VINEGAR: IT’S TRULY AMAZING!

INTERESTING BACKGROUND: Vinegar was not invented – it is a product that was simply discovered. It has been in existence for as long as fermented beverages have existed. The bacteria responsible for converting the alcohol into acetic acid, has been floating around the atmosphere much longer, presumably since the beginning of time.

Vinegar was probably discovered when one of our ancestors found that wine exposed to the air would turn sour, thereby creating vinegar. It is amongst the oldest of foods and medicines know to man. For its healing ways, vinegar has been used for thousands of years. Just like its sometime partner olive oil, many of the earliest uses for vinegar were of a non-culinary nature. Hippocrates, (400 BC – known as the father of medicine) wrote of its value as a medicinal in the 5th century BC. He treated his patients with vinegar, making it one of the world’s first medicines. Throughout biblical times, vinegar was successfully used to treat infections and wounds. For centuries medical textbooks have listed various ways to use vinegar. These uses include everything from keeping a sharp mind to purifying the waters of the body and to easing pain and alleviating dozens of other ailments. Throughout history, vinegar was prescribed for a long list of ailments, both internal and external. It is still widely recommended for its curative effects for everything from sunburn and mosquito bites to liver problems and high cholesterol. Many even recommend it as a daily restorative, or a sort of cure-all to keep one healthy, an alternative or addition to the apple-a-day for keeping the doctor away. Modern laboratory analysis verifies the antibacterial and antiseptic properties of vinegar. Many of the old-time uses are just as applicable now as they were centuries ago.

Curiously, many of the books written about vinegar shy away from health claims because they are so difficult to substantiate without extensive studies that can take many years to reach conclusions. The ancients were well aware, however, of cider vinegar’s health-giving properties, and noticed the effect on those who indulged regularly. Thus began a tradition of home remedies that continues to this day. If the promotion of long life and enhanced memory aren’t enough to entice one to consume vinegar regularly, consider these maladies that can be aided by taking cider vinegar either topically or internally: Acne, arthritis, bad breath, bladder infections, colds, coughs, digestion, chronic headaches, joint pains, morning sickness, and insomnia. It is also recommended for bee stings, as an insect repellent, for sunburn relief, and yes, even postnasal drip. With all these claims, its’ worth a try!

SUGGESTED POSSIBLE CURATIVE ABILITIES:

1. For allergies and sinus infections: small dose of apple cider vinegar each day. Apple Cider Vinegar has anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. It’s also Ideal for insect bites and certain skin allergies.

2. Dr. D.C. Jarvis, MD is completely convinced that apple cider vinegar could make any living thing healthier. He believes, Potassium, which is found in just the right amounts in natural apple cider vinegar “is so essential to the life of every living thing and that with out it there would be no life. Potassium is the most important of all minerals that are necessary for good health.” Potassium’s main function is to promote cell, tissue and organism growth. It is necessary to replace dead cells and tissue. There is no better source of potassium than vinegar—particularly natural apple cider vinegar. Potassium, by the way, lowers high blood pressure.

3. Widely recommended for its curative effects for everything from sunburn and mosquito bites to liver problems and high cholesterol. Many even recommend it as a daily restorative, or a sort of cure-all to keep one healthy, memory enhancement, and long life, an alternative or addition to the apple-a-day for keeping the doctor away.

4. It contains important minerals, trace elements (potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon, and fluorine) and vitamins (C, E, A, B1, B2, B6, beta-carotene, and P which are bioflavonoids), lactic acid, enzymes, amino acids as well as roughage in the form of potash and apple pectin. It also contains trace elements such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, chlorine, sodium, sulfur, copper, iron, silicon, and fluorine.

5. Apple cider vinegar gets rid of toxins in the body. It’s also a naturally occurring antibiotic and antiseptic that fights germs and bacteria.

6. Apple cider vinegar is probably the best (and cheapest) detoxifier for the body. And, consider these maladies that can be aided by taking cider vinegar either topically or internally: Acne, arthritis, bad breath, bladder infections, colds, coughs, digestion, chronic headaches, joint pains, morning sickness, and insomnia. It is also recommended for bee stings, as an insect repellent, for sunburn relief, and yes, even postnasal drip.

SUGGESTED AS A CLEANING AND OTHER ALTERNATIVE USES:

1. An article in Delicious Living magazine pointed out that out of four million or so household chemicals created in the last century, only 20 percent of them have actually been tested for any possible adverse health effects. Among the chemicals in household products that have been tested, more than 150 may cause cancer, allergies, birth defects, or psychological disorders, according to studies conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. And, says the National Academy of Science, Americans are becoming increasingly sensitive to chemicals and as a result, are often experiencing allergic reactions to them. That is sobering information indeed and a very strong argument for the use of more natural cleaning products, including one that usually sits in the kitchen unused, vinegar.

2. Vinegar is an outstanding cleaning product and disinfectant. Among its more obvious uses are the cleaning of tile floors, sinks, bathtubs, Venetian blinds, shower curtains, and countertops. It is also very effective for unclogging drains, polishing brass and copper, cleaning chrome surfaces, and it is without equal in its ability to clean windows and other glass surfaces. Vinegar will dissolve wax, glue, and those annoying price stickers. It is also useful for removing pen marks from walls and furniture. It unclogs showerheads and faucets, takes odors out of the refrigerator and cupboards, and removes mildew. No better way exists to clean out bottles and decanters - simply pour in some vinegar and shake. You may also add some uncooked rice to help scour away the stains without damaging the glass.

3. In the laundry, vinegar helps brighten clothes, freshens baby clothes, and removes all kinds of stains from clothing, including those due to wine, cola drinks, barbecue sauce, and ink. Vinegar in the wash also helps eliminate odors, including those caused by cigarette smoke. In a second rinse cycle, vinegar will rid clothes of any lingering detergent, which is detrimental to people with skin rashes or dermatitis. Vinegar is a safe way to disinfect baby toys, clothes, and furniture. It is necessary for dyeing Easter eggs, and you can even use it to make your own clay.

4. Vinegar will kill grass and weeds growing between cracks in the sidewalk, loosen rusty hinges and bolts, clean tools, and rid the garden of many pests. Vinegar extends the life of cut flowers, aids in geminating seeds, and is great for cleaning mildew and fungus off of plant leaves.

5. Setting several dishes of vinegar in the room will dissipate paint fumes, plus it can aid in the cleanup of dried-up brushes and remove dried paint from glass.

6. Vinegar is also good for your skin, makes a relaxing bath, and cleans hairbrushes, combs, eyeglasses, jewelry, and dentures. In short, there is almost nothing that vinegar won’t clean, shine, fix, or generally enhance throughout the house, tool shed, garden, and automobile.

7. To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water.

8. Streakless windows:- Simply wash with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. This solution will make your windows gleam and will not leave the usual film or streaks on the glass.

9. Carpet stain removal: - A mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of white 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.

10. Washing woodwork: You can ease the job of washing painted walls, woodwork and Venetian blinds by using a mixture of 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white distilled or cider vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda with 1 gallon of warm water. Wipe this solution over walls or blinds with a sponge or cloth and rinse with clear water. Dirt and grime comes off easily and the solution will not dull the painted finish or leave streaks.

IN THE KITCHEN:

Vinegar is usually one of the main ingredients in some of condiments - ketchup, chutney, mustard, barbecue sauce, and steak sauce. It’s essential to delicious potato salad. A touch of vinegar helps make white rice fluffy, and can keep the odor of cooking cabbage from permeating the house.

SUGGESTED DOSAGES for BETTER HEALTH:

• Traditional way: Drink 1-2 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar in 8 oz of water 3x a day. Add honey to taste, if necessary.
• Apple cider vinegar is also quite palatable when mixed with apple juice. It tastes a lot like apple cider, plus you get the numerous antioxidant and natural benefits from the apple juice.”
• In summer months: Add 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar to a quart of water. Then add ice cubes. Drink this on a hot summer day, especially before working out. Your body will feel very cleansed.
• In winter months: 2 tsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar in a mug filled with hot water 3x day instead drinking tea or coffee. You will feel energized but not on a caffeine high.

SIDE EFFECTS OF DRINKING APPLE CIDER VINEGAR:

Your allergies will probably disappear, your face will have a healthy, young glow, you’ll look & feel more VITAL, you will have consistent energy, and you will highly likely lose weight very quickly and keep it off.
Never drink Apple Cider Vinegar straight. Always drink it well diluted with water. Rinse your mouth afterwards.

