The colors in carpets and rugs will often look like they have taken a new lease on life if they
are brushed with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar in a gallon of water.

A mixture of one teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of distilled vinegar in a pint of
lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be done as soon as the stain is discovered.

Spots caused by cola-based soft drinks can be removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester and permanent press fabrics if done so with in 24 hours. To do it, sponge distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean according to the directions on the manufacturer's care tag.

Sponging away grease and dirt with a sponge dipped in distilled vinegar will keep exhaust fan grills, air-conditioner blades and grills dust free.

Leather articles can be cleaned with a mixture of distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.

To loosen old glue around rungs and joints of tables and chairs under repair, apply distilled
vinegar with a small oil can.

Soak a paint brush in hot vinegar, then wash out with warm, sudsy water to soften it up.

Patent leather will shine better if wiped with a soft cloth which has been moisten with distilled
vinegar.

To add a pleasant scent to a room while at the same time removing an unpleasant odor, add
cardamom or other fragrant spice to a bowl of distilled vinegar and place in the warmest corner of the room.

Varnished wood often takes on a cloudy appearance. If the cloudiness hasn't gone through to the wood, the cloudiness can be removed by rubbing the wood with a soft lintless cloth wrung out from a solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar in a quart of luke-warm water. Complete the job by wiping the surface with a soft dry cloth.

Dirt and grime can be easily removed from woodwork with a solution of 1 cup of ammonia, 1/2 cup of distilled vinegar, and 1/4 cup of baking soda in a cup of warm water. This solution will not dull the finish or leave streaks.

Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for the best results.

Wood paneling may be cleaned with a mixture of 1 ounce of olive oil and 2 ounces of distilled
vinegar in 1 quart of warm water. Moisten a soft cloth with the solution and wipe the paneling.
The yellowing is then removed by wiping with a soft, dry cloth.

Powdery Mildew Spray

Got this from Gardner's Net.

1 gallon water
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 tablespoon bleach
1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid

1. Snip and remove leaves that are worst affected.

2. Mix ingredients with water.

3. Spray remaining leaves top and undersides.

4. Apply a heavier dose on leaves that have signs of infection and only lightly on unaffected leaves as bleach can actually harm and discolor the leaves.

Extremely important: Do not use too much bleach! Use no more than 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. We hesitate to recommend using bleach as it can harm your plants if too much is applied. Use it at your own risk and try to avoid spraying it on healthy leaves.