Vinegar in Various Areas

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.

Vinegar for Health and Beauty

Dampen your appetite. Sprinkle a little vinegar on prepared food to take the edge off your appetite.

Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot or douse the irritated area with vinegar and relieve itching.

Remedy for acne skin conditions when diluted 50:50 with water and used as a toner. Careful around the eyes.

If you can take it, put a cotton bud or cotton square with appe cider vinegar and dab all over your face. It’s safer and so much cheaper than any store-bought ‘alpha hydroxy’ products to sloth off flaky skin.

Relieve itching by using a cotton ball to dab mosquito and other bug bites with Vinegar straight
from the bottle.

Relieve sunburn by lightly rubbing it with vinegar. You may have to reapply.

Take 1 cup of vinegar and warm water into a large glass and use to rinse your hair after
you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes
soap film and sebum oil.

When you eat something too spicy hot (habenero, jalepeno, wasabi) you can quickly get rid of the burn by dabbing your tounge with vinegar.

You take 1 tablespoon full and swallow when you have the hiccups. It stops them instantly.

Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.

Fight dandruff, by rinsing with vinegar and 2 cups of warm water, after shampooing.

Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.

Cure for colds. Mix one-quarter cup Apple Cider Vinegar with one-quarter cup honey.
Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.

Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

Feel good recipe. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor, will take the edge off your appetite and give you an overall healthy feeling.

Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.

Remove warts by applying a lotion of half cider vinegar and half glycerin. Apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

Relieve arthritis. Before each meal, drink a glass of water containing two teaspoons
Apple Cider Vinegar. Give it at least three weeks to start working.

Remove corns by making a poultice of one crumbled piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup Vinegar. Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for several consecutive nights.

Cure an upset stomach by drinking two teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water.

Prevent yeast infections. Douche with one tablespoon vinegar to one quart warm water, to adjust the pH balance in the vagina.

Clean dentures by soaking them overnight in vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

Relieve cough by mixing one-half cup Apple Cider Vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne pepper, and four teaspoons honey. Take one tablespoon when cough acts up. Take another tablespoon at bedtime.

Dissolves whatever glue lice use to lay eggs on the hair shaft. Comb your hair and rinse it with equal parts water and vinegar.

Dip a cotton bud into pure vinegar and dab onto affected areas for ear infections.

Treat athlete's foot by dabbing full strength vinegar to effected areas.

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.

Homemade Lavender Water Recipes

Lavender water can be used in a variety of ways around the house. Some ideas:
When washing bedding and linens, add some lavender water to the rinse cycle. Your bedding will have a light lavender scent.

Use when ironing, spritz a bit of the lavender water on the items being ironed. Will add a nice lavender scent to the garment.

Lavender water can also be used as a beauty aid, try it as a skin freshener on hot summer days, a hair rinse, splash in the bath or dab around temples for headache relief.

Insect repellent, try it for mosquito repellent use as well as a mosquito bite itch helper. Lavender deters flies and other insects too.

How To Make Lavender Water - Recipes

Recipe #1

Mason Jar
Lavender Buds
Vodka

Directions:
Fill the glass jar with lavender and cover completely with vodka. Seal jar.
Place the jar in a sunny location for about 18 days, rotate and shake the jar each day–morning and night.
After 18 days, strain the lavender from the vodka and seal the liquid in a clean glass jar.
Use as needed.


Recipe #2
2 cups water (distilled)
3 TBS vodka
15 drops Lavender essential oil

Directions:
Mix the essential oil and vodka together then add water. Seal in a jar or bottle, keep in a dark place for 2 weeks before using.

tipnut.com

Anti-mold

Mold. It causes allergies, smells and is the culprit that is causing the no-paper drywall craze. It has been the bane of existence to women everywhere in the bathroom, when disasters strike and there is standing water from flooding or leaks, or in the basement. Luckily there are a couple of easy ways to get rid of it.

