The magical powers that vinegar holds that you may have never heard of before!
The following information found in the book Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky.
After reading through this book I found that several of the suggested uses of vinegar were similar to those that I had grown up with, such as making vinaigrette, clearing hard water stains and as a preservative. However, the following uses of vinegar were unknown to me and I knew I had to share them!
Cooking
The book; Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky, suggests adding about a tablespoon or so of vinegar to the water when boiling or steaming certain vegetables (cauliflower, beets, etc.). It says that by adding vinegar to the water the color of the vegetables will keep, the taste will be improved and the “gassy elements” will be reduced! Sounds like a vegetable win to me!
Cleaning the kitchen
The book goes on to various ways that vinegar can be used (diluted by water or undiluted) in an assortment of ways to clean or deodorize different areas of the kitchen. One that I felt was worth sharing is the tip on using vinegar down the kitchen drain. Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky says to “clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then 1 cup hot vinegar. (Your microwave is perfect for heating the vinegar). Let this sit for five minutes or so then run hot water down the drain”.
Cleaning the bathroom
Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky explains how to make your own bathroom deodorizing spray using vinegar! The book states to “freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 tablespoon vinegar and 1 cup of water. (Any empty, clean spray dispenser will do.) Shake the spray bottle well after the mixture stops foaming”.
General Household
Some suggestions for the general home that I found particularly interesting involved using vinegar on the fireplace! Now, we do not currently have a fireplace in our home, but we have always talked about installing one so these tips will be handy for the future!
One suggestion states to “scrub the fireplace bricks with undiluted vinegar to remove soot and grime. Use a brush to scrub and a towel to blot up the wetness and dirt”.
Another suggests “cleaning fireplace glass doors with a solution of 1 part vinegar to two parts water. Spray or wipe on, then wipe clean with a dry cloth”.
Laundry
In the book; Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky it explains that vinegar can also be added to a load of laundry. More specifically, it states to “add about 1⁄4 cup vinegar to the last rinse in just about any kind of laundry. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, yet strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents. Besides removing soap, vinegar prevents yellowing, acts as a fabric softener and static cling reducer and attacks mold and mildew”.
Personal care
Interestingly enough there are personal care uses for vinegar as well!
Beauty
The book suggests using equal parts vinegar and water solution to help tone your facial skin!
Grooming
It also suggests using 1 cup vinegar and 2 cups water to rinse through hair after shampooing to help condition it, add shining highlights and even fight dandruff!
These may be only a few of the over 400 uses for vinegar that are described in the book, I believe they are some of the more universally needed. For the full book of uses look for Vinegar: over 400 various, versatile, and very good uses you’ve probably never thought of written by Vicki Lansky in your local bookstore or library!
