Baking Soda and Vinegar - An Unbeatable Combination

We've talked about the many uses for vinegar and we've talked about the many uses for baking soda, but they are even more amazing when the two are combined!

Combine vinegar and baking soda for the following uses:
1. To clean tile - combine 1/2 cup of baking soda, 1 cup of vinegar, and 1 cup of ammonia to a gallon of warm water.
2. To clean your bathtub - wipe it with vinegar, and then scour with baking soda.
3. Clean a showerhead by pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar into a sandwich bag and tying it around the shower head. Allow to soak for 1 hour after the bubbling stops.
4. Remove carpet stains by making a paste with 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1/4 cup of baking soda. Rub the paste on the stain, and allow to dry. Vacuum up the powder.
5. Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda, 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent, and just enough vinegar to create a creamy texture.
6. Clean your drains/garbage disposal by pouring 1 cup of baking soda down the drain, then 1 cup of hot vinegar. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then run hot water down the drain.
7. Clean pet accidents (or bedwetting accidents) by first blotting the area, then applying a vinegar and water solution, blot again until almost dry. Sprinkle with baking soda, allow to dry, then vacuum up the powder.
8. Remove stains from plastic and fiberglass by applying a paste made up of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water, and rinse clean.

Vinegar - The Household Staple with Hundreds of Uses! Part 2

Let the fun with vinegar continue!!  Here are some more household tips and tricks using that magical clear liquid!!

• Rid your house of ants by spraying undiluted vinegar around doorways, windowsills, appliances, or anywhere that the pests like to hang out.
• Deter fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted vinegar.
• Clean the wheel of your can opener with undiluted vinegar and a toothbrush.
• Clean shower door tracks by filling them with vinegar, let sit for an hour, rinse with hot water, and scrub the grime away.
• Clean woodwork and wood paneling with a solution of 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup vinegar, and 2 cups of warm water.
• Remove water rings from the finish of your wood with equal parts vegetable oil and vinegar, rub with the grain of the wood.
• Remove skunk odors from your pet by wiping them down with a solution of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water.
• Keep cats out of your garden by soaking a cloth in vinegar and setting it in your garden.
• Kills fleas by adding a small amount of vinegar to your pets drinking water.
• Prevent cats from eating your plants by spraying the leaves with a solution of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water.
• Keep frost off your car windows by coating them with vinegar.
• Remove winter road salt residue from your shoes, or car interior by spraying with a mixture of 1/2 vinegar and 1/2 water and blotting with a clean cloth.
• Make your own all purpose window cleaner using a few ounces of vinegar and a quart of water in a spray bottle.
• Stop bug bites from itching by applying a cotton ball soaked in vinegar.
• Soothe sun burned skin by spritzing with vinegar.
• Make nail polish last longer by wiping your nails with cotton balls dipped in vinegar.  Let dry, then apply your nail polish.
• Vinegar can be used as an antiseptic on cuts and scrapes.
• Kill weeds and grass that are growing in unwanted places by pouring undiluted vinegar on them.

Vinegar - The Household Staple with Hundreds of Uses! Part 1

Vinegar is a marvelous thing!  It really is!  This common household items has countless uses beyond use in cooking!

I've already mentioned in this post, that vinegar can be used in place of fabric softener in your laundry, but there is so much more that vinegar is useful for!

Cleaning with Vinegar:

**Please Note: Never use white distilled vinegar on marble, as the acid content of the vinegar could damage the surface**

Undiluted white distilled vinegar can be used as an all purpose cleaner.  Fill an empty spray bottle with vinegar, and use as you would an other cleanser:

• Spray counter tops and wipe clean with a rag. 
• Clean the grime from the top of the refrigerator by spraying and wiping clean with a damp rag.
• Clean grout by spraying with vinegar; let it set for 10-15 minutes and then scrub with an old toothbrush.
• Disinfect the bathroom by spraying sinks, counter tops, and cabinets with vinegar and wiping clean with a dampened cloth.
• Clean mildew and soap scum from your tub and shower by spraying with vinegar and wiping with a dampened cloth.
• Clean stained linoleum by spraying with vinegar, allow to set for 10-15 minutes and wipe up.
• Disinfect doorknobs by spraying with vinegar, and wiping dry.
• Clean a grease splattered oven door by spraying with vinegar, allow to set for 10-15 minutes with the door open, then wipe clean with a damp cloth.

