75 vinegar uses that make a huge difference inside any home

#1 Soften your feet

Get your feet ready to be seen in sandals. Soften them and remove dead skin by soaking them in warm water with vinegar added.

toes — nancynance via Flickr
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nancynance via Flickr

#2 Whiten teeth

Once a week, brush with a mixture of baking soda and distilled vinegar. Your smile will gleam.

face — tetsumo via Flickr
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tetsumo via Flickr

#3 Kill weeds naturally

Put vinegar in a spray bottle and apply it liberally to the roots of unwanted weeds in your path. They will wither away.

#4 Get skunk smell off a dog

There are very few things that can remove the smell of skunk from a dog. Use one-part vinegar to two parts water and let it soak into their fur. Let the mixture sit for ten minutes and then rinse it off. You and your dog will be much happier.

dog — utahdarkhorse via Flickr
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utahdarkhorse via Flickr

#5 Clean your microwave

Combine half a cup of water with half a cup of vinegar in a microwave-safe cup. Let it steam for a few minutes in the microwave to loosen grime, and then easily wipe down the surfaces inside.

oven — mabray via Flickr
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mabray via Flickr

#6 Clean that coffee maker

Run water with vinegar in it through your coffee maker or espresso machine and then follow it with just water for a couple more brew cycles. Your coffee will taste so much better after.

#7 Remove carpet stains

Removing carpet stains has never been easier. Add two tablespoons of Borax to two tablespoons of salt and stir it all into half a cup of vinegar. Rub it into the stain, let it dry, and then vacuum it away. It’s that easy!

wipe — DIYHomeThings
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DIYHomeThings

#8 Revive stained plastic containers

Rinse them with vinegar and then let them sit for twenty-four hours. They will be as good as new again.

#9 Mop a hardwood floor

Vinegar is an important ingredient for chemical-free and polished floors. Use it directly or mix it with a dash of dish soap.

mop — Paul Studios via Flickr
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Paul Studios via Flickr

#10 Remove eggshells with ease

The next time you boil eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water. Your shells will simply peel away after.

#11 Get clean piano keys

Mix half a cup of vinegar with two cups of water. Use a soft cloth to wipe the keys with it and then leave them exposed for twenty-four hours. No more sticky keys!

#12 Use it as a hair rinse

Vinegar will remove the buildup from shampoo and conditioner, leaving your hair bouncy and soft. Just add a tablespoon of vinegar to your rinse water.

#13 Brighten white clothing items

If your clothes are looking a little dull, add white vinegar in with the fabric softener the next time you wash them. You’ll be pleased with the result.

laundry — H.A.M. Phtgrphy via Flickr
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H.A.M. Phtgrphy via Flickr

#14 Repel spiders

Mix one cup of vinegar with two cups of water and put them in a spray bottle. Spray windows and doorframes to keep spiders outside.

#15 Make a mattress freshener

Keep mildew and mites at bay. Add a little alcohol and a few drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle of vinegar. Spritz your mattress and allow it to dry.

#16 Remove old paint from brushes

Place the bristles in a pot of vinegar and gently heat them for an hour. The paint will come off easily after that.

#17 Clean your shower head

Avoid buildup that can reduce water flow. Place your showerhead in a bag of vinegar and let it sit overnight.

#18 Revive your scissors

Get the grime off scissors by letting them soak in full-strength white vinegar. Wipe them off, and they’ll be as good as new again.

#19 Get rid of mildew in clothes and towels

Add two cups of vinegar to a wash cycle and then run another cycle with laundry soap after. Heavy mildew smells will be gone.

#20 Soften your skin

The next time you take a bath, pour in a little vinegar. It will help to remove dead skin and excess oils, leaving your skin in amazing condition.

tub — metaphoricalplatypus via Flickr
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metaphoricalplatypus via Flickr

#21 Make a fruit and veggie wash

Rinse your fruits and vegetables without having to buy something specifically for the purpose. Add two tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water for your solution.

#22 Remove dandruff

Pour a cup of vinegar over your hair once a week and let it sit for an hour. It will work away the dead skin cells and leave your scalp clean.

#23 Clean sink drains

Remove hard buildup from soap in drains with vinegar. Just let it sit in the drain for half an hour and then run some water.

#24 Unshrink wool

Add two tablespoons of vinegar to a quart of water. Let your item soak in it to loosen the fabric and return it to its normal shape and size.