Tea Tree: not only is this stuff great for dandruff but it also kills mold and it kills the smell, too. This essential oil used to be fairly expensive, but now that its well known it is far more affordable than it used to be. A little of this strong smelling oil goes a long way and the smell sticks around for days at at time. The great thing is that its easily applied. A teaspoon to a cup of water in a spray bottle and a good shake and you're set. Spray the affected areas liberally but make sure to wear those rubber gloves because it can burn the skin and you don't even want to get this stuff in your eyes.

Lavender is another good essential oil that is a good mold buster. In general, lavender is anti-microbial so it will not only kill the mold, but just about any other household microscopic critter.

Vinegar kills a good portion of mold. Use it neat or mix a half and half spray depending on the severity of the mold problem.

Homemade Travel Hand Wipes

Homemade Travel Hand Wipes

Materials Needed:
1/4 cup vodka
1/4 cup water
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Paper Towels (use a thick, sturdy towel)Large Ziploc Bag

Directions:

Fold the paper towels in half and lay them in a shallow dish in a single layer.

Mix the liquid ingredients together then pour over top the towels. Repeat as needed until you have the amount of wipes you require.

Stack the saturated towels in a large Ziploc bag, make as many as you like. Store the sealed bag in your vehicle while traveling.

Store any unused liquid in an airtight container to use next time.

Note: You can use strips of flannelette if you prefer (then launder and reuse), as well as paper towels cut in half.

I just make amounts that I would use during a road trip, I haven’t made big batches of wipes at a time so I’m not sure how long they would last. These are very nice on road trips to keep your hands clean–think: public washroom sink taps and door handles, yuck!

From Tip Nut

Think Green

I did post a few things on green cleaning while between projects one day. And I fully intend to continue that entire line. Like now.

There is really no need to purchase the hundreds of chemicals whose sole purpose on this planet are to create plastic for land fills and to give everyone in the house a headache among other far worse ailments. The shelves overflow with items that need ventilation while using. I don't know about you but I don't have a vent to turn on in every room and not all messes happen near the hood at the stove.

Remember the commercials from the 50's? Almost every woman that was witnessed cleaning wore yellow gloves that came virtually up to the shoulder when the boom of bleach and ammonia products hit the market full force. I'm sure it occurred to these women that wrapping their hands and arms in a thick yellow rubber plastic wrap was to protect their delicate skin and nails from harm. And while it did that job just fine, it didn't protect their lungs, their cells, the rest of their body from harmful cancer causing agents and other bad stuff.

So lets face it. If you eat it, its probably fairly safe to use around the house, right? Say.. vinegar. Baking soda. Cornstarch. Borax. Castile and veggie based soaps. Lemon juice. Essential oils. Salt. Toothpaste! Mouthwash (I hated this particular one as a kid). These offer a host of home remedies. And this is where I got my start after I gardened with my father. I learned from my grandmother.


For my grandmother there is nothing that sulfur, rubbing alcohol and vics salve couldn't treat. And she was mostly right. When my child's first major injury spontaneously manifested in the form of a screech, a horrible breath stealing thud and then the moment that hung between "Am I ok?" and "No I AM NOT, MOM!!!" came to me, I knew exactly what to do to handle it. And it wasn't a trip to the emergency room. It was a trip to the kitchen table. And I fixed it. Not with everything my grandmother taught me. But some of it mixed with a new idea that has come about since she was a young lady. I got my son wrapped up with some liquid band aid after I cleaned him up in the shower (head wound you know, they bleed and bleed and BlEeD). Bleeding at a manageable trickle saw me drying him up and putting on some liquid band aid. He was right as rain as soon as the last sniffle subsided. Once he was ready, because it takes 3 year olds a chance to get right again after having their head gushing blood, I dabbed on the lavender and started the healing process. Nothing more complicated than that. No staples (he didn't need one, it was a small gash), no stitches, no needles poking into his scalp to numb it. No, I've got a quarter inch rip in his scalp under control here with basic home remedies.

Aloe for burns! That has taken off. I visit seed and plant swaps at some one's house and I see it in the kitchen window in nearly all those homes. Didn't used to though. Glad to see it coming back.

