For "Foodie Friday":
"There are many ways that vinegar can be used inside and outside your home to cut your cleaning costs and aid in your everyday chores?
Read on for more helpful hints in how vinegar can make your life a little simpler. These tips and ideas include uses that involve the hard to handle stains, smells, and animal uses as well.
Clay pots
Do you love to garden but hate the mess and the scrubbing of cleaning pots? Clay pots will easily come clean when you use a mixture of ½ water and ½ vinegar in your sink or bucket, soak the pot for about two hours, and then just wipe the pots dry! No scrubbing needed. Wash the pots and their saucers with warm soapy water.
Flies
Do you find flies annoying when you are out at the pool? Pour vinegar the entire way around the edge of your pool (not in the water) to keep flies away from this area!
Horses
Do you have horses but hate the way the flies are always hanging around? Use about ¼ cup of vinegar in the grain once a day at feeding time and the flies will keep away from the horses!
Campers
Are you a camper? Are you always on the go? Did you know that gasoline and propane lantern mantles last longer and burn brighter on the same amount of fuel if they are soaked for several hours in distilled vinegar and allowed to dry before using.
Chickens
If you have chickens, use vinegar to clean out the water containers to keep mold from growing! Simply soak with vinegar for about five minutes then rinse with water.
Rabbits
If you have rabbits, use vinegar to clean out the water containers to keep mold from growing! Simply soak with vinegar for about five minutes then rinse with water. This also works with the water bottle that you hang in the pen.
Mosquitoes
Do you have a problem with mosquitoes? Drink a couple of spoonfuls of vinegar daily to fight off these unwanted pests. But do note, your perspiration will be unpleasant during the day you drink vinegar.
Car sick
Do you or your kids get carsick? To clean up vomit in the car while removing the odor as well, use a mixture of ¾ vinegar and ¼ water. Spray on the affected area and wipe with a damp cloth.
Grass killer
Do you have grass growing in areas where it shouldn’t be, like between rocks or in a driveway? Try this; pour hot vinegar on the grass once daily for three days and the weeds will die without the use of hard chemicals.
Frost preventer
When you have to leave your car outside overnight in the winter, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and coat the windows with this solution. This vinegar and water combination will keep windshields ice and frost-free.
Ice remover
If you have problems with frost and ice on your windshield in the winter months, keep a spray bottle of vinegar in the car, and spray your windshield, watch the ice and frost just melt away. This works quickly, when you don’t have time to wait for your car to ‘thaw out’ to see and drive carefully!
Bug remover
When you are driving do you often have bugs hit your windshield? Keeping your windshield clean is difficult but using about 3 cups of vinegar in your washer reservoir in the summer months gives you the added bonus of getting bugs off fast.
Septic tanks
Are you a homeowner and you use a septic tank? Instead of using costly and harsh chemicals in your septic tank, use vinegar. Flushing vinegar down the toilet will work its way into your septic tank, and will keep germs down to a minimum. This also helps keep your toilet clean from hard water stains!
Stains on concrete
If you have stains on your concrete, pour some vinegar on the concrete, and let it sit overnight. Hose off with water and be amazed at how clean your concrete is!
Azaleas
Are you a garden lover, and azaleas are on your list? Water your azalea plants once a month with a quart of water with about ½ cup of vinegar added. Vinegar is very acidic and they will grow with this extra touch. Plants that love the same mixture with vinegar are rhododendrons and gardenias!
Cut flowers
Vases love to hold flowers, but fresh cut flowers often won’t last long in a vase. Use two tablespoons of vinegar with three tablespoons of sugar in your vase for your next batch of fresh flowers to make your flowers last extra long!
Milking equipment
Farmers can use vinegar to neutralize and clean their milking equipment. The vinegar will leave the system odorless and bacteria free without using harmful chemicals.
Car chrome
There are not many cars that are made today that have a lot of chrome on them, but do you know how to keep your chrome clean? You can polish chrome with full strength vinegar for a clean shine.