#25 Remove ballpoint pen marks

Pen is notoriously hard to remove. Vinegar changes that. Rub full-strength vinegar on the mark until it vanishes.

pen — DIYHomeThings
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DIYHomeThings

#26 Soften fabrics naturally

Skip the chemical fabric softeners. Add half a cup of vinegar to the final rinse cycle instead.

#27 Clean the fridge

Use a solution of half water and half vinegar to wipe down the inside of your fridge. Now, there’s no reason to worry about harsh chemicals being used in the same space your food resides.

#28 Avoid germs on the cutting board

Germs can soak into crevices on a cutting board. Spray it down once a week with vinegar and let it dry.

#29 Remove tea and coffee stains from cups

You don’t have to live with stained mugs. Mix equal parts vinegar and salt, and then gently scrub the inside of each cup.

cup — oimax via Flickr
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oimax via Flickr

#30 Get the toilet sparkling clean

Leave vinegar in the toilet bowl overnight. Then add some baking soda and give it one final scrub.

#31 Get rid of lint and pet hair on clothing

Add half a cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle when doing laundry. Pet hair and lint will no longer stick to your clothing.

#32 Remove scuffs on shoes

Wipe scuff marks on shoes with a cloth and vinegar. They will come right off.

#33 Natural glass cleaner

Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Now, you have the perfect natural glass cleaner.

#34 Keep car windows from frosting

The acidic nature of vinegar can prevent windows from frosting up. Just use a solution of three parts vinegar to one-part water when you clean them.

car — bennilover via Flickr
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bennilover via Flickr

#35 Clean that keyboard

Hygiene is important, especially when it comes to things that we touch frequently. Use a cloth with one-part water and one-part vinegar on it to gently wipe off the grime.

#36 Destroy underarm odor

Keep a spray bottle of vinegar in the laundry room and apply it to the underarms of shirts. Let it sit for ten minutes and then wash as usual.

happy — amyguth via Flickr
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amyguth via Flickr

#37 Remove candlewax residue

Use a combination of equal parts water and vinegar and wipe the area with a damp cloth. Your wax should be gone.

#38 Remove hemlines

Place a cloth with vinegar under a hemline and set your iron low enough that it won’t scorch. Now, you can just iron away established hemlines and old seams.

#39 Revive old CDs and DVDs

Skipping CDs and DVDs can sometimes be revived by removing any buildup. Do so with a soft cloth and vinegar.

disks — rka via Flickr
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rka via Flickr

#40 Get rid of litter box odor

The next time you empty the cat’s litter box, wipe down the inside with vinegar. It will kill any unwanted odors.

cat — StraightEdgeSmurf via Flickr
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StraightEdgeSmurf via Flickr

#41 Use it with dark clothes

Keep your black clothing items looking like new by adding half a cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. It will help to remove any soap buildup and residue.

shirt — sebilden via Flickr
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sebilden via Flickr

#42 Remove stickers

Soak any sticky stickers with vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. It should loosen the adhesive so the sticker peels right off.

#43 Erase crayon from walls

Don’t panic if you see crayon on the walls. Vinegar will break down the wax. Just apply it to a toothbrush and scrub the crayon away.

#44 Clean the dishwasher

Pour a cup of vinegar into your empty dishwasher and run it through a full cycle. Do this once a month to avoid buildup.

dishes — Joanna Bourne via Flickr
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Joanna Bourne via Flickr

#45 Clean window blinds

Use a solution of half vinegar and half water when wiping down window blinds. It will remove the grime as well as dust.

#46 Remove water rings on wood

Use a combination of one tablespoon of vinegar with two tablespoons of salt to gently scrub those rings way.

#47 Remove smoke odor from clothing

Add half a cup of white vinegar to the wash cycle. Your clothing will smell like the first day you had it.

ashtray — jocelyn via Flickr
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jocelyn via Flickr

#48 Clean a grill easily

Spray a dirty grill with white vinegar and then scrub it with a crunched-up piece of aluminum foil. Clean up doesn’t have to be difficult!

#49 Remove stains from leather

Put vinegar directly on a cloth and then wipe at any stains on leather. It will remove most of them without doing any damage.

#50 Keep your washing machine pristine

A few times per year, add two cups of vinegar to your washing machine and run it through a wash cycle. It will be pristine, shiny, and without any buildup to transfer to clothing.

spin — sunfox via Flickr
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sunfox via Flickr

#51 Clean stone fireplaces

Use a combination of equal parts warm water and vinegar to clean brick or stone fireplaces. It will remove soot and grime with ease.

