10 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do with Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar’s acidity and natural properties as a disinfectant have made it a household cleaning staple for generations. In fact, vinegar has more uses around the house than most people even realize. Check out these 10 brilliant hacks that make use of this non-toxic, all-natural ingredient to achieve a cleaner, healthier home.

5 Uses for Vinegar in the Kitchen

1. Eliminate grease. Tackling some particularly tough grease on a dish? Amp up some hot soapy water with a tablespoon of vinegar to cut through the grease and deliver sparkling results.
2. Clean your dishwasher. To prevent soap residue from building up in your dishwasher, add 1 cup of vinegar to a complete cycle on a monthly basis. (This will also help remove spots on your glassware!)
3. Clean your microwave. If grime is clinging to the interior of your microwave oven, microwave a mixture of 1 cup of water, a ¼ cup of vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice long enough to create ample steam. As the mixture steams, it will start to break down the grime and make it easy to wipe away with a clean rag.
4. Shine stainless steel. If your stainless steel sink or cookware is getting spotty, polish it with a clean rag that’s damp with vinegar to restore its shine.
5. Freshen up a kitchen drain. You can combat a smelly sink by pouring 1 cup of vinegar down the drain on a weekly basis. Make sure to wait at least half an hour before running any water.

3 Uses for Vinegar in the Laundry Room

1. Clean your washing machine. To freshen up your washing machine and break down soap residue, add 1 cup of vinegar to your washing machine, and let it run through a regular cycle without any clothes.
2. Eliminate stains. Forget Oxiclean. If there’s a stubborn stain on your favorite shirt, rub vinegar into the stain to make it easier for your washing machine to remove. Afterward, wash the garment in the highest heat that the fabric can tolerate.
3. Brighten colors. Adding a ½ cup of vinegar to your washing machine’s rinse cycle will help bring out the colors in your clothing and remove lint as well.

 2 Uses for Vinegar in the Bathroom

1. Eliminate mineral build-up on plumbing fixtures. Faucets and showerheads can become clogged with calcified minerals, but soaking them overnight in vinegar can cause the minerals to dissolve. You may need to tie a plastic bag full of vinegar onto plumbing fixtures that you can’t remove so that they can be soaked properly.
2. Clean glass shower doors. To eliminate the hard water spots and soap residue on your shower door, wipe the glass with a vinegar-soaked sponge or cloth. Rinsing is not recommended.