Outdoor carpets
Indoor and outdoor carpet alike can be treated with vinegar if your pet has made urine stains. Blot the top of the carpet, and treat with cool vinegar and water mixture. Be careful, using hot water, as hot water sets a stain in carpet.
Bug killer
Love fresh vegetables picked from the garden but you don’t like the bugs that come with it? Wash vegetables with vinegar and salt and watch the bugs’ just float away leaving you clean ready to eat vegetables!
Scale fish
Does the avid fisherman live in your home? If you have to scale a fish, rub vinegar on the fish five minutes before you are ready to begin and you will find the process much easier!
Keep cats away
Keep cats away from your flower garden by sprinkling vinegar all around your flowerbed. While keeping cats away, you will keep ants away and promote the acid level for your flowers!
Dogs scratching
If your dog is always scratching at his ears, you can help you pet easy! Clean the inside of the dogs ears with a soft cloth dipped in ½ water and ½ vinegar to help stop ear wax, and to chase little bugs away!
Fleas
Do you have a problem with fleas on your pets? Add a little vinegar to their drinking water to deter fleas from infesting your favorite pet.
Chickens
Farmers use apple vinegar in their drinking water for chickens to keep them from pecking at each other.
Showing animals
If you like to show your horse or dog, spraying vinegar on their coat gives them an extra shine. This is a great alternative to the expensive show products available.
Pet skin infections
If your cat or dog has a skin infection rinse them in vinegar after their weekly bath to promote healing and cut bacteria growth.
Sandboxes
To keep cats away from a small child’s sandbox pour vinegar around the perimeter of the sandbox weekly. Reapply if you notice the cat trying to get back in the sand box, but this trick works wonders at keeping bugs and pests away as well!
Dog training
If you have a puppy or dog that you are trying to train to be quiet, get a squirt gun, fill it with water and a dab of vinegar, and when the dog is noisy, squirt him. The smell of vinegar helps to let the dog ‘know’ that he should not bark.
Furniture
Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Try in an inconspicuous place first.
Cleaning Leather Shoes
Make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar, and use it sparingly on the shoes. Dip a cloth into the solution, and dab it over the salt-streaked parts of your shoes.
May have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is removed. Salt actually can damage leather, so it's best to clean shoes as quickly as possible. Don't let the salt stains build up.
Fireplaces
Wash fireplaces with a 50/50 ratio of water and vinegar to remove the blackened soot on glass front doors. If the doors have a spring-loaded clip, remove it, then take out the doors. Lay them flat on newspapers, spray with the vinegar/water solution and soak. Wipe it off with newspaper.
Cleaner for Gold Jewelry (Winner of June 2007 Vinegar Online Use Contest)
Use one cup apple cider vinegar. Submerge solid gold jewelry item in vinegar for 15 minutes. Remove and dry with cloth.
Household Hints:
Floors
No-wax floors:
To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water.
Carpet stain removal:
A mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar in a pint of lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be done as soon as the stain is discovered.
Windows & Walls
Streakless windows:
Simply wash with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. This solution will make your windows gleam and will not leave the usual film or streaks on the glass.
Washing woodwork:
You can ease the job of washing painted walls, woodwork and Venetian blinds by using a mixture of 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white distilled or cider vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda with 1 gallon of warm water. Wipe this solution over walls or blinds with a sponge or cloth and rinse with clear water. Dirt and grime comes off easily and the solution will not dull the painted finish or leave streaks.
Water or alcohol marks on wood:
Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for the best results.
Kitchen
Garbage disposal cleaner:
Garbage disposals may be kept clean and odor free with vinegar cubes. Vinegar cubes are made by filling an ice tray with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray and then freezing it. Run the mixture through the disposal, and then flush it with cold water for a minute or so.
Coffee maker cleaner (automatic):
White distilled vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers from hard water. Fill the reservoir with white distilled vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished. (Be sure to check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.)