A WORD OF CAUTION:

All varieties of vinegar contain about 4 to 7 percent acetic acid, with 5 percent being the most common amount. Acetic acid is what gives vinegar its tart and sour taste. As with any food or drink with a high acid content (such as lemon / lemon juice, carbonated water and sodas, vinegar water, etc.) if it sits on the teeth, may damage your teeth by eroding away the enamel. If you consume such products, follow with food that requires chewing or rinse with water. A dental hygienist suggests: A pinch of plain sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) placed in the mouth after ingesting acid foods and beverages will neutralize the acid and save your teeth. It’s important to use the baking soda before or during brushing otherwise you are rubbing the acid in and making it worse. Another suggestion: You may try slowly drinking Apple Cider Vinegar with a straw toward the back of the throat. The trick is to not let the liquid touch your teeth. Some believe it’s more from the sweet foods we put with the vinegar to make it more palatable. Either way, it’s good to rinse.

Also, some apple cider vinegar brands are extremely acidic, causing heartburn. It can also quickly cause a yeast infection in women. Certain brands of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar can stop a yeast infection, yet some brands are so acidic that they can actually cause a yeast infection. It’s suggested you start with a lower dose to see how your body responds to the vinegar. Vinegar Capsules: Be careful if you decide to buy capsules. They are extremely acidic and can cause heartburn.

One final note: There is little benefit to commercial distilled vinegars except for pickling, cleaning and disinfection —they have no health value! They do not contain the health values of organic, raw apple cider vinegar. Distilled white vinegar and cider vinegar sold in supermarkets are considered “dead” vinegars with none of the enzymes and other live factors that make raw, unpasteurized vinegars so valuable. Look for the “real deal” in your local health food store.

For More Information:

(The history of vinegar is very interesting. Please avail yourself of the following references and discover the wonders of this amazing, natural food product.)
• Vim & Vinegar (Harper Perennial) by Melodie More, the publisher of Tightwad Living, who collected tips for years on how to save money on household products. She gives an exhaustive list of vinegar’s uses, plus dozens of recipes for cleaning ideas, beauty secrets, children’s projects (making your own clay is my favorite), and of course, food.
• Ari Weinzweig’s Zingerman’s Guide to Good Vinegar (available from Zingerman’s in Ann Arbor, Mich.) and The Good Cook’s Book of Oil & Vinegar (Addison Wesley) by Michele Anna Jordan. Both discuss the technical aspects of vinegar, as well as choosing, storing, and cooking with the good stuff.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Miracle Health System by Paul C. Bragg, N.D., Ph.D. and Patricia Bragg, N.D., PhD. (Most popular and suggested vinegar on market: Bragg’s vinegar.)
• www.bragg.com Best selling book on health benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar.
• Dr. Earl Mindell’s Amazing Apple Cider Vinegar, by Earl, R.Ph., Ph.D. Mindell
• Folk Medicine, by DC Jarvis. Highly recommended book!
• The Healing Powers of Vinegar by Cal Orey
• Honey, Garlic and Vinegar, by Patrick Quillin
• Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss and Good Health, by Cynthia Holzapfel, Cynthia Nofziger
• Google search: “Vinegar Recipes” (Food Recipes Using Vinegar) (you’ll find a ton!)

HUNDREDS OF SUGGESTIONS FOR VINEGAR FROM READERS!

(There may be some duplications due to the volume of ideas! Pick & choose (highlight) what works for you!)

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

Garbage disposal cleaner: Garbage disposals may be kept clean and odor free with vinegar cubes. Vinegar cubes are made by filling an ice tray with a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray. Then freeze. Run the mixture through the disposal, and then flush it with cold water for a minute or so.

Coffee maker cleaner (automatic): White distilled vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers from hard water. Fill the reservoir with white distilled vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished. (Be sure to check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.)

Clean the microwave: Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.

Deodorize the kitchen drain: Pour a cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards: Wipe with full strength white distilled vinegar.

Brass polish: Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.

Ant deterrent: Ant invasions are sometimes deterred by washing counter tops, cabinets and floors with white distilled vinegar. Getting the last drops: When you can’t get the last bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, try dribbling a little of your favorite vinegar into it, put the cap on tightly and shake well. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve been wasting.

Cooking fish:Try soaking fish in vinegar and water before cooking it. It will be sweeter, more tender and hold its shape better. When boiling or poaching fish, a tablespoon of vinegar added to the water will keep it from crumbling so easily.

Cake icing:Cake icing can be prevented from becoming sugary if a little vinegar is added to the ingredients before cooking. The same is true when making homemade candy.

Bathtub film: Bathtub film can be removed by wiping with white distilled vinegar and then with soda. Rinse clean with water.

Toilet bowl cleaner: Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.

Unclog the showerhead: Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or faucets by soaking them in diluted white distilled vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.

Kill grass: To kill grass on sidewalks and driveways, pour full strength white distilled vinegar on it.

Kill weeds: Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.

Increase soil acidity: In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.

Neutralize garden lime: Rinse your hands liberally with white distilled vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin. Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.

Pest fighter: A teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each quart bowl of drinking water helps keep your pet free of fleas and ticks. The ratio of one teaspoon to one quart is for a forty-pound animal.

Pet accident: Test the color fastness of the carpet with white distilled vinegar in an inconspicuous place. Then sprinkle distilled vinegar over the fresh pet accident. Wait a few minutes and sponge from the center outward. Blot up with a dry cloth. This procedure may need to be repeated for stubborn stains.

Paintbrush softener: Soak the paintbrush in hot white distilled vinegar, and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.

Wine stains: Spots caused by wine can be removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester and permanent press fabrics if done so within 24 hours. To do it, sponge white distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean according to the directions on the manufacturer’s care tag.

Clean the refrigerator: Wash with a solution of equal parts water and white distilled vinegar.

Freshen baby clothes: The addition of 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to each load of baby clothes during the rinse cycle will naturally break down uric acid and soapy residue leaving the clothes soft and fresh.

Clothes washing magic: Clothes will rinse better if 1 cup of white distilled vinegar is added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, but strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents.

Blanket renewal: Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and free of soap odor if 2 cups of white distilled vinegar are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.

Deodorant stains: Deodorant and antiperspirant stains may be removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with white distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.

Hole removal: After a hem or seam is removed, there are often unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.

Keeping colors fast: To hold colors in fabrics, which tend to run, soak them for a few minutes in white distilled vinegar before washing.

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

Scorch marks: Lightly rub white distilled vinegar on fabric that has been slightly scorched. Wipe with a clean cloth.

Setting colors: When you are color dyeing, add about a cupful of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse water to help set the color.

Unclog steam iron: Pour equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water into the iron’s water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.

Clean a scorched iron plate: Heat equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.

Dancing mothballs: Mix 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups water, green or blue food coloring as desired. In a tall glass bowl or large jar, place several mothballs and add 1-teaspoon baking soda. Pour vinegar mixture over and watch the mothballs dance.

Boiling eggs: When boiling an egg and it’s cracked, a little vinegar in the water will keep the white from running out.

Keeping potatoes white: A teaspoon of white distilled or cider vinegar added to the water in which you boil potatoes will keep them nice and white. You can keep peeled potatoes from turning dark by covering them with water and adding 2 teaspoons of vinegar.

Freshen vegetables: Freshen up slightly wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water and vinegar.

Flavor booster: Perk up a can of soup, gravy or sauce with a teaspoon of your favorite specialty vinegar. It adds flavor and taster fresher.

Meat tenderizer: As a tenderizer for tough meat or game, make a marinade in the proportion of half a cup of your favorite vinegar to a cup of heated liquid, such as bouillon; or for steak, you may prefer to a mix of vinegar and oil, rubbed in well and allowed to stand for two hours.

Fruit stains: Remove fruit or berry stains from your hands by cleaning them with vinegar.

Fresh lunch box: It is easy to take out the heavy stale smell often found in lunch boxes. Dampen a piece of fresh bread with white distilled vinegar and leave it in the lunch box overnight.

Get rid of cooking smells: Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.

Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting: Douse with vinegar. It will soothe irritation and relieve itching.

