Vinegar is used for cooking, cleaning, weed control and medicinal purposes.
Vinegar is extremely effective in many household applications. It is under constant study for its use as an environmentally friendly cleaning agent and weed control. For medicinal purposes, some studies show that vinegar is mildly effective in some instances but sometimes can cause other problems when used for treatment. There are many cooking applications for vinegar, ranging from making salad dressings to marinating meats. Vinegar is of tremendous value to the homemaker.
Cleaning
Vinegar kills mold and mildew and can be safely used wherever they are present. A mixture of one part white vinegar to one part water is an effective solution. Use pure white vinegar poured around the inside of the toilet bowl to remove rings and clean the bowl. Clean windows with a concentration of one part vinegar to four parts water. Combine enough baking soda with white vinegar to make a thick paste to scrub sinks, counter tops and pots and pans. Pour 1 cup of baking soda down a slow or clogged drain and then 1 cup of hot water. After the mixture has set for 30 minutes, allow hot water to run down the drain for 15 minutes.
Weed Control
Many weeds are killed with a 10 percent or higher concentrated vinegar, available at hardware stores. Spray the vinegar directly on the weeds or pour it onto the ground around the plant. Vinegar will burn some weeds down to the ground but not affect the root, possibly requiring another treatment when the new shoot appears. Vinegar is especially effective when poured between the cracks in parking lots, driveways or sidewalks to remove weeds.
Laundry
Vinegar has many applications when doing laundry. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle to use as a fabric softener, color brightener and to reduce static cling. Clothes are made sparkling white again by adding 1 cup of white vinegar to a large pot of water and bringing it to a boil. Drop the clothes into the pot and allow them to soak overnight; run the clothes through the wash and rinse cycles. Add 1 cup of white vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle to remove soap residue from laundry.
Cooking
Vinaigrette salad dressings improve the flavor of salad greens and there are a number of flavors available. Make basic vinaigrette by simply adding one part white vinegar to four parts olive or vegetable oil. Creamy vinaigrette is made by adding one part white vinegar to three parts oil and adding cream to the desired thickness and texture. Marinate tough cuts of meat in vinegar and seasonings, such as garlic and onion salt. Add 1 tbsp. of white vinegar to boiling stew meat or ribs to tenderize them. Stop eggshells from cracking by adding 1 tbsp. to 2 tbsp. of vinegar to the boiling water.
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