Essential oils for the win. Fragrant, calming and just plain lovely and antibacterial on the homefront graces my medicine cabinet. Lavender for antimicrobial properties. Tea Tree for similar uses. Great for dandruff and ailments of the scalp. Cloves for tooth aches. Ginger for nausea. Cinnamon to settle the upset stomach and if that doesn't work, a teaspoon of baking soda in a tall glass of cool water was around long before fizzy tablets out of paper packages.

We're over run with insect critters this year. When I was a kid and I would find myself eaten alive by the various blood sucking bugs and whatnot. At the end of the day and I've showered, I would scratch until I bled. So what is the remedy for this? Mouthwash on the bite. I know that sounds kinda silly but it works. Listerine works well. A dab of that stuff on the bite leaves it calmed. No more itching. But one must be careful because if it is an open sore, it inflames the open sore and it burns. And while after a while, the angry pounding in the affected area will go down, one has no desire to scratch at it again for fear that the bottle of mouthwash will come back out of the bathroom to give a second round of treatment. Just watch that they are no open sores and save yourself some pain.

For bee and wasp stings, tobacco right on the sting helps to draw out the poison. And then a damp cake of baking soda slathered on the affected area to help out even more. During the summers when I was 4 and 5 I remember that my mother would leave a cup of the stuff sitting on the counter by the phone so that all she'd have to do is just add water.

Such things were used for such simple every day injuries. They can be used in the house, too.

Cleaning solutions that have lavender and clove and cinnamon based on the time of the year that you're cleaning can not only clean but set mood far better than Pine Sol or 409.

Vinegar can destroy virtually any smell. My husband emptied the cat litter and didn't realize there was a hairline crack in the bottom of the pan. So over a weekend where we had the air off and the doors all open, the house heated up a bit and then there was this smell. We tried to follow our nose and we kept ending up in a clean bathroom. I look at my husband, he looks at me and we both look at the cat pan. "I just emptied that not long ago," he warned. "I am smelling it now," I replied. "It must be broken," I say after several long moments of us eyeing the enemy. "Maybe, it was dark, I could have done something to it," I take this in and wonder if he knew exactly what he did but didn't think the results would mean a difference. Bet he won't be doing that again. We bought a new pan and new litter and came back home. When he picked it all the way up, the culprit reveled himself. A line of red liquid. The smell was overwhelming.

I whipped out a quart of white vinegar from under the bathroom sink and a small tub. I poured the vinegar into the tub, filled it up the rest of the way with water and my husband who was considering why I didn't just whip out a bottle of bleach or something went with it like a champ and decided that it was rather nice. The bathroom as a whole didn't get unbearable. He could breath and with his breathing problems, there was no need to torture him with harsh chemicals. In about half the time it would have taken to clean with the other because it would chase him out for an hour until the fumes went down a bit, we got it mopped up, mop cleaned up, tub rinsed out and replaced, new box in place and litter in. That simple. No coughing fits that bring scarlet to the lips which has happened in the past with him.

We're at that point in our relationship where he actually listens to what I say and will accept that sometimes I might have a better idea. He is a city child. I am a country child. We learn from each other. He was amazed at how well it worked and how quickly it worked. Neutralized without a single gag or cough. The cool thing is that the vinegar mixed with a little water is great for fixtures and for cleaning tile and such. I noticed the tub hasn't been scrubbed down recently so I broke out a cloth and the baking soda, made a paste right on the cloth and got the ring of crap that my sons leave on there like daily completely off of there. It took a couple of minutes and I didn't have to get into a biohazard suit to do it and I didn't need to step out of the bathroom to get fresh air either and the tub is just as clean as if I had used a product that is caustic to humans. The coolest thing is that it won't hurt the kids so that cheap slave labor we have is going to be in high use because they can scrub every bit as well as I can and they do. Rack one up for me, they scrub, I garden. Even trade off I think. Considering most of the dirt gets in the tub when they garden.

My husband complained that I cook too much with smelling plants. Onions, garlic, and very aromatic fresh herbs like basil and such. With all that smell being washed off cutting boards and down the sink, it was smelling pretty bad. It was time to freshen up. I whipped out my baking soda and dumped a generous portion down the drain. My husband eyed me as if I were out of my mind. I used the old box out of the refrigerator so that I wasn't tapping into the good stuff in the cabinet. He waited to see how I was going to make this happen. When I motioned to him to watch as I poured the vinegar, he laughed. I made my own foaming snake to get all those smells right out of the sink. Haven't had that problem since.