Have a headache? If you’re like many who have tried many medications and remedies over the years, try this simple and inexpensive method of relieving the pain…sometimes within minutes. It’s surprising how fast and effectively it works: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2 -cup apple cider vinegar. Make a “tent” with a bath towel over your head and breathe in the vapors, deeply and slowly. (If it makes you cough, cut back on the vinegar.) A few minutes of doing this will cure most headaches as well as pills or shots.

Skin burns: Apply ice-cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters.

Toenail fungus: Soak toes in a solution of vinegar and water, using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.

Put a teaspoon of vinegar in your dog’s drinking water every day and you will no longer have those brown spots in your lawn from the dog’s urine.

Whiten your nails: by soaking in vinegar periodically.

Relieve sunburn: Lightly rub white distilled or cider vinegar on skin. Reapply as needed.

Relieve dry and itchy skin: Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.

Fight dandruff: After shampooing, rinse with a solution of 1/2-cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.

Soothe a sore throat: Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow. For another great gargle: 1 cup hot water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vinegar, gargle then drink.

Treat sinus infections and chest colds: Add 1/4 cup vinegar to the vaporizer. (Be sure to check vaporizer instructions for additional water measurement.)

Chest congestion: To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.

Coloring Easter eggs: Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with each 1/2 cup of hot water, then add food coloring. (Check egg-coloring booklets or food dye box for specific directions.) Vinegar keeps the food dyes bright and prevents streaky, uneven colors. Making naked eggs: Place eggs in a container so the eggs are not touching. Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Cover the container, put in the refrigerator and let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 24 hours. Use a large spoon to scoop the eggs out of the container. Be careful since the eggshell has been dissolving, the egg membrane may be the only thing holding the egg together. Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. If any of the membranes have broken, throw those eggs away. When you’re done, you’ll have an egg without a shell.
Restless leg syndrome: full strength apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and saturate legs. The itching and jerking goes completely away so you can sleep at night.

Removing paint from glass (including where you’ve accidentally gotten paint on the glass.): Heat the vinegar on stove and use a cloth to wipe away paint — it’s that easy.

Use vinegar on wasp and yellow jacket stings.

How to build a volcano: First, make the “cone” of the volcano. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (more water may be added if needed). Stand a soda bottle in a baking pan and mold the dough around it into a volcano shape. Do not cover the hole or drop dough into it. Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food color (can be done before sculpting if you do not take so long that the water gets cold). Add 6 drops of detergent to the bottle contents. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid. Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. Watch out – eruption time!

Removing perfume: Use vinegar when you want to remove the odor of a perfume you don’t like. Just apply it to the skin that has been sprayed with the undesired perfume.

Prevent mildew on plastic shower curtains. Keep a spray bottle of vinegar and water in the bathroom and spray the curtain after every shower.

To clean your microwave, Put 1 Tablespoon of vinegar, one cup of warm water & 1 or 2 drops of dish soap in a small microwave safe bowl. Put it in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes and let stand for 15 minutes. Then wipe the microwave out with a damp sponge. The steam & use of vinegar loosens up the build up in the microwave.

Using vinegar when you iron: Mix half vinegar and half water and put into a spritzer bottle. When ironing use the spray to help remove iron made creases or shiny areas in the fabric. Spritz a shirt for a clean, odor free, crisp garment, especially collars and underarm areas. Use a press cloth that has been dampened with straight vinegar and use to set creases, folds, pleats that are still there after you wash the garment. Use this same damp cloth and gently rub shiny areas -like those that appear when the iron is too hot and you iron over a zipper- then re-press and the shine will be gone. You may need to repeat. Spritz the ironing board cover to freshen it up and iron while it is still damp. Cheaper than any purchased fabric freshener or odor eliminator.

To kill small tree stumps (up to 2″ across) cut a deep ‘x’ with an axe or saw. Fill with baking soda. Wait about 20 minutes then pour on some vinegar. The chemical reaction kills the root. This works well on those pesky mesquite trees!

Baking soda and vinegar also clear clogged drains. Get the water out, fill drain with baking soda, and pour in vinegar. When it stops bubbling, suction with the plunger. Follow up with lots of boiling water.

For infections from “piercings”: Warm up some vinegar and pour into a cap or small container (or soak a small cloth). Hold against the infected area. Repeat as necessary. Good also for daily cleaning.

Caught your finger in a door? Get a cup of vinegar and stick your finger in it. It will probably sting for a bit but it helps take the pain away very quickly.

Nail fungus: soak your fingernails or toenails in a bowl with enough vinegar to cover the nails. Soak for 10 minutes, one time a day for 2 months. (Another “fairly quick trick” is to coat infected nails with Vick’s VapoRub (not liquid). Cover with socks or cotton gloves overnight. Continue until problem is gone.) The vinegar creates an acidic and uncomfortable environment for the fungus to grow and it will eventually die off.

Warts: Pour a little apple cider vinegar onto a Q-Tip and dap onto wart. Place a Band-Aid over wart. Repeat this process every night for a week. The wart should be gone and hopefully never grow back. Side note: warts dehydrate and usually fall off when they are deprived of air.

Folk remedy to lower cholesterol: 1 quart apple juice, 1 pint purple grape juice, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. Drink 1/2 to 1 cup daily.

Douse a cold sore repeatedly with vinegar it will dry it up and eventually prevent further outbreaks.

More Reader Comments:

“I was having terrible hot flushes until a friend told me about apple cider vinegar. I take 1 or 2 tsp of vinegar with a glass of water 3 times a day or more and the hot flushes are gone. The taste is not bad and it doesn’t upset my stomach. I feel like I’m back in the land of the living!”

]“A chiropractor who checked my urine told me it was “gunky.” He said to drink 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in 4 ounces of water once a day for 5 days.”

“I thought I had broken my ankle. It was so bad I had to crawl on my knee and my leg and foot were one! My grandmother told me to soak a brown paper bag in vinegar and wrap it around my foot all night. Incredible results. The swelling had gone down two thirds and in three days I was walking again. I just knew I had to go to the doctor!”

“I am 49 years old and have suffered with severe headaches since I was young. I tried many medications and remedies, but this simple thing can relieve the pain, sometimes within minutes. I lie down and rest after doing this: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add 1/2-cup apple cider vinegar. Make a tent with a bath towel over your head and breathe in the vapors, deeply and slowly. (If it makes you cough, cut back on the vinegar.) A few minutes of doing this will cure most headaches as well as pills or shots.”

“I put a capful of vinegar in a glass of water when I am having indigestion problems. It gets rid of the gassy, bloating, diarrhea problems.”

Chronic indigestion, acid reflux or heartburn: take 1-2 tsp. of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water each evening after supper.

Psoriasis: After you shower, spritz all over with a spray bottle filled with 3 parts cider vinegar and 1 part water and rinse again. There is no soap residue left on my skin and you don’t feel itchy. It may help with body odor, also.

Apple cider vinegar gets the stomach working again. One tsp. of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water at meals can change your life completely. Apple cider vinegar contains ascetic acid, which stimulates the production of stomach acid. The more stomach acid the better as it breaks down your food into smaller molecules and your intestines and liver can absorb nutrients more efficiently. When the body is stressed the stomach stops producing acid so at meal time there’s not enough acid to digest the food. This creates problems: indigestion, gastric reflux, IBS, bad breath, diverticulus, fatty liver, lactose intolerance, allergies, fatigue, you name it.

“A manager at a steel mill where I work told me that for years he had been using a vinegar soaked cloth for quick relief and disinfection of lime or alkali burns. In the steelmaking furnace facilities, lime is a very commonly used product and employees are regularly getting minor skin burns from exposure to the lime dust. Vinegar’s natural acidic properties neutralize the pH of the skin when an alkali material causes a caustic burn.”

Quench your thirst: In addition to ice, add 1 tsp. of vinegar and 2 teaspoons of sugar (or Splenda) to your water. It’s delicious! It’s also a “free” drink with your meals when you go out to eat, and on a hot day it quenches your thirst like no other drink can.

“I have had migraines all my life. I was taking 6 Excedrin tablets a day. I now take a capful of vinegar in a glass of water, lie down for twenty minutes and the headache is gone!”

Pedicures: Put 1/2 cup vinegar into a pan of water to soak your feet in before a pedicure. It “disinfects” and also softens your skin.

Sore spots: Just soak a cotton ball in cider vinegar and hold to the sore spot. Within a few minutes the pain stops. It works on bee stings too, only you’d need to get the stinger out.

