Vinegar articles - Uses for Vinegar - Continued

Uses in the bathroom

If your showerhead seems to be sputtering, a buildup of mineral deposits may be clogging the holes.  Do not but a new showerhead if you have some vinegar in the kitchen.  Place the showerhead in a pot and add enough vinegar to cover it well.  Heat the vinegar to just below boiling, then turn off the heat, and let the showerhead soak for about eight hours.  As it sits, the acid in the vinegar will eat away the deposits.  Rinse the showerhead, and it is ready to use.  You can use vinegar to clean the outside of your toilet and around the base of the toilet to keep it fresh.  If your radiator has a clogged valve, clean it with vinegar.  First, shut off the valve then turn it counterclockwise to remove it.  Place the valve in a pan of vinegar and boil it on top of the stove for twenty minutes.  By then, the calcium deposits blocking the valve will have dissolved.  You can also wipe your windows squeaky clean with a little vinegar on a clean cotton rag.  You will get a clear streak free finish.

Sometimes you need a little extra oomph to clean a dirty surface.  No problem if you have vinegar.  Sprinkle two tablespoons salt in a bowl and add two teaspoons of vinegar or enough to make a paste.  Use the mixture as a scouring powder, applying it with a sponge.  It is gentle and effective and produces no unpleasant or hazardous fumes.  You can use this mixture on your bathroom tile to get between the cracks and it will clean and deodorize as it cleans.  Vinegar will clean tile and Formica shower walls and inhibit the growth of mold and mildew there.  It is less expensive than the store bought cleaners.