Buying these things in bulk isn't difficult. Huge containers of baking soda and vinegar can be bought at the local club shop. It doesn't take much borax to go far unless you use it in all your laundry, which I do so I'm buying a box once a paycheck.

These are just the basics. There are a host of ways to use what I have listed here and there are also a host of other things that can be used as well. I plan on exploring this more because it is getting very expensive to buy the cleaners for $5+ a bottle when I can get a box of borax, a box of baking soda and a box of cornstarch for much less.

My cabinet used to be crammed with all sorts of cleaners. Bleach, ammonia, glass cleaner, brass polish, silver polish, all purpose cleaner, bathroom cleaner, tile cleaner, toilet cleaner, wipes for the house, wipes for the car, wipes for just about everything else... Now that has all been replaced with Baking soda, Borax, cornstarch, Diatomaceous Earth, white distilled vinegar, essential oils, lemon juice, washing soda, vegetable based soaps, and some other non-toxic cleaners.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't given up everything. I have the dish washing liquid still. The phosphates are not so good from an article I read a couple of weeks ago, but I haven't let that go just yet. And I use shampoo's that are probably on the chopping block next. As I get it all sorted, I'll transition completely and with luck, this article will get out there and get someone else. If it gets one person to make even a partial change, I'll be satisfied. For the moment...

Inexpensive Furinture Polish

Baking soda is a great polish for chrome, silver, marble furniture, piano keys.

Put Out Fires

A handful ofbaking soda can safely put out fires in many places; clothes, rugs, carpets etc

Paint Brushes

To restore brushes stiffened and hardened by paint, simply boil them in a solution of 1/2 gallon of water mixed with 1/4 cup vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda.

Clean Glasses

Hold your eyeglasses over a sink and sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on them. With wet fingers, gently rub the lenses. Rinse clean and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.

Clean Brushes and Combs

Fill sink with hot water and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Watch the dirt and oil dissolve away!

Laundry Booster

Add 1/2 cup baking soda to the washing machine along with your usual amount of liquid laundry soap. It will make whites whiter and colors brighter. ( NOTE: It doesn't work with powdered laundry detergents! ).

The same can be said of Borax.

Economical Carpet Deodorizer

Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, and 15 drops of essential oil fragrance for scent. Sprinkle on the rugs before bedtime and let it sit overnight. If you like, you can work it into the carpet the next morning with a stiff bristle brush or broom. Then vacuum.

Economical Air Freshener

Simply mix equal parts of baking soda with your favorite perfumed bath salts or essential oil. Put it in a soap dish or in small sachet bags wherever you would like to freshen the air. This also works well as a bug repellant if used with essential oils. Lavender, Rosemary, Cedar are just a few of repellants that can be added into these sachets.

Easy Toilet Cleaner

Sprinkle 1/2 box of baking soda into the toilet tank once a month. Let it stand overnight before flushing. The tank and the bowl will be both clean and deodorized.

Unclog Gas Stoves

To unclog burners on a gas stove, simply add 1/4 box of baking soda to 2 quarts of water and boil for a few minutes.

Microwave Cleaning

Make a cleaning solution of 4 Tablespoons of baking soda to 1 quart of warm water. Use it to clean the inside surfaces of the oven.---or place a few spoonfuls of baking soda in water in a microwave safe cup. Boil the water 3-5 minutes. The walls of the microwave will be damp. Simply take a sponge or paper towel and wipe down the insides of the oven.

Teapot Cleaner

To remove rust stains and mineral deposits, fill the teapot with water and add 2 Tablespoons of baking soda and the juice of half a lemon. Boil gently for 15 minutes. Rinse and repeat if needed.

Drip Coffee Maker Cleaner

Mix 1 cup warm water and 1/4 cup baking soda. Let it drip through the coffee maker. Then drip a pot of plain water to rinse. It will keep your coffee maker clean and fresh.