To help stop a nagging cough due to post nasal drip, breathe in the vapors of apple cider vinegar straight from the bottle and dip a cotton swab in it full strength and wipe just inside your nostrils to leave a thin coating. Also wipe some directly under your nose. This stops the urge almost immediately and lasts for hours! Also put about 1/2 cup in a vaporizer for added effect and you should be able to sleep the night with no interruptions.

Tendonitis: “My husband’s acupuncturist’s recommendation for tendonitis was to soak in warm apple cider vinegar twice a day.”

Stubborn ear infections: An ear specialist’s regimen effective in solving tough ear infections… Use any vinegar, white is fine, and mix in equal amounts with barely warm water (so you don’t mess up your equilibrium by putting cold water in your ear.) Get an ear flush bulb and flush the affected ear 2 -3 times twice a day. In a few days, your infection should be history!

“Charlie horses” and muscle cramps: soak a washcloth or hand towel with half vinegar and half water. Heat in microwave 20 seconds and place on pained area. It works great.

For burning urination caused by bladder infection, drink 2 tsp. vinegar to 8 oz. water 3 times a day. Burning and infection will cease.

“Vinegar is extremely effective on yeast infections. When I get an infection, I pour about 1 cup of white vinegar in my douche bottle and finish filling with warm water. I douche twice daily and in about 2 days my infection is gone. The vinegar smell leaves in about an hour.” (Check w/ doctor.)

Another writes: “I have found that the vinegar bath also cures yeast infections, not only mine but also my infant daughter. My midwife suggested the vinegar bath while I was pregnant and it hasn’t come back since. Twice daily and in about two days it’s gone.”

Boils: These are quite painful and at times have had to be lanced. Try vinegar tea: one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon honey in a cup of hot water (placed in a really small cup or as a hot pack, 15-20 minutes, 2-3 times a day dissolves my boils. Also, drink the recommended daily amount of water, stay away from sodas and chocolate, as they seem to aggravate them. If the boil does come to a head, continue to drink the above mixture and lots of water. Never squeeze a boil.

“Use 1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar to 1 tbsp. rubbing alcohol to prevent swimmer’s ear. Massage ear and drain out.”

Vinegar soothes the itching and burning of hemorrhoids. Just take a cotton ball and dab the affected area with full strength apple cider vinegar! Caution: some people find the full strength solution stings. If this happens to you, just dilute the vinegar half and half with water.

Stiff neck: Take a mixture of half vinegar and half warm water solution, soak a rag in it, wring it out and wrap it around your neck. Put a layer of plastic wrap (to keep your sheets dry) and finish up with a towel. Leave this on over night and you will not believe the difference. For bruises and swelling follow the directions above, but use cold water. Leave on for at least an hour. The longer you leave it the better the results. I have personally used this long after ice was effective for reducing the swelling and it works like a miracle.

Burns: Splash white vinegar on a paper towel and put it on the burn. It stops hurting immediately and if you keep it on, you will not develop a blister.

Irritable bowel syndrome: Try sipping water with apple cider vinegar during the day, the symptoms should disappear.

“I suffer from migraines and take a prescription drug for them. When I don’t have any on hand I use vinegar and it always helps me. I take a washcloth and put water and vinegar on it and put it over my forehead. Seems to work great. An old fashioned remedy for any headache was to soak brown paper with cider vinegar and apply it to the forehead. Possibly something about breathing the fumes helps in some cases, anyway.”

“Being a scuba diver for many years I swear by vinegar to remove the sting of a jellyfish.”

Emergency toothache / relief while you’re on your way to the dentist: Soak a cotton ball or piece of paper towel in vinegar, place it on the aching tooth… bite down - in moments the toothache is temporarily gone, giving you time to get to a dentist. (Do not try this unless you are on your way to the dentist. Otherwise, you may have other problems by exposing your tooth for a longer period of time due to the acid on your tooth.)

“Many elderly people with high cholesterol have tried this drink with much success: 2 cups of grape juice, 1 cup of apple juice, 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Mix together and take 2 ounces before your largest meal everyday. Only 2 ounces is needed for results.”

Taking a little bit of vinegar water with or just before meals isolates the fat in food and it passes through your system. I learned this at a diet clinic. It works really great.”

If you have a recipe that calls for sour milk (or buttermilk), add a bit of vinegar to the milk, it works!

Athlete’s Foot: try soaking in vinegar. “I soaked three evenings in a row. No more fungus and that has been several months ago.”

Sunburn Remedies: Cover sunburns with a towel soaked in water and vinegar and try to persuade the victim to sleep this way. Younger ones may struggle with this, because of the smell! Put vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on sunburn. It soothes for quite a length of time, just like store bought stuff.

A reader wrote this: I used this on my son when his legs were sunburned. I saturated tea towels with half water and half vinegar and put them on his legs and he said it didn’t smell too good but it took out the burning. You must do this several times but it works and then it gives you a nice tan.
Vinegar will take the sting out of sunburn - just soak a paper towel and apply to burn.

To relieve swelling and fluid from too much sun, mix a paste of baking soda and apple cider vinegar and apply. This reader says it will draw out the fluid.

I met a girl who was told by her doctor to sit in the sun (she had some sort of skin problem). She was to use diluted red wine vinegar to keep from burning. She was out in the sun everyday of the summer and had a nice tan.

Sore throat: Use 1-tablespoon vinegar to 8 ounces of warm water for a sore throat. Gargle every hour and spit out after gargling. Gargle twice each hour. Resource: Vermont Folk Medicine by D.C.Jarvis. If started at the first hint of a sore throat, it always works, usually within a night.

Mucous in the throat: “Take equal amounts of honey and cider vinegar, stir or shake until dissolved. Take a tablespoon at a time to cut mucous in the throat. Rinse mouth and spit out. Swallowing will dilute mixture in your throat.”

Arthritis: 1 tsp. cider vinegar with one tsp. honey in glass of water three times daily helps with arthritis. It dissolves the crystal deposits of uric acid that form between joints (and also in muscles as with muscular rheumatism).

Vinegar in drinking water is effective in eliminating the low-grade fevers that are present in Chronic Fatigue sufferers. It also helps eliminate thrush in the mouth. Mix four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to a gallon of drinking water. Drink up to one gallon each day.

“This reader writes: My grandmother swears by vinegar as an antiseptic for abrasions, to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites, and to help re-hydrate sunburned skin.”

Another reader writes: “I am allergic to crabs. I have found that when I dip crabmeat in vinegar, I don’t get an allergic reaction. This may not work for everyone, but it works for me.”

Weeds: Sprinkle weeds on the sidewalk or driveway with baking soda. Let sit 30 - 45 minutes, pour on some vinegar. Rinse with fresh water the next day.

Sore muscles: Use up to 2 cups of cider vinegar in the tub to soak sore muscles and add potassium to muscles.

“My grandmother was from Scotland and used vinegar on a cloth placed on her forehead to stop hangover headaches after weekly family get-togethers. Grandma used to give me a straight teaspoon of vinegar to stop diarrhea. Once the vinegar was taken the visits to the toilet stopped after about 30 minutes.”

Cleaning humidifiers and vaporizers: Fill with water and add 1/4-cup vinegar. Run for 20-30 minutes in a closed bathroom. (You might want to open the window.) Rinse it well and refill with water only. Run for a few minutes and empty. Never add more water the next morning to refill. Rinse the reservoir and dry each time and air dry until your ready to use it again.

Sleep Aid: “It’s never failed me yet: Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of honey and store this mixture in an air-tight container. Anytime you have trouble drifting off, take two teaspoons of this mixture and you’ll drift off in less than a half hour. And you won’t be groggy in the morning like over-the-counter sleep aids. Be sure to rinse mouth well after taking.”

A teaspoon of vinegar water relieves hiccups more effectively than anything else, including lemon juice or sugar. Gargling with cider vinegar might stop the most horrible cases of hiccups!

Another remedy for boils: A half-cup of vinegar, two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, and one teaspoon of sea salt mixed together relieves swelling and brings a boil to a head.

Drain Cleaner: Put 1/4-cup baking soda into the drain then pour 1 cup of hot vinegar over it. Use it every week as preventative maintenance. Or, pour 1-cup baking soda into the drain and pour 1 cup white vinegar in. Let sit for an hour. Boil a teakettle of water and pour into the drain.