Clean the microwave:
Boil a solution of 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.
Deodorize the kitchen drain:
Pour a cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
Clean the refrigerator:
Wash with a solution of equal parts water and white distilled vinegar.
Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards:
Wipe with full strength white distilled vinegar.
Brass polish:
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.
Ant deterrent:
Ant invasions can sometimes be deterred by washing counter tops, cabinets and floors with white distilled vinegar.
Getting Rid of Fruit Flies/Gnats in Your Kitchen
Place a bowl filled with ½ quart water, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap to attract the fruit flies. Always eliminate the source of attraction, i.e., ripened produce.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
Apply vinegar with a soft cloth to remove streaks from stainless steel appliances. Try in an inconspicuous place first.
Cleaner Dishes and Glasses
Pour 1 ½ cup to 2 cups white distilled vinegar in the bottom of dishwasher, along with regular dishwasher soap. Wash full cycle.
Remove Refrigerator Smells
Place 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a glass and set in refrigerator. Within 2 days, any smell is gone!
Bathroom
Bathtub film:
Bathtub film can be removed by wiping with white distilled vinegar and then with soda. Rinse clean with water.
Shower doors:
Rub down shower doors with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar to remove soap residue.
Toilet bowl cleaner:
Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.
Unclog the showerhead:
Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or faucets by soaking them in white distilled vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.
Lawn/Garden
Kill grass:
To kill grass on sidewalks and driveways, pour full strength white distilled vinegar on it.
Kill weeds:
Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.
Increase soil acidity:
In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.
Neutralize garden lime:
Rinse your hands liberally with white distilled vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin. Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.
Keep Flowers Longer
Keep flowers fresh longer. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a 1-quart vase of water. Trim stems and change water every five days.
Plant Nutrients
Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:8. Mix a separate solution of sugar and water in a mixture of 1:8. Combine the vinegar and sugar mixtures. Add to plant as long as needed.
Pets
Pest fighter:
A teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each quart bowl of drinking water helps keep your pet free of fleas and ticks. The ratio of one teaspoon to one quart is for a forty-pound animal.
Pet accident:
Test the color fastness of the carpet with white distilled vinegar in an inconspicuous place. Then sprinkle distilled vinegar over the fresh pet accident. Wait a few minutes and sponge from the center outward. Blot up with a dry cloth. This procedure may need to be repeated for stubborn stains.
Get Rid of Odor on a Smelly Dog
Wet the dog down with fresh water. Use a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 2 gallons water. Saturate the dog’s coat with this solution. Dry the dog off without rinsing the solution. The smell will be gone!
Other
Worn DVDs:
If you have a worn DVD that has begun to stick or suffers from the occasional freeze-frame, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth. Ensure the DVD is completely dry before re-inserting in the DVD player. (Note: This only works on DVDs that are scratched or dirty through normal wear.)
Bumper stickers:
Remove bumper stickers by repeatedly wiping the sticker with white distilled vinegar until it is soaked. In a few minutes, it should peel off easily. Test on a small invisible area of the car to ensure there will be no damage to the paint.
Paintbrush softener:
Soak the paintbrush in hot white distilled vinegar, and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.
Cleaning the Radiator Vent
Turn down the thermostat. Unscrew the air vent, soak it in vinegar to clean it, then turn the thermostat all the way up. After a few minutes, you'll hear a hissing sound followed by a little bit of water spurting out. Finally, steam will start exiting that hole. Turn off the radiator valve and replace the vent. It should be straight up and hand tight. You should not need or use a wrench.
Furniture
Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Try in an inconspicuous place first.
Cleaning Leather Shoes
Make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar, and use it sparingly on the shoes. Dip a cloth into the solution, and dab it over the salt-streaked parts of your shoes.
May have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is removed. Salt actually can damage leather, so it's best to clean shoes as quickly as possible. Don't let the salt stains build up.
