I am a vinegar fanatic. I use it pretty much everyday for many different uses.  Whether it’s cleaning, in my laundry, or cooking, I feel it is one of the most versatile products on the planet. The best part is that it isn’t expensive either.  These recipes all include white distilled vinegar.

50 Uses for Vinegar

Car

• Keep your car windows frost free by mixing 3 parts vinegar to one part water and spraying on your windshield.

Cleaning

• Use  as a window cleaner (see our recipe)
• Clean your mouse & computer keyboard.
• Place one cup in a bowl and use as a room deodorizer.
• Clean your blinds.
• Shine your silver by soaking it in a mixture of 1/2 C white vinegar and 2 1/2 Tbs. of baking soda) for at least 2 1/2 hours.
• Use to clean to commode by pouring 2-3 cups overnight and letting it soak. Clean with a toilet bowl brush in the morning.
• Mold & mildew remover- Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar to make this home cleaning solution. Just spray and wipe down!
• Remove stickers by soaking in vinegar and using a razor (or credit card) to scrape off.
• Remove bumper stickers with the same application.
• Remove wall paper with equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Allow it to soak for 20 minutes. Use a razor or wall paper scraper to remove after spraying.
• Carpet Cleaner- Combine vinegar and baking soda to make a paste. Use a toothbrush to clean the soiled carpet areas and allow to dry. Then, sweep up with a vacuum.
• Shower Curtain- When you wash the shower curtain in the washer, just add 1 C of vinegar to wash cycle to eliminate mold/mildew.
• Coffee pot cleaner- Run 3 parts vinegar and 1 part water through a cycle to clean parts (if you own a Keurig or other coffee machine, check with the manufacturer first!).
• Clean garbage disposal by freezing vinegar into ice cubes and running through disposal.
• Clean drain by pouring vinegar down drain and allowing to soak.
• Clean dishwasher once a month by running vinegar instead of soap through a whole cycle.
• Clean the refrigerator with equal parts water and vinegar to deodorize and clean.
• Clean stainless steal with indiluted vinegar.
• Place 1 C of water and 1 C of vinegar in the microwave and cook on high for 4 minutes. Then cleaning is so easy!
• Soak a sponge in 1 C of vinegar and place in the microwave for 2 minutes. This will sanitize the sponge!
• Clean shower head by soaking in vinegar overnight or placing a plastic bag over shower head overnight.
• Combine 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water in spray bottle and use to clean shower doors or as a daily shower cleaner.

Cooking

• Mix with oil to use on salads.
• Add 2 Tbs. of vinegar to water when boiling eggs to keep them from cracking.
• Tenderize meat by soaking it in vinegar (1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar) for every 2lbs. and let it soak overnight.
• Brighten Easter Eggs by adding vinegar to water before adding color.  Mix 1 tsp. of vinegar with 1/2 C hot water then add coloring.

Gardening

• Kills weeks by completely saturating them to the root with vinegar.
• Kill grass by completely saturating with vinegar, then covering with a garbage bag (or any other covering material) and let sit for a few days. Use bricks to secure garbage bag.
• Place vinegar as a pest repellent around edges of garden.
• Soak corn cobs in vinegar and use to deter rabbits.
• Soak garden tools in 1/2 diluted vinegar to remove fungus.
• Use 1 C Vinegar and 4 liters of tap water to increase acidity in soil around plants.
• Use vinegar in a spray bottle as a bug repellent for plants.

Household

•  Unclog drains by pouring 1/4  C baking soda and 1/2 C vinegar to drain to unclog.
• Get rid of household odors by allowing a small pot of vinegar to simmer on the stove.
• Deodorize a lunch box by soaking a slice of bread in vinegar overnight and place it in lunchbox. Wipe clean in the morning.
• Remove wax with equal parts of vinegar and water and a damp cloth. BEFORE this, you can use an iron to melt the wax and wipe away with a paper towel.
• Spray thresholds with vinegar to deter ants.

Laundry

(Check with your manufacturer to make sure you can use vinegar in your washing machine!)

• Add 1 1/2 C Vinegar to rinse cycle with white clothes to keep them bright.
• Add 1/2 C to last rinse cycle to use as a fabric softener.
• Rub stains with white vinegar to use as a stain lifter.
• Add 1/2 C white vinegar to wash cycle with new clothes to get rid of stiffness or with any load to protect colors from fading.
• Run an empty laundry cycle with 1 C vinegar to clean washing machine.

Personal Care

• Add 1 C vinegar to hair after shampooing as a natural conditioner.
• Clean dentures by soaking them overnight in vinegar, then brush.
• Get rid of toenail fungus. Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and place on toenail for 5 minutes daily.  It will eventually grow out.

Pets

• Pour 1/2 inch into empty kitty litter pan to remove odors. Let set for 15 minutes until washing thoroughly. After it is dried, sprinkle baking soda into pan then add litter.
• Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and apply to dog’s coat. This will act as a flea repellent.

Check out our other DIY/Frugal Posts!

DIY Baby WipesDIY Ice Melt (Safe For Pets)
Hydrogen Peroxide Miracle Cleaner
Homemade Laundry Detergent
Homemade Fabric Softener Crystals
Hydrogen Peroxide & Dawn Miracle Cleaner
DIY Homemade Window Cleaner
DIY Homemade Fabric Softener
DIY Homemade Febreeze Spray
DIY Foaming Hand Soap
How to Reuse Your Swiffer Wet Jet Bottle
How to Reuse Your Windex Touch-Up Pump
Organize Your Home in 30 Minutes or Less: 35 Days to an Organized Home
FREE Bathtub Toy Scoop
Homemade Ice Pack