Pet Stains: - when an animal vomits, urinates or has diarrhea on carpet, sprinkle baking soda heavily, then wearing rubber gloves, rub into area. Let sit at least five minutes. Vacuum with your regular vacuum cleaner. Clean or dispose of bag. Pour straight white vinegar over area. When vinegar foams, blot with sponge. Residue will evaporate leaving no odor or stain. If unable to immediately treat with vinegar, leave baking soda on area until ready.

Barbecue Grill: Put the grill down into the BBQ. Sprinkle liberally with baking soda. Add enough vinegar to cover, put the lid on, and let sit over night. Flush with clean water the next day - most of the burned on stuff should be gone!

Clean coins: with a mixture of a half-tsp baking soda in about 3 Tbsp. of vinegar. Rinse well.

Car battery not making good contact? Take the terminal off the post (one at a time, if you cross them up you’ll reverse polarity in the battery and it will cost you a new one!) Cover the corrosion liberally with baking soda. After a few minutes, SPRAY with vinegar. Continue spraying as long as the soda bubbles. Rinse with a high-pressure hose, let dry and put the terminal back on. Repeat on other side.

Soap scum and lime deposits: Scrub with baking soda and a little vinegar.

Drip Coffee Pot: Fill the pot with warm water (in the sink) add some white vinegar and a splash of baking soda. After the fizz, let it sit for a short time and sponge out the stuff on the glass. One final rinse and good as new!!!

“I had a stain in a shirt caused by pouring laundry softener directly on the shirt instead of mixing with water. Several washes couldn’t remove the wet looking spot. However, one wash with a half cup of baking soda and a cup of vinegar removed the stain completely.”

For upset stomachs: “3 Tablespoons of Vinegar, 1/2 glass of cold water, 1 heaping spoon of baking soda. Mix cold water and vinegar and stir in baking soda. This will foam up immediately. Let it settle down and drink it all up. This is better than any antacid. It works in about 10 minutes. No more stomachache. Works for me anyway.”

Chewing gum dissolver: Saturate the area with vinegar. If the vinegar is heated, it will work faster.

Stain remover: for stains caused by grass, coffee, tea, fruits and berries. Soak clothing in full strength vinegar.

Corn and callus remover: Soak a piece of stale bread (a cloth would probably do as well) in vinegar, and tape it over the callus or corn overnight.

Remedy for age spots: Mix equal parts of onion juice and vinegar and use it daily on age spots. Dab on with a cotton ball or Q-Tip. This will take a few weeks to work, just like its expensive relative from the store.

Kill grass or weeds by pouring hot vinegar on it. This might take a couple of times to work completely.

Wash your windshield with vinegar in the winter to help keep ice and frost away.

If you have a septic tank, use vinegar instead of harsh chemicals to clean the toilet bowl. Let it set overnight if you can; it will help keep germs down.

Residue left in pots or skillets: from frying or baking roasts, turkey, etc. Place the pot on a burner with about 1/2- 1” mixture of water & 1 cup vinegar. Bring to boil. Sprinkle on half cup of baking soda. It will bubble and boil immediately, so watch that it does not boil over. The residue will loosen and clean off like a charm.

Cleaning sinks, tubs, etc. Put the stopper over the drain hole, then sprinkle some baking soda in the bottom of sink/tub. Then pour some vinegar over it. Let this fizz for a couple minutes. Then add a little water and scrub with your sponge/scrub brush/cloth. Unplug the drain and rinse with hot or warm water.

Deodorize your garbage disposal: “I use a combination of baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar to deodorize my garbage disposal. The lemon makes it smell good and the baking soda and vinegar cleans and de-sanitizes. After I do this, I run the disposal for a few minutes and odors are gone. If I have a really big problem I do the combination above as well as pour boiling water down the drain.

Cleaning the bathtub: “My 4 yr. old granddaughter lives in the tub. If I were to scrub it out after each bath, I would not be able to stand up. Looking for ways to make the job easier, I tried baking soda in the tub and then sprayed it with vinegar. It was great, it foams and does most of the work for you! Little scrubbing with a brush and a good rinse.”

Hair rinse: vinegar neutralizes the alkali left by shampoos. It will give your hair shine!

Window Cleaner: A quarter cup in a quart of water makes a good window cleaner. Dry with newspapers. Your windows will sparkle!

Air freshener: 1-teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar and 2 cups of water. After it stops foaming, mix well, and use in a (recycled) spray bottle into the air.

Weeds and Grass: “I have used white vinegar straight from the bottle to pour on the weeds and grasses that come up through the pavement… Just pour on and let set a couple of days and the weeds will die and won’t reappear for several months. Have been doing this for several years and always works.

Keep your hands soft: Spray your hands with a mist of vinegar, or dip them in vinegar and dry after washing dishes to keep your hands soft.

Weight loss: It’s an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you’ve added 2 tsp. of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.

Pet Odors: Use diluted 1:1 in water to take pet odors out of carpets. Find the spot, and saturate it with about 1 1/2 times the original volume. Let set for a while then blot up. Repeat if your cloth is very dirty after blotting. Turn on a fan and open a window, especially for large spots!

Varicose veins: Splash vinegar on your varicose veins. The vinegar is supposed to reduce the veins and relieve the pain and swelling. The smell will disappear.

Poaching eggs: Use about a tablespoon of vinegar in the water when poaching eggs. It helps the eggs to keep their shape. No taste of vinegar either.

Sore throat: “My best use for vinegar is to use 1 tablespoon vinegar to an 8 ounce glass of warm water for a sore throat. Gargle every hour and swallow after gargling, with two mouthfuls. I got this from a Vermont Folk Medicine book by D. C. Jarvis many years ago. If started at the first hint of a sore throat, it always works, usually within a night’s sleep. I don’t mind the taste, but some children might.

Antiseptic: “My grandmother swears by vinegar as an antiseptic for abrasions, to reduce itch from poison ivy or mosquito bites and even to help re-hydrate sunburned skin. She also uses it diluted 50/50 as a skin cleanser as most soaps are alkaline as compared to skin ph.

Most meat marinades are most effective if acidic, so an extra few spoonfuls of vinegar can’t hurt.

Heavily tarnished copper or copper-alloy: use a paste made of salt and vinegar.

Diaper Pail: Use a cup of vinegar in two gallons of water in the diaper pail to neutralize the urine in cloth diapers. It also helps keep them from staining.

Laundry stains: Keep a spray bottle of 50% vinegar, 50% water near the laundry station. Spray it on clothing stains before tossing the clothing into the washer (just as you would a commercial spray stain remover).

Windows: Keep a solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to use for cleaning windows.

Odors: From a reader: When I apply a weak bleach solution (to a counter after handling raw chicken, or to grout to whiten it), even after rinsing it still smells like bleach. Spraying it with the vinegar solution does away with the bleach smell. This also works if you use bleach when washing fabric - try a cup of vinegar in a
SECOND RINSE water to get rid of the bleach smell. Otherwise, using vinegar with bleach produces chlorine gas.

Heat stress: Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a quart of drinking water. Helps to deal with heat stress. Also helps to repel mosquitoes.

Cleaning toilet: Pour in good cup of vinegar and let set overnight. Swish out with brush.

Lice: Take warm vinegar and put it on the hair also take your nit comb and dip it in the vinegar. As you run it through the hair it helps remove the nits. It is supposed to be able to help break down the glue the nits use to stay attached to the hair.

Absorbs unpleasant odors: Set a container (shallow bowl) of vinegar throughout the house to absorb unpleasant odors. Works great on burned food odors. Do not use Styrofoam. It will soak through it. Also, put a medium sized bowl of vinegar water into the microwave. Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. Carefully remove bowl and wipe down inside of microwave.

Air freshener: It freshens the air, and captures smoke from burned food. Put vinegar on white bread around a house to get rid of smoke smell from a fire.

Helps remove wallpaper: First remove top layer of wallpaper. Then spray vinegar on and let set for a minute or two. Then pull backing away. Scrape excess glue off wall. Wipe remaining glue off with vinegar and rinse with water. You don’t have to use harsh chemicals and it is inexpensive.

Keep flies away: Pour vinegar around the sides of your pool and it helps keeps flies away.