Remove Lime Stains from Car
Pour a small amount of white vinegar on a clean cloth. Gently rub the area of lime staining with the cloth until the stain is gone. Test a small are first to ensure no discoloration.
Laundry Hints
Wine stains:
Spots caused by wine can be removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester and permanent press fabrics if done so within 24 hours. To do it, sponge white distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean according to the directions on the manufacturer's care tag.
Freshen baby clothes:
The addition of 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to each load of baby clothes during the rinse cycle will naturally break down uric acid and soapy residue leaving the clothes soft and fresh.
Clothes washing magic:
Clothes will rinse better if 1 cup of white distilled vinegar is added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, but strong enough to dissolve the alkalis in soaps and detergents.
Blanket renewal:
Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and free of soap odor if 2 cups of white distilled vinegar are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.
Deodorant stains:
Deodorant and antiperspirant stains may be removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with white distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.
Hole removal:
After a hem or seam is removed, there are often unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.
Keeping colors fast:
To hold colors in fabrics, which tend to run, soak them for a few minutes in white distilled vinegar before washing.
Leather cleaning:
Leather articles can be cleaned with a mixture of white distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.
Scorch marks:
Lightly rub white distilled vinegar on fabric that has been slightly scorched. Wipe with a clean cloth.
Setting colors:
When you are color dyeing, add about a cupful of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse water to help set the color.
Shower curtains:
Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse water when you launder your shower curtain. Do not spin dry or wash out. Just hang immediately to dry.
Unclog steam iron:
Pour equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water into the iron's water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.
Clean a scorched iron plate:
Heat equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
Cleaning Vintage Lace
Soak the lace in cold water, rinsing it several times. Next, hand-wash the lace gently with a wool detergent, such as Woolite. If rust spots are a problem, try removing them with a mixture of white vinegar and hot water.
Food Preparation
Getting the last drops:
When you can’t get the last bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, try dribbling a little of your favorite vinegar into it, put the cap on tightly and shake well. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve been wasting.
Cooking fish:
Try soaking fish in vinegar and water before cooking it. It will be sweeter, more tender and hold its shape better. When boiling or poaching fish, a tablespoon of vinegar added to the water will keep it from crumbling so easily.
Cake icing:
Cake icing can be prevented from becoming sugary if a little vinegar is added to the ingredients before cooking. The same is true when making homemade candy.
Boiling eggs:
When boiling an egg and it’s cracked, a little vinegar in the water will keep the white from running out.
Keeping potatoes white:
A teaspoon of white distilled or cider vinegar added to the water in which you boil potatoes will keep them nice and white. You can keep peeled potatoes from turning dark by covering them with water and adding 2 teaspoons of vinegar.
Freshen vegetables:
Freshen up slightly wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water and vinegar.
Fruit and vegetable wash:
Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to 1 pint water and use to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly. Research has shown that vinegar helps kill bacteria on fruits and vegetables.
Frying doughnuts:
Before frying doughnuts, add ½ teaspoon of vinegar to hot oil to prevent doughnuts soaking up extra grease. Use caution when adding the vinegar to the hot oil.
Flavor booster:
Perk up a can of soup, gravy or sauce with a teaspoon of your favorite specialty vinegar. It adds flavor and taster fresher.
Meat tenderizer:
As a tenderizer for tough meat or game, make a marinade in the proportion of half a cup of your favorite vinegar to a cup of heated liquid, such as bouillon; or for steak, you may prefer to a mix of vinegar and oil, rubbed in well and allowed to stand for two hours.
Fruit stains:
Remove fruit or berry stains from your hands by cleaning them with vinegar.
Fresh lunch box:
It is easy to take out the heavy stale smell often found in lunch boxes. Dampen a piece of fresh bread with white distilled vinegar and leave it in the lunch box overnight.
Get rid of cooking smells:
Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.
Fluffy Egg Whites
Soak a paper towel with 1-2 Tablespoons of white distilled vinegar. Wipe mixing bowl and beaters or whisk with the vinegar-soaked paper towel, then dry with a cloth or paper towel prior to whipping egg whites.