#52 Get rid of excess furniture polish

Remove the buildup from too much furniture polish that occurs over time. Simply wipe the area with a mixture of equal parts of vinegar and water.

#53 Clean out your iron

Remove mineral deposits in your iron by filling it with a solution of half water and half vinegar. Place it on a safe surface and leave it on steam for five minutes. That’s all there is to it!

#54 Skip the kitchen degreaser

Skip the chemical-filled kitchen degreasers. Use a spray bottle of white vinegar instead.

#55 Remove grease residue from pots and pans

If you have residue that simply isn’t coming off, add a cup of vinegar to your pan and bring it to a simmer on the stove for ten minutes. That grease won’t be a problem anymore.

pot — johnloo via Flickr
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johnloo via Flickr

#56 Clean your silver

Skip on the expensive silver polish. Use a combination of half white vinegar and half table salt instead.

fork — stuart_spivack via Flickr
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stuart_spivack via Flickr

#57 Have sparkly dishes

You don’t need a chemical rinse aid to have dishes that shine. Add vinegar to the rinse aid section of your dishwasher.

plates — polkadotcreations via Flickr
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polkadotcreations via Flickr

#58 Loosen stuck screws

Pour vinegar over a stuck screw and wait several minutes. It should become easier to remove.

#59 Keep fleas away

To repel fleas, spray your dog with a mixture of one cup of vinegar and a quart of water. Your dog will thank you.

dog — scottfeldstein via Flickr
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scottfeldstein via Flickr

#60 Clean cloudy crystal

Revive old crystal easily. Just let it soak in a plastic tub with vinegar for half an hour, then rinse.

glass — mariaeklind via Flickr
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mariaeklind via Flickr

#61 Clean a birdbath

Yes, even the birdbath needs to be cleaned now and then. It can end up being a big job, but a half vinegar and half water solution will help to shift any dirt.

#62 Get rid of fruit flies

Make an apple cider trap to attract fruit flies. You can find the instructions here.

#63 Help with warts and athlete’s foot

While there isn’t enough scientific evidence, some people have shown improvement with a regular foot soak using vinegar and warm water.

feet — shaymus22 via Flickr
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shaymus22 via Flickr

#64 Treat acne

Dab a small amount of vinegar on a pimple. The antiseptic properties will help it clear up faster.

bathroom — PickComfort via Flickr
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PickComfort via Flickr

#65 Revive old wood paneling

Combine one pint of warm water, four tablespoons of vinegar, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Apply the mixture to the wood, let it soak in for several minutes, and then polish it dry.

#66 Hide scratches on wood

Use a combination of vinegar and iodine to paint away old scratches on wood surfaces. Use more iodine for darker wood.

panel — twicepix via Flickr
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twicepix via Flickr

#67 Clean chrome and steel

Spray the surface with a straight vinegar solution and then buff it away. You will have a nicely polished and clean result.

#68 Deodorize lunchboxes

Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and leave it in a closed lunchbox overnight. By morning, any lingering smells will be gone.

bag — joebeone via Flickr
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joebeone via Flickr

#69 Refresh ice cube trays

If you have hard water stains on your ice trays, vinegar is the solution. Soak them for about six hours using vinegar and then rinse it away.

#70 Clean a tea kettle

Kettles can get covered with mineral deposits. Fill yours with vinegar, bring it to a boil for five minutes, and let it sit overnight. Rinse it out in the morning, and it should be practically new again.

#71 Clean the kitchen air

If your kitchen still smells like what you cooked yesterday, bring a cup of water with half a cup of vinegar to a boil and let the steam fill and clean the air.

#72 Clean a thermos

Pour some white vinegar and uncooked rice into a thermos, close it, and shake. The rice will act as an abrasive.

#73 Clean your wiper blades

If your wiper blades aren’t doing their job, they might just be dirty. Clean them with a cloth and full-strength vinegar.

#74 Add shine to ceramic tiles

Clean ceramic tiles with vinegar to remove any soap residue that may be leaving them cloudy. Polish it dry, and you’re done.

#75 Clean your toothbrush holder

The toothbrush holder is a great place for germs to build up. To prevent that, spray it with vinegar, wipe, and rinse regularly.