Vinyl floors: Add 1/2-cup vinegar to a gallon of water to keep your vinyl no wax floors clean and shining. Not only does it keep the floors shiny but it kills the dust mites! Great for severe allergies.

Meat tenderizer: Add a tablespoon to water when boiling ribs or meat for stews, and even the toughest meat will be so tender you can cut with fork or will fall off the bone.

Hiccups: “One-teaspoon sugar to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups. Gargle and swallow! Rinse mouth with water.”

Baby rash: Keep a baby from breaking out in a rash: Add a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle or a second rinse cycle. It equalizes the ph balance. No more rash!

Feed vinegar to horses to keep the flies away. Pour 1/4 cup of cider vinegar on their grain once a day and it really keeps the flies away from them! They seem to like it too. Vinegar in the horse feed also can help with mobility and breathing problems. 1/2 cup Vinegar to a quart of water sprayed onto the coat of a horse or dog works like a vinegar hair rinse. Their coats gleam! (An economical alternative to expensive show-shine products.)

Use white or cider vinegar to clean out the chicken and cat water containers. Pour a small amount in the container, take a rag and wash the gunky parts and rinse. Rinse a second time and dump on outdoor plants. It keeps the water containers clean without all that gunky buildup. Do it once a month. Add a little vinegar to chicken’s water, especially in the winter, to keep them laying better and stay healthy. If your chickens don’t have access to wild, natural food, give it to them year ’round.

Staining: The staining that occurs in clay and plastic flowerpots and their saucers comes right out –no scrubbing needed. Just fill the kitchen sink with cold water and add plain white vinegar (about 2/3 water - 1/3 vinegar). Soak pots and saucers until they look clean and new (sometimes takes an hour). Wash with soap and water before reusing.

Clean dogs’ and cats’ ears to prevent ear infections: Mix 1/3 rubbing alcohol and 1/3 white vinegar and 1/3 water. Store it in any old clean dropper bottle (like Visine eye drops) and use it to clean out their ears!! Just squirt 8-10 drops in ear, holding head to side; let it stand in ear for a minute, massage ear. Tilt the animal’s head downward and, using cotton balls, clean ear of excess fluid. Usually apply once a month or once a week if they are ear scratching. Warning: If applied daily for 3 days in a row and dogs are still scratching or rubbing ears–see VET; they have mites or bacterial infection.

Grease cutter: Vinegar is an excellent grease cutter. “Boil” fry vats every week with vinegar and water. Very cost effective and very safe-no harsh chemicals, no risk of fire. Use straight vinegar to clean the grill hoods. Again, very inexpensive and does a fantastic job.

Good for your face: Pour 1/8 cup in rinse water, rinse face and let it air dry (it seals the moisture in the skin and is also great for all over your body, especially when weather is dry). Vinegar restores the natural acid base of your skin, so it’s good for skin problems, too.

Dishwasher: Pour 1/4-cup vinegar to your dishwasher rinse cycle for streak free, sparkling dishes every time!!

Windshields: When you have to leave your car outside overnight in the winter, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat the windows with this solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.

Natural deodorant: Try white vinegar underarms and other areas of the body as a natural deodorant. Will not stop perspiration (which is not healthy anyway) but will neutralize odor.

Ants: If you have problems with ants and other insects invading your home, they are probably crossing your door and/or windowsills, baseboards, etc. Carefully pour vinegar across the opening and it stops their coming in. For some reason, they will not cross it.

Drink a couple of spoonfuls of vinegar water a day to keep mosquitoes away - your perspiration will be unpleasant. (Only to mosquitoes!)

Dog skin infections: After weekly bath, rinse dog with a solution of 1 part cider vinegar to 3 parts water.

Upset stomach: Sip on one teaspoon in a half to three-fourths cup of water. Honey may be added if desired to enhance flavor. “I have used it for years for myself and family and it always stops that nauseous feeling without medications of any kind. Vomiting is rare when this started in time. There have been a few times when I felt the ’stomach flu’ coming on and I have sipped on this vinegar mixture for 4-5 hours and been relieved of it completely. Pickle juice can be used if you are out of vinegar. My daughters used to drink pickle juice (vinegar is used in processing) and stayed healthy!”

Natural healing: “Because of such a severe case of contact dermatitis from overuse of yeast medicines, I was left unable to walk or sit comfortably, and my skin was too sensitive for any topical medications, and oral cortisone only worked temporarily. My mother suggested using 4 tsp. of white vinegar with some juice to kill the taste. I’m glad to tell you that the vinegar, along with rest, has put me on the road to recovery in only 4 days after battling this illness for 4 months!”

“Anyone who uses plaster or clay will find relief from the ph imbalance of the alkali in the material if they wash their hands with soap (more alkali), then rinse well with one to one solution of white vinegar and water each time they are done. Heard this years ago from a master artist in plaster figurines for churches.”
Cleaning wooden cutting boards: Pour vinegar straight onto the wood and then use a clean sponge to literally push the dirt away. Be sure to wipe in the direction of the wood grain, starting at one end and working to the other. This way the dirt you are trying to get rid of won’t be pushed back into the wood grain.

Energy drink: “This is what I call my “Go-Go” Juice. Take 2 cups of grape juice, 2 cups of white grape juice, 2 cups of apple juice and 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate. Every morning before you do anything else, drink a small cup of it. Each batch lasts a week or two depending on how much you drink each morning. It tastes sort of like a strong wine. Since I have done this, my energy level has increased dramatically and my coffee consumption has gone down. I also feel better altogether.”

White vinegar is also a solvent for most glues. To dissolve any unwanted glue bonds, simply apply vinegar to the glued area and let sit until the bond becomes weak (how long depends on what kind of glue and how much was applied).

White vinegar can also be mixed with water-based inks to make a wonderful stain for wood. The resulting finish is the color of the tint with a silvery sheen. Simply pour vinegar into a mixing jar, add the ink until the desired color is achieved and apply to wood with a brush or rag. Wipe off excess and let dry. Since the bulk of the mixture is vinegar, wood-warpage is minimal.

Clean out bottles: To use up all those bits of tomato sauce (ketchup) or chutney etc. that come in bottles add some vinegar, oil, and shake. The liquid will pour out easily; this makes the base for marinades, just add onion, garlic and spices.

Whirlpool tub: Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into the water of your whirlpool tub once a year and run it. This will keep the jets from clogging up from soap scum, etc.

Cheap solution to replace those expensive PERGO flooring cleaners (from a PERGO Distributor): 1/3 part white vinegar, 1/3 part rubbing alcohol, 1/3 part water, and 3 drops dishwashing liquid. Mix this into a (recycled) spray bottle and you have the equivalent of the Pergo floor cleaner. Just spray and mop; also great for deodorizing a room and for a fast cleanup. It works well on tile floors, too, with great results.

Aftershave: “My dad is 77 years old and his skin on his face is just so smooth and soft looking. His secret is he uses vinegar for aftershave. Also if he gets any rashes or pimples he uses vinegar for that as well. He drinks apple cider vinegar, honey and hot water every morning. The vinegar odor goes away very quickly when he uses it for aftershave. He started this when he always broke out in a rash after using the regular aftershaves.”

French fries: “I find most Americans I’ve talked to overlook the easiest and most delicious way to use it… on French fries! I don’t know how many American friends I’ve made cringe at the mere mention of it but when you live in Canada it’s as much a condiment for French fries as ketchup. Who knows, before you know it your fast food restaurants will supply little packets of it as a necessity if it catches on over there.”

Swimmer’s ear: Use 1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar to 1 tbsp rubbing alcohol to prevent swimmers ear.

Wiping down clean metal surfaces with a vinegar solution (1 part vinegar to 5 parts water) preps the surface for painting, and reduces the incidence of peeling.

De-gas beans: Naturally gas free: De-gas (or at least lower to amount produced) beans by adding Apple Cider Vinegar (1/8-1/4 c.) to soaking water. Soak overnight, then rinse thoroughly. Add a little to the water when you cook them also. Works for split peas and garbanzos also.

Vinegar makes excellent fabric/leather glue: 1 sachet clear gelatin, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, 3-4 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of glycerin. Melt the gelatin and water on low fire, then add the other ingredients and mix well. The glue has to be applied when warm. Store the remaining glue in a small plastic or glass jar. Warm it up next time before use. Cheap, efficient, and clear glue for fabrics and leather.