Fluffier Rice
For fluffier and great tasting rice, add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water before adding rice. Rice will be easier to spoon and less sticky.
Health
Relief from Heartburn
For relief of heartburn or acid indigestion, take one or two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine for Sleep Apnea:
To clean the calcium deposit of the humidifier reservoir, heat 450 ml (1 ¾ cups) of vinegar in the microwave for 2 minutes. Pour vinegar into reservoir and replace cap. Let sit for 1 hour. Remove vinegar. Reservoir should be clean and calcium free. Contact manufacturer before cleaning with this method or review manufacturer’s directions.
Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting:
Douse with vinegar. It will soothe irritation and relieve itching.
Relieve sunburn:
Lightly rub white distilled or cider vinegar on skin. Reapply as needed.
Relieve dry and itchy skin:
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.
Fight dandruff:
After shampooing, rinse with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
Soothe a sore throat:
Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow. For another great gargle: 1 cup hot water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vinegar, gargle then drink.
Treat sinus infections and chest colds:
Add 1/4 cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer. (Be sure to check vaporizer instructions for additional water measurement.)
Skin burns:
Apply ice-cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters.
Chest congestion:
To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.
Toenail fungus:
Soak toes in a solution of vinegar and water, using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.
Arthritis Relief
Mix a teaspoon of half apple cider vinegar, half honey in a glass of water with a teaspoon of orange flavored Knox gelatin.
Lessen Morning Sickness
Drink some apple cider vinegar in water, with honey added. This concoction can help calm a queasy stomach.
Stop Itching
Apply a paste made from vinegar and cornstarch. Keep on until itch disappears.
Cleaning Heavily Soiled Hands
Moisten cornmeal with apple cider vinegar. Scrub hands, rinse in cold water and pat dry.
Soft Feet
Combine 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 2 gallons warm water. Soak feet for 45 minutes then use a pumice stone or file to remove dead skin from heels and callused areas of feet.
Wart Remover
Mix lukewarm/warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar. Immerse area with wart and soak 20 minutes everyday until wart disappears.
Bug Spray
Combine equal amounts of water, white distilled vinegar and liquid dish soap in a spray bottle. Use on skin, as needed.
Kids Stuff
Coloring Easter eggs:
Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with each ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. (Check egg-coloring booklets or food dye box for specific directions.) Vinegar keeps the food dyes bright and prevents streaky, uneven colors.
Making naked eggs:
Place eggs in a container so the eggs are not touching. Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Cover the container, put in the refrigerator and let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 24 hours. Use a large spoon to scoop the eggs out of the container. Be careful since the eggshell has been dissolving, the egg membrane may be the only thing holding the egg together. Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. If any of the membranes have broken, throw those eggs away. When you’re done, you’ll have an egg without a shell.
How to build a volcano:
First, make the “cone” of the volcano. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (more water may be added if needed). Stand a soda bottle in a baking pan and mold the dough around it into a volcano shape. Do not cover the hole or drop dough into it. Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food color (can be done before sculpting if you do not take so long that the water gets cold). Add 6 drops of detergent to the bottle contents. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid. Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. Watch out – eruption time!
Berry Ink & Quill Pens
Berry ink ingredients:
½ C. Ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, elderberries, raspberries, etc.)
½ Tsp. Vinegar
½ Tsp. Salt
Fill a strainer with the berries and hold it over a bowl. Using the rounded back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the strainer so that the berry juice strains into the bowl. Keep adding berries until most of their juice has been strained out and only pulp remains. Add the salt and vinegar to the berry juice. The vinegar helps the ink retain its color and the salt keeps it from getting too moldy. If the berry ink is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Store in a baby food jar. Only make a small amount of berry ink at a time and, when not in use, keep it tightly covered.
