Dating back as far as 10,000 years, white vinegar is a household staple that has stood the test of time. Although the most obvious use of white vinegar is fermentation, there are in fact many ways to use white vinegar which make it a must-have for any home.
Used for cleaning, de-clogging, eliminating odours, stain removal, and pest control, white vinegar is one of the most versatile and effective, yet inexpensive, housekeeping items. Read on to discover some of the best ways to use white vinegar around your home.
Deodorising
White vinegar can be used to eliminate the smell of smoke or other unpleasant odours. Smells can linger for years if you let them, lurking in your carpets, rugs, sofas, cushions, and curtains.
Place a shallow bowl of white vinegar in a room for around a day, or until the smell dissipates. If the room is large or the smell is particularly pungent, place several bowls around the room.
If you burn your cooking or if someone smokes inside your home, it is best to combat the smoky smell quickly. Instead of or as well as placing a bowl in the room, you could moisten a cloth with white vinegar and wave it around the room.
White vinegar is also effective at removing pet odours. Simply soak the affected area or item. If the smell is particularly bad, try adding some drops of tea tree oil to the white vinegar.
To help keep your home odour-free, create a homemade spray. Make up a solution from one teaspoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and two cups of water, add the solution to a spray bottle, and spritz away!
Cleaning
One of the most common uses for white vinegar is cleaning. It is a multi-purpose cleaner that can be used on many household items, including both hard surfaces and soft furnishings.
Simply mix white vinegar and water to create a cheap and efficient cleaning solution. This is typically safer to use on more surfaces than products made specifically for cleaning, as it does not contain any harsh chemicals.
A white vinegar cleaning solution can be used to clean blinds, curtains, rugs, carpets, furniture, drains, silverware, and many more items.
De-clogging
White vinegar is great for unblocking and de-clogging pipes. Add one-third of a cup of baking soda to your drains and follow with a generous amount of white vinegar then run very hot water to ensure your pipes are cleared.
Removing stains
No matter how careful you are, stains are bound to happen, but if you act fast they are going to be easier to remove. Stains are commonly caused by sweat, wine, coffee, and grease.
You should rinse a stain immediately after it occurs, then soak the area or item in a white vinegar and water solution. Always keep a white vinegar and water solution in the house so that you can treat stains quickly.
For older or more set in or severe stains, leave them to soak overnight then scrub them in the morning with a bristle brush and dish soap.
Cooking and baking
Probably the most obvious way of using white vinegar in your home is in your kitchen, to aid in cooking and baking. White vinegar is the key to perfecting hard-boiled and poached eggs, and vegan cakes.
Adding white vinegar to the water in which you cook your hard-boiled or poached eggs will help to prevent cracks in the boiled egg shells, and to encourage poached egg whites to coagulate quickly.
Even just a teaspoon of vinegar can seriously transform vegan cakes, making them more fluffy and light than those without.
These are just some of the many ways that white vinegar can be used around your home.
If you are short on time, or would simply prefer to leave it to the professionals, you may want to consider hiring a cleaner to take care of your cleaning and ironing for you.
Time For You specialises in providing properly screened and vetted domestic cleaners to private households to provide you, our client, with more time for you.
Find a cleaner near you by simply entering your postcode, and let us take care of the cleaning, so you do not have to.
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