Behavior control: Try 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water in a spray bottle; spray your dog when he doesn’t behave. The dog minds instantly.

Spray vinegar (using a spray bottle) around your children’s sand box to keep cats from using it as their litter box. Reapply about every two months.

Use boiling vinegar (no water) to clean hardened acrylic paints from paint brushes. Don’t soak them too long, since it could loosen the hairs from the brush.

Furniture polish: Use equal parts of white vinegar and vegetable oil. Wipe it on and buff with a soft cloth.

To clean brassware to like-new condition without scrubbing, soak in 1:10 parts of white vinegar/water. To clean brass lamps, unscrew sections, soak in bucket. All green and black tarnish comes off in no time. Learned this from a band director who uses vinegar to clean student’s brass instruments.

Use vinegar for removing rust on the screws of hand-me-down baby equipment. It also works on removing rust from nails (you know the big and expensive ones) that were left out in the rain. The trick is to put the metal object(s) in a container and cover with vinegar, seal the container and shake, let stand over night or 24 hrs. To remove rust from bolts and other metals, soak them in full strength vinegar.

Wash vegetables and fruits: Wash any flesh foods with vinegar before cooking to reduce the bacteria, (this includes chicken). It makes the foods more pleasant to work with, and I feel more confident about working with, cooking, and serving the food. Rinse with water.

Keep cut flowers fresh longer (or even perk up droopy ones) by adding two tablespoons of vinegar and one tablespoon of sugar to each quart of water.

Clothes mildew: We have very hot weather here, and from time to time a load of laundry doesn’t get dried soon enough or fast enough. I rewashed a load of clothes and dumped some white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Presto, no stinky mildew smell.

Put a few drops of vinegar in pasta as it boils, the starch is cut. This makes the pasta less sticky.

Yeast infections: “Vinegar is extremely effective on yeast infections. When I get an infection, I pour about 1 cup of white vinegar in my douche bottle and finish filling with warm water. I douche twice daily and in about 2 days my infection is gone. The vinegar smell leaves in about an hour.” ( Always check with your doctor.)

Removing tempera paint: Vinegar works great to remove tempera paint (like you use when you decorate your windows for the holidays). It takes it right off almost immediately, sponge vinegar over paint then wipe off finish removing residual with paper toweling, or, a reusable terry cloth towel:)

Natural bug spray: “It used to be that when anyone in my family saw a roach, they’d go running for the bug spray and hit him with a blast. The critter would run in a frenzy to escape, and then we’d find him turned over somewhere half an hour later, whereupon he’d be flushed down the toilet in a paper towel. The problem with this method is that toxic chemicals from the bug spray would end up on the carpet or furniture. One day, after seeing a roach, I tried an experiment. I got one of the children’s squirt guns and filled it with vinegar. Since the vinegar is non-toxic, I wasn’t afraid to blast him if he got on the furniture. As it turned out, it didn’t take much. With the bug sprays, roaches would scurry away to escape the fumes, but one hit of the vinegar and he stopped in his tracks. Now I always keep a spray bottle handy for the next bug that gets brave.”

Prevent colors bleeding (laundry): Use white vinegar in your wash if washing something that will bleed. Just pour some white vinegar in the washer filling with cold water and then add my soap and clothes. It works great.

Nail polish will go on smoother, and stay longer if you clean your fingernails with white vinegar before applying nail polish.

Soak showerhead in vinegar overnight, then rinse in hot water, to remove water deposits and keep it flowing freely.

Remove water stains from leather by rubbing with a cloth dipped in a vinegar and water solution.

Steam carpet cleaners: Put it in my steam cleaner to rinse your carpets with after shampooing. The carpet will stay fresh longer because it removes any detergent residue. Use 1/4 cup per gallon of water.

Burns: “I have seen many posts about using vinegar on a sunburn. When I burn myself when cooking I splash some white vinegar on a bit of paper towel and put it on the burn. It stops hurting immediately and if you keep it on, you will not develop a blister.”

Rinse Cycle: Another reason to use vinegar in the rinse cycle is that it cuts down on the lint. Put 1/2 to 1 cup in the rinse cycle.

Cleaning walls: This came from a column in a newspaper in 1953 to clean walls. It works! Put 1 cup bottled ammonia, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1/4 cup baking soda into the bucket of 1 gallon water. STIR TO MIX THOROUGHLY. Wash the walls from the bottom up (if you get drips on the un-cleaned surface, it will leave marks that are very difficult, if not impossible, to remove. (This caution was printed in the paper along with the recipe for the solution. This method of cleaning work with all cleaning solutions.)

To remove food residue, mineral deposits, soap scum and chemical residues caused by water from your dishwasher: Set TIMER to WASH CYCLE (to prevent any water from being added to vinegar). Pour 1 gallon of white vinegar into bottom of dishwasher. Activate washer and allow to complete cycle to wash with vinegar and rinse with clean water.

To get rid of calcium build-up on brick or on limestone, use a spray bottle with half vinegar / half water, then just let it set. The solution will do all the work.

Cure for ticks: “Take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a day in juice or water. You’ll never get a tick while walking through tall grass, woods, etc…) Doesn’t seem to work for chiggers though.”

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: If you sip water with apple cider vinegar during the day, these symptoms disappear. It works for many and would certainly be worth a try for those who experience this distressing problem.

Makes a great eyeglass cleaner. Mix white vinegar 1/2 and 1/2 with water. I keep a tiny spray bottle in my purse.

Pedicure: Put 1/2 cup into a pan to soak your feet in before a pedicure. It softens your skin.

Bruises and swelling: Mix equal parts vinegar and cold water. Soak a rag in it, then wring the rag out and wrap it around your neck. Put a layer of plastic wrap (to keep your sheets dry) and finish up with a towel (be careful not to strangle yourself). Leave this on over night and in the morning you will not believe the difference. You can hold the “compress” in place with an ace bandage. Leave on for at least an hour, but the longer you leave it the better the results. “I have personally used this long after ice was effective for reducing the swelling and it works like a miracle.”

Cleaning dentures: Once a week, leave your dentures in vinegar for as long as you would leave them in a denture cleanser - about 15 minutes to half an hour, or longer, if you wish. Then brush them thoroughly. Your dentures will be cleaner and whiter than a proprietary dental cleaner can do it!

Egg substitute: Short of eggs when baking? Substitute 1 tablespoon of white vinegar per egg. This works! Try it.

Crafts: When you use embroidery floss always dip the whole skein in white vinegar and then air dry. This “sets” the colors and when you wash something you should not experience any colors “running”.

Homemade facial toner: Instead of buying expensive facial products, mix up your own “toner” using 1/2 water / 1/2 vinegar and a crushed aspirin. The acids in the vinegar force your old skin cells to flake off, much like the store-bought “alpha hydroxy” products. The aspirin acts as an anti-acne solution. A lot of acne products use salicylic acid, which is basically aspirin with a few small chemical differences. The aspirin won’t dissolve completely, but it doesn’t seem to matter. This works especially well against those big, deep acne spots which older people often get. Use once or twice a day on your face. One caution: Be sure to also use a face lotion with at least SPF 15 everyday–even in winter (Oil of Olay knock-offs are fairly cheap) because the vinegar mixture will make your skin thinner (just like the expensive store-bought ones will) and more susceptible to sun damage. The SPF prevents age spots from forming, and that’s worth the money!

Cantaloupes: It’s always a fight to get cantaloupes to ripen without being attacked by mold. Rub each melon with about a teaspoonful of full-strength vinegar. It’s worked for many – it’s worth the try for you.

White vinegar is the *best* cleaner for rabbit litter boxes. If it’s used each time the litter box is cleaned, it keeps the litter boxes like new. If there is already a buildup of dried urine in the box, scrubbing with vinegar will get rid of it.

Tar stains: “I was so disappointed when I got a big lump of tar on my Levi jeans. Today I was trying to get the stains out and had no stain remover in the house, so I just poured a few drops of Vinegar on the stains. I had nothing to lose. The jeans I thought were ruined anyway. But it worked like magic, I have since put them in the washing machine and they’re as clean as ever now!!!”

Hem marks: When you “let out” hems on children’s clothes, such as skirts, dresses etc., usually there is a white mark where the cloth was turned up. Warm your iron and with an old toothbrush dipped in a little vinegar diluted with small amount of water, scrub the mark and press. It usually comes right out, if not, then repeat.