Quill pen ingredients:
A large feather (find your own or purchase one from a craft store)
Craft knife
Paper
Berry ink
Paper towels
Use a craft knife to cut the tip of the feather at an angle. Carefully, cut a slit in the tip. Dip the feather into the berry ink. Dab the end on a paper towel. Repeat as needed. Now, write your masterpiece just like the pioneers did!
*The uses and tips described on this Web site were drawn from a variety of sources, including consumer suggestions, articles and other published sources. These uses and tips have not been tested or documented by, and are not endorsed by, the Institute or its members."
From: http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html
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Vinegar: Great On Salad, Hard On Minerals
"Our kitchen faucet is one of those combo faucets that is both a regular flow and a sprayer on an extension that pulls out so you can get everything wet within six feet of the sink. When we purchased our coach the sprayer had only about seven working squirt holes (sprayers) due to mineralization. To solve this problem I simply soaked the faucet/sprayer in a cup of vinegar overnight. Do the same with your bathroom faucet screen (you'll have to unscrew the retaining tip to get the bathroom faucet screen out). Vinegar dissolved the mineral build-up on my kitchen faucet and now it works like new.
Vinegar is also a great solution to use for general purpose cleaning. You can clean just about anything with vinegar reducing the amount of cleaning supplies you need to carry in your RV. Just put about 1/8th portion of vinegar to water in a spray bottle and use it like you would Windex on windows, Spic-n-Span on bathrooms and floors or for brushing your teeth (just kidding about that, but hey, if you have a mineral build-up in there…) I hear that vinegar makes a good salad dressing too." Jim
Hey Jim....hopefully I can fit all of this in here about Vinegar..I got it from a friend a long time ago & saved....here goes":
"Sixty Uses Of Vinegar:
Here are some uses for vinegar:
1. Arthritis tonic and treatment; 2 spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar and honey in a glass of water several times daily.
2. Thirst-quenching drink: apple cider vinegar mixed with cold water.
3. Sagging cane chairs: sponge them with a hot solution of half vinegar and half water. Place the chairs out in the hot sun to dry.
4. Skin burns: apply ice cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters.
5. Add a spoonful of vinegar to cooking water to make cauliflower white and clean.
6. Storing cheese: keep it fresh longer by wrapping it in a vinegar-soaked cloth and keeping it in a sealed container.
7. Remove stains from stainless steel and chrome with a vinegar-dampened cloth.
8. Rinse glasses and dishes in water and vinegar to remove spots and film.
9. Prevent grease build-up in your oven by frequently wiping it with vinegar.
10. Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mold producing bacteria.
11. To eliminate mildew, dust and odors, wipe down walls with vinegar-soaked cloth.
12. Clean windows with vinegar and water.
13. Hardened paint brushes: simmer in boiling vinegar and wash in hot soapy water.
14. Clean breadbox and food containers with vinegar-dampened cloth to keep fresh-smelling and clean.
15. Pour boiling vinegar down drains to unclog and clean them.
16. Clean fireplace bricks with undiluted vinegar.
17. An excellent all-purpose cleaner: vinegar mixed with salt. Cleans copper, bronze, brass, dishes, pots, pans, skillets, glasses, windows. Rinse well.
18. Make your catsup and other condiments last long by adding vinegar.
19. To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.
20. Apple cider vinegar and honey as a cure-all: use to prevent apathy, obesity, hay fever, asthma, rashes, food poisoning, heartburn, sore throat, bad eyesight, dandruff, brittle nails and bad breath.
21. When boiling eggs, add some vinegar to the water to prevent white from leaking out of a cracked egg.
22. When poaching eggs, add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water to prevent separation.
23. Weight loss: vinegar helps prevent fat from accumulating in the body.
24. Canned fish and shrimp: to give it a freshly caught taste, soak in a mixture of sherry and 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
25. Add a spoonful of vinegar when cooking fruit to improve the flavor.
26. Soak fish in vinegar and water before cooking for a tender, sweeter taste.
27. Add vinegar to boiling ham to improve flavor and cut salty taste.
28. Improve the flavor of desserts by adding a touch of vinegar.
29. Add vinegar to your deep fryer to eliminate a greasy taste.
30. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to fruit gelatin to hold it firm.