A diluted vinegar solution of 1/2 distilled white vinegar, and 1/2 water can be used for many other larger tasks:

• Clean the shelves and walls in your refrigerator by wiping with a rag soaked in the vinegar solution.
• Remove stains in an aluminum pot by boiling 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the pot.
• Remove wallpaper by using a paint roller with equal parts of vinegar and hot water.  Apply to the wallpaper to saturate.
• Clean fireplace glass by wiping with a rag soaked in equal parts of vinegar and water, and then wipe dry.
• Clean glass baby bottles by filling with equal parts vinegar and hot water, let sit for an hour and scrub with a bottle brush.

Other cleaning uses:

• Deodorize your garbage disposal by freezing distilled white vinegar in ice cube trays.  Run several cubes down the disposal while running cold water.
• Clean the microwave by putting 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of water in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat to boiling in the microwave.  The steam will loosen the baked on food.  Wipe clean with a damp rag.
• Clean the inside of your dishwasher by dumping 1 cup of undiluted vinegar in it, and running a full cycle.
• Clean stains and smells from your plastic containers by wiping with a rag soaked in undiluted vinegar.
• Remove labels and stickers by covering with a rag soaked in undiluted vinegar.  Let set overnight, and the labels should slide off easily.
• Remove odors from your dishcloth by soaking it in vinegar for an hour, and then drape over a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.
• Remove buildup on faucets by wrapping them in a cloth soaked in undiluted vinegar.  Let set for a couple of hours (or overnight) and wipe clean.
• Deodorize your toilet by pouring 3 cups of undiluted vinegar into the bowl and allowing to set for 30 minutes, scrub with a toilet brush and flush.
• Clean linoleum floors by mixing 1 cup of vinegar per gallon of water, and mop.
• Remove paint splatters from windows by applying undiluted vinegar to them with a paintbrush.  Allow paint to soften, then wipe clean.
• Clean old concrete by undiluted vinegar and allow to dry before painting.
• Clean paintbrushes by soaking them in a pot of undiluted vinegar for an hour.  After soaking, heat the pot of vinegar on the stove, simmer the brushes. Rinse clean.
• To disinfect children's toys, soak them in a sink full of hot water and 1/2 cup of vinegar.
• Clean sticky grime from your scissors by wiping with a rag soaked in undiluted vinegar.

Cost Minimizing Baby Steps - Laundry

Laundry is one of those necessary evils, but there are ways to cut down on the cost of this task.  Over the course of the last few years, I've slowly added the following cost-saving methods to my laundry protocol.  While some of it does require more man power and time, it also yields sizeable cost savings over the course of a year.

Line Drying Clothes: Armed with a set of hand-me-down clothes drying racks, I began drying our laundry by hanging clothes inside rather than using the dryer.  While it was more work, and the clothes didn’t dry as fast as they do in the dryer, this simple act cut $20/month off of our electric bill.  For Christmas a few years ago, I was given an outdoor clothesline.  During warmer months (typically April-November), our laundry gets hung outside to dry. In my mind, nothing beats the fresh smell of laundry that has been dried in the fresh air and sunshine.

Vinegar as a Rinse Agent: When my daughter was an infant, we used cloth diapers.  If you’ve never used cloth diapers, you may not be aware of the laundry regimen involved.  There are specific ways to wash cloth diapers to make them last longer, and avoid getting smelly.  One of those tricks is to use white vinegar in place of fabric softener.  I was hesitant at first, because I can’t stand the smell of vinegar, but since it was recommended I gave it a try.  I was amazed at how well it worked with the diapers, and began using it with all of my laundry.  The vinegar smell fully dissipates, and clothes are left smelling fresh. For about $3 I can buy a gallon of white vinegar that lasts me for a couple of months, which is far cheaper than purchasing fabric softener.

Wash in Cold Water: With certain exceptions (whites, towels, and bed linens), all of our laundry is washed and rinsed in cold water.  For sanitary purposes, the above mentioned exceptions still get washed in hot water. 

Homemade Laundry Detergent:  For a small upfront investment, the cost savings overtime of making your own laundry detergent can be huge!  The recipe that I use for laundry detergent is listed below.  Each batch yields about 2 gallons of detergent.  I simply saved some old laundry detergent containers, and reused them for my homemade detergent.  A box of Washing Soda costs about $10.  A box of Borax costs about $10.  A bar of Fels Naptha costs about $2.  In the two years that I’ve been making my own detergent, I’m still using the same boxes of Washing Soda and Borax! 

Hot water
1/2 cup Washing Soda
1/2 cup Borax
1/3 bar Soap (grated) – I use Fels Naptha

• In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.
• In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.
• Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring before each use (will gel).

While the Fels Naptha does give the detergent a nice clean scent, if you prefer a stronger smell you can add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to the mix before adding water.