I use vinegar and baking soda as a weekly cleaner/ degreaser/deodorizer for my kitchen/bathroom drains.

Vinegar is great for eliminating tobacco smoke odors. Use small disposable containers and fill about half way with cider vinegar. Sit around in rooms where they can’t be seen or found by children. This gets rid of the smoke odors. You will want to discard each container and replace with new container and fresh vinegar. Do this every 2 or 3 days.

Fish aquariums: Use white vinegar to clean the mineral deposits that accumulate at the top of fish aquariums. Take a hand towel and soak it in the vinegar. Simply wipe around the inside of the tank where the water has evaporated and has left white mineral deposits. You don’t even have to scrub. Also use it to clean aquarium ornaments. It is harmless to fish so don’t worry if some of the vinegar happens to get into the water.

Natural toilet plunger: “I want to share with you how white vinegar just saved me money. I had out of town guests over Memorial Day and my water-saver toilet became clogged. Not having a plunger on hand I decided to pour white (not having cider on hand) vinegar into the bowl. To my surprise and pleasure, within an hour results could be seen. Over night, and a little more vinegar the line was completely cleared.”

Puppies with fleas: You can use vinegar for fleas on puppies too young for regular flea products. Straight white vinegar applied with a cotton ball (keep from nose and eyes). Warm it a little bit first. The puppies don’t seem to mind the smell and their coats are so soft.

Remove dog smells: Border Collies and other breeds of dogs can get pretty smelly in the summertime. Add vinegar to their bath water to get rid of the odor.

Dark towels: add 1/2 cup of vinegar to laundry to prevent fading.

Hair rinse: “I color my own hair and when I go to rinse, I first rinse with warm water then I dilute white vinegar with water for the final rinse. Use water as cold as you can stand. This really seals your color so it doesn’t fade out as quickly.”

Preparing rice: Use a splash of vinegar when preparing rice: 1c. rice, 2 c. water, and a splash of vinegar. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer 20 minutes, uncover and fluff with a fork. The vinegar cuts the starch and the rice is not gummy. Also, add the rice to broth for a great tasting soup, or to crushed pineapple.

Safe disinfectants: Keep two small spray bottles in the kitchen…one filled with vinegar and one filled with hydrogen peroxide. These are the best safe disinfectants for counters, cutting boards and washing produce. It’s more effective against bacteria if used separately.

Silk floral arrangements: Have a spray bottle filled with vinegar. When they get dusty, spray them lightly and the dust is gone. They also look brand new!

For reducing swelling on a horse (or any animal), wrap the leg in a rag soaked in apple cider vinegar. Wrap in plastic and then bandage to hold it in place - leave on for 4 or more hours.

To keep sour cream from spoiling, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar to a small container and about 2 tsp. to a larger container of sour cream. Add the vinegar after the first use and you don’t notice the taste. Stir well. It works well.

Quilts: “I won a colorful handmade quilt a few years back and the older ladies who made it included instructions to soak in lots of cold water using 1 cup of vinegar at the first time the quilt is laundered. This is to prevent colors from fading.”

Washing jeans: The representative from Wrangler Jeans said to wash jeans for the first time by turning them inside out and adding one cup of vinegar to the wash. It takes the stiffness out of new jeans.

If you have a slug problem, drop a few drops (an eye dropper works well) of white vinegar on them and they will dissolve. But be careful not to get the vinegar on plants, it will kill them. Otherwise, fill a jar lid with beer and set out near your plants. The slugs will crawl in and drown!

Dermatitis rash: “I had a dermatitis rash on my hand for eight years. I had been to the doctor many times and tried many different prescriptions but nothing helped. I read somewhere that cider vinegar was helpful for itching so I started using it for that and found that not only did it help relieve the itching, it actually seemed to improve the condition so I started applying it 2-3 times a day and in two weeks, the rash was GONE!!”

For cleaning antique appliances: Pour white vinegar straight out of the bottle onto a sponge, or pour it into a dishpan to soak stubborn buildup for a few minutes. After your appliance’s first-time cleaning, future quick cleanups are easiest using a small spray/squirt bottle with diluted vinegar-water.

Decorator tips: “I am a cake decorator and that is a mess, but I have to use different types of frosting doing this job. So I boil all of my cake decorating tips and spatulas in vinegar and water it removes all of the grease from them and gets them really clean!”

Lime deposits on cars: “I use full strength vinegar on a rag to wipe away the lime deposits the sprinklers leave on my car’s paint and windows. There are lots of products for BIG $$$ that will do the same thing… I WONDER what their “secret ingredient” is?”

Dog’s tear duct stains: “I had a completely white bulldog with black spotted skin. He had dark tearstains running from his tear duct area down. I tried a few of the tear bleaching products sold for dogs but none worked (besides being expensive). I also tried some suggested home remedies (e.g. hydrogen peroxide, etc.) and those were not effective either. A vet told me the tearstains were caused by the acidity in the dogs system and if I neutralized his system, the stains would go away. His suggestion was to put vinegar in the dog’s drinking water! He suggested putting just a “tiny” bit of vinegar in the drinking water for a few days (1/4 of a vinegar bottles cap full) and then increase the amount of vinegar added until I was adding about a teaspoon to the drinking water each day - estimating his drinking water bowl to contain about 5 cups of water.) Each time I changed or added water to his bowl, I also added the vinegar. Within a few weeks, the tearstains were gone for good!”

Photocopier: Keep a solution of vinegar and water - 1-2 TBLSP in a 4 oz bottle of water for cleaning glass on your photocopier.

Office help: Keep vinegar and water solution handy in a spray bottle for cleaning in the office. Those in our office who are chemically sensitive have no problem. We even use it to “de-skunk” the air of residual scent when people visit wear perfume or smoke.

When I had ceramic tile floors installed the tile man told me this: if I would always mop them with a solution of white vinegar and water that it would not only clean them better than a soapy mop job but would cut my work in half (no rinsing) and would preserve the color of the grout. He was 100% correct.

Clean copper-bottomed pots and pans (or any copper) by spraying a thin layer of pure vinegar then covering with salt. The stains and tarnish should disappear in a matter of seconds.

Frying fish: When you fry fish, boil a tablespoon of vinegar in the pan that you fried the fish in, and the smell was gone from my pan.

To remove the solid residue on the underarm of a shirt left by deodorants, soak the area in white vinegar until saturated then wash as usual (also removes any odor as well).

When dying fabric, include one cup white vinegar in hot dye bath to set color.

I used vinegar to remove the adhesive on old linoleum. It worked perfectly - came right up.

Vinegar for arthritis: “I have used raw vinegar in water for arthritis and it takes the swelling and stiffness away. I use 1 tablespoon in a full glass of water twice a day. It has given me my life back.”

Iron: Use a paste of vinegar and baking soda to clean the sole plate of your iron. Smooth, clean and shiny. Will not harm any surface.

Sprains: “As a child I was plagued with sprains. My grandmother mixed apple cider vinegar with red clay, heated it and made a paste. It was placed on the sprain and then wrapped with strips of an old sheet. After an hour the paste was soaked off with warm water and my sprain was healed.”

Fireplace doors: Put vinegar on newspaper and use to wipe down the insides of glass fireplace doors. Cleans instantly and does not streak.

Leather purses: “After moving to a very humid environment, my leather purses developed a nice green mold while on the top shelf of the doorless closet. My aunt suggested using a cloth dipped in vinegar to remove the mold. It worked and didn’t leave spots like water would have.”

Don’t forget to pick up some vinegar at the store… It may be one of the most important purchases you’ll make this year!

Sources: Reader comments, along with above recommended reference books
“Taking Vinegar Beyond the Kitchen” by James Mellgren http://www.versatilevinegar.org/april_2005.html
http://frugalliving.about.com/

WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND BRAGG’S APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! We think it’s the best! Go to www.bragg.com to learn more.

Disclaimer:

The information contained on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please check with your healthcare provider for further information. ©Coffee Cup Friends is not responsible for the outcome of the above suggestions. It is the reader’s responsibility to use wise judgment. As cautioned above, never let vinegar sit on your teeth. Always rinse your mouth well with plain water.

We hope you will enjoy the many uses for vinegar. It is perhaps one of the most natural, versatile, and in some ways, life-saving products known to mankind.  Let’s get back to basics – God’s way!  Be in good health! 3 John 1:2

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