Vinegar offers sweet success in cleaning chores
In this week’s article I thought I would explore vinegar. As a kid, my mom and grandma used vinegar for everything. Below are a few tips I think you may find beneficial in your daily life:
• Ring around the tub — Mix one to one ratio of white vinegar and olive oil. Apply it with a soft cloth using light pressure in w circular motion. The ring should come right off.
• Decal remover — Soak a sponge with warm vinegar. Let it sit on the decal for several minutes and then wipe with a soft cloth. The decal should come right off. If not let it soak longer.
• Brass cleaner — Mix baking soda or salt and vinegar into a paste. Use the paste to clean your brass, copper and bronze items. Once the brass or copper is clean, coat it with a light coat of Tung oil. It really cuts down on the cleaning frequency.
• Black stains in aluminum pots — Boil white vinegar in the stained pot making sure the stain is covered during the boiling.
• Great grease cutter — Put one cap full of vinegar in your dishwasher when cleaning greasy pots. It will cut that grease right off!
• Lime buildup — For coffee pots, teakettles and glass wear that has lime buildup, just soak the item in vinegar and the lime will disappear.
• Shower heads — Does your shower head spray in 12 different directions? Get a small plastic bag and put one cup of white vinegar in to it. Pull the bag over the shower head and attack it using a rubber band. Let it soak for about 30 minutes. I usually let it soak overnight before I remove it. After you remove the bag, rinse the shower head thoroughly making sure all of the debris has washed away.
• Cement remover — For those of us who work with cement, try cleaning your hands with white vinegar when you come home. The cement will come right off.
• Flea problems — Wash your pet with cider vinegar. Just add one teaspoon to your washing solution and fleas will run off your pet.
• Weed killer — Pour straight vinegar into your drive way cracks where the weeds are. You will be surprised at how fast they die away.
• Brighten up clothing — Add 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar to your rinse water.
If you want to set cloth color after dying, add 1 cup of white vinegar to the final rinse.
• Morning sickness — I’ve been told that if you pour 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink it the sickness will go away.
• Indigestion — When I have indigestion I pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass filled with water. It works great for me, try it, it may work for you.
When cleaning with any cleaning product, always wear eye protection and rubber gloves to protect your hands. If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (208-255-2266) or toll free at 1-877-311-NWES. E-mail them to nwees@hughes. net or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St. , Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed do? For more information about Ed’s company, check him out at www.nwesinc.com
Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation contractor. Ed is the president of Northwest Executive & Environmental Services, Inc.