31. Steep your favorite herb in vinegar until you have a pleasing taste and aroma.
32. Use vinegar instead of lemon on fried and broiled foods.
33. To remove lime coating on your tea kettle; add vinegar to the water and let stand overnight.
34. To make a good liniment: beat 1 whole egg, add 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup turpentine. Blend.
35. Apply vinegar to chapped, cracked skin for quick healing.
36. Vinegar promotes skin health: rub on tired, sore or swollen areas.
37. Reduce mineral deposits in pipes, radiators, kettles and tanks by adding vinegar into the system.
38. Rub vinegar on the cut end of uncooked ham to prevent mold.
39. Clean jars with vinegar and water to remove odor.
40. Avoid cabbage odor by adding vinegar to the cooking water.
41. Skunk odor: remove from pets by rubbing fur with vinegar.
42. Paint adheres better to galvanized metal that has been wiped with vinegar.
43. Pets' drinking water: add vinegar to eliminate odor and encourage shiny fur.
44. For fluffy meringue: beat 3 egg whites with a teaspoon of vinegar.
45. Pie crust: add 1 tablespoon vinegar to your pastry recipe for an exceptional crust.
46. Half a teaspoon per quart of patching plaster allows you more time to work the plaster before it hardens.
47. Prevent discoloration of peeled potatoes by adding a few drops of vinegar to water. They will keep fresh for days in fridge.
48. Poultry water: add vinegar to increase egg production and to produce tender meat.
49. Preserve peppers: put freshly picked peppers in a sterilized jar and finish filling with boiling vinegar.
50. Olives and pimentos will keep indefinitely if covered with vinegar and refrigerated.
51. Add 1 tsp. vinegar to cooking water for fluffier rice.
52. Add vinegar to laundry rinse water: removes all soap and prevents yellowing.
53. After shampoo hair rinse: 1 ounce apple cider vinegar in 1 quart of distilled water.
54. For a shiny crust on homemade bread and rolls: just before they have finished baking, take them out, brush crusts with vinegar, return to oven to finish baking.
55. Homemade sour cream: blend together 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/4 cup skim milk and 1 tsp. vinegar.
56. Boil vinegar and water in pots to remove stains.
57. Remove berry stains from hands with vinegar.
58. Prevent sugaring by mixing a drop of vinegar in the cake icing.
59. Cold vinegar relieves sunburn.
60. When boiling meat, add a spoonful of vinegar to the water to make it more tender.
61. Marinate tough meat in vinegar overnight to tenderize.
62. A strength tonic: combine raw eggs, vinegar and black pepper. Blend well.
63. Douche: 2 to 4 ounces of vinegar in 2 quarts of warm water. "
Author: Harry Godwin Date: 1/15/1999 http://www.i4at.org/lib2/60vine.htm
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Want to know more?
How Vinegar Affects Digestion
"So if vinegar doesn't actually contain all the substances that are supposed to account for its medicinal benefits, does that mean it has no healing powers? Hardly. As mentioned, so little research has been done on vinegar that we can't totally rule out many of the dramatic claims made for it. Although we know vinegar doesn't contain loads of nutrients traditionally associated with good health, it may well contain yet-to-be-identified phytochemicals (beneficial compounds in plants) that would account for some of the healing benefits that vinegar fans swear by. Scientists continue to discover such beneficial substances in all kinds of foods."
Increasing Calcium Absorption
"If there is one thing vinegar fans, marketers, alternative therapists, and scientists alike can agree on, it's that vinegar is high in acetic acid. And acetic acid, like other acids, can increase the body's absorption of important minerals from the foods we eat.
Therefore, including apple cider vinegar in meals or possibly even drinking a mild tonic of vinegar and water (up to a tablespoon in a glass of water) just before or with meals might improve your body's ability to absorb the essential minerals locked in foods."
