Vinegar articles - Practical Uses of Vinegar

There are many practical uses for vinegar that you can take advantage of everyday.  Using vinegar in place of some of the other chemicals that you may have been buying could save you some time and money.

Rinse your hands liberally with vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin.  Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.  You can also use vinegar to keep ants away from your walks and doors, or even near your appliances.  It is safe and chemical free for children and pets. 

For your car, you can use vinegar to polish your chrome.  Just apply full strength with a soft cloth.  Keep your car windows frost-free when you coat the windows the night before with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.  On other things outside the house, you can use vinegar to remove rust on screws.  The trick is to put the metal objects in a container and cover with vinegar, seal the container and shake, let it stand over night or for 24 hours. 

White vinegar is also a solvent for most glue.  To dissolve any unwanted glue bonds, simple apply vinegar to the glued area and let sit until the bond becomes weak.  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.  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, there is minimal wood-warpage.  Wiping down clean metal surfaces with a vinegar solution, one part vinegar to five parts water, preps the surface for painting, and reduces the incidence of peeling. 

You can use vinegar to remove wallpaper.  First, remove the top layer wallpaper.  Then spray vinegar on and let set for a minute or two.  Then pull backing away.  Scrape the excess glue off of the wall.  Wipe the remaining glue off with vinegar and rinse it well with water.  You do not have to use harsh chemicals and this way is much cheaper.