More at: http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/the-health-benefits-of-vinegar3.htm
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Scientific Evidence of Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits
"But there are some medical uses of vinegar that do have promise, at least according to a few studies. Here's a rundown of some more recent ones: http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar?page=2
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I try to remember to put a tablespoon of real Apple Juice Cider in my fruit drink each day.
In Britain they wouldn't think of putting anything but Malt Vinegar on their Fish and Chips (French Fries to you).
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On This Day:
Separation of Charles and Diana announced. Dec 9, 1992:
"British Prime Minister John Major announces the formal separation of Charles, Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne, and his wife, Princess Diana. Major explained that the royal couple were separating "amicably." The report came after several years of speculation by the tabloid press that the marriage was in peril, citing evidence that Diana and Charles spent vacations apart and official visits in separate rooms.
On July 29, 1981, nearly one billion television viewers in 74 countries tuned in to witness the marriage of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, to Lady Diana Spencer, a young English schoolteacher. Married in a grand ceremony at St. Paul's Cathedral in the presence of 2,650 guests, the couple's romance was, for the moment, the envy of the world. Their first child, Prince William, was born in 1982, and their second, Prince Henry, in 1984.
Before long, however, the fairy tale couple grew apart, an experience that was particularly painful under the watchful eyes of the world's tabloid media. Diana and Charles separated in 1992, though they continued to carry out their royal duties. In August 1996, two months after Queen Elizabeth II urged the couple to divorce, the prince and princess reached a final agreement. In exchange for a generous settlement, and the right to retain her apartments at Kensington Palace and her title of "Princess of Wales," Diana agreed to relinquish the title of "Her Royal Highness" and any future claims to the British throne.
In the year following the divorce, the popular princess seemed well on her way to achieving her dream of becoming "a queen in people's hearts," but on August 31, 1997, she was killed with her companion Dodi Fayed in a car accident in Paris. An investigation conducted by the French police concluded that the driver, who also died in the crash, was heavily intoxicated and caused the accident while trying to escape the paparazzi photographers who consistently tailed Diana during any public outing.
Prince Charles married the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, on April 9, 2005."
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Yesterday:
Jay's mother was at the doctor, and he wanted to stay home and help her by cleaning her house. So the storm door is not finished.
I didn't know when Mindi's dogs would be picked up, and neither did she, as she had stayed in Vegas, so her husband was supposed to pick them up. He had to get back home to get some rest, as he works nights.
My left side was feeling a lot better, so I cut down Shuggy, their biggest poodle. She is a very large Miniature or small Standard Poodle, she is my favorite, even though she is the least pretty. "Beauty is, as beauty does!"
It was cold, so I had to bundle up when I took the dogs out.
I don't like this cold weather! As hot as it got this last record breaking summer, it wasn't as bad as having to put on all these clothes to keep warm. I spent the summer in tank tops and shorts, or sleeveless dresses, now I have on a t-shirt, a turtleneck, one or two cardigans, and still have to put on a thick coat and headscarf to go outdoors. Maybe it is because my temperature is usually below normal. I wouldn't do very well in Alaska.
The low was supposed to have been 24° in the early hours.
The dogs were finally picked up around 1.00PM, so the kittens could be loose again, and we didn't have to listen Caesar's barking anymore. We all sighed a sigh of relief yesterday.
“The jack-o’-lantern is now associated with the holiday of Halloween. Where did this mysterious symbol come from? What should we do with that knowledge?
Jack-o’-lanterns may appear fun now, but they have a very dark past that involved pagan worship and an attempt to keep roaming spirits away. To God, anything associated with any of those pagan customs cannot be tolerated in any way, shape or form.
(41) And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.
For Stephen Hawking, there was only ever one big question.
sxc.hu/shannahsin
Johnson & Rogers, 1912, "Dallas, Texas skyline, August 1912," courtesy Library of Congress (
