Refreshing Winter Clean: Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar Uses Around the House

While you’re enjoying your warm apple cider this holiday season, invigorate your home with apple cider vinegar! In the old days, vinegar was the go-to house cleaning product and it’s making a comeback. Not only is it versatile, but as far as multi-purpose cleaning products go, apple cider vinegar ticks all the right boxes: it’s cheap, effective, and above all, eco friendly.

Here are ten ways you can use apple cider vinegar in your home.

No-Streak Window Cleaner
A water and apple cider vinegar solution will help you clean your windows like a charm. Not only does it remove grime and stains, but it also leaves no streaks behind.

Deodorizer
Apple cider vinegar is a fantastic odor-remover. You can use it in your kitchen to remove strong cooking smells by simmering it in a pot for 20 to 30 minutes. Vinegar can also remove unpleasant odors like cigarette smoke or even pet urine. Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 water and vinegar mix and use it to mist the air lightly, or spray it directly on surfaces with an unpleasant smell.

Floor Cleaner
You can use apple cider vinegar to mop ceramic tiles, laminate and vinyl floors. This will help freshen them up, remove stains and unpleasant smells, and also act as a mild disinfectant. Also, by regularly mopping your kitchen floors with water and a touch of vinegar, you’re far less likely to have problems with ants later on.

Quick and Easy Drain Declogger
Blocked sink or shower drain? A bit of baking soda and apple cider vinegar can help. First, pour a pot or kettle-full of boiling water down the drain. Then, pour in a cup of baking soda, a cup of vinegar and cover the drain with a plug. Leave the plug in for another 10 minutes, then use another pot of hot water to rinse the drain.

Stain Remover
The acidic nature of apple cider vinegar makes it your ally in stain removal. You can use it to get rid of stains in the bathroom, on upholstery, carpets, curtains, even clothes. It’s safer to use than bleach and much more gentle on the fabrics. Here are some of the stains you can remove with vinegar: hard water stains, soap scum, tea and coffee, tomato and ketchup, grass, sweat, blood, ink and crayon, and rust. You can also add a touch of vinegar when doing laundry in a washing machine. This way, you’ll help remove stains as well as that old, musty washing machine smell. A word of caution: if adding vinegar to your laundry, avoid using bleach, as this will create toxic chlorine gas.

Effective Fruit Fly Trap
Fruit flies love the smell of vinegar. Unfortunately for them — but luckily for you — this will prove very helpful. Use a mix of water, dish soap and vinegar placed in a jar to attract them, and they will stick to the mixture. If you have houseplants plagued by fungus gnats, this solution works wonders against them as well.

Mild Disinfectant
Vinegar is effective against some germs and bacteria. You can use it with great success to sanitize kitchen utensils such as cutlery, jars and glasses, sponges and cloths, or your chopping board.

All-Natural Pet Deterrent
If you have a room or part of the house you’d rather keep pet-free, this is a natural, chemical-free way to do so. Use apple cider vinegar to keep pets out of cabinets and cupboards, away from the garbage bin, or even prevent them from chewing cables and furniture. Dogs and cats hate the smell of vinegar, so they won’t be tempted to check those areas again any time soon.

Homemade Herbicide
If you’re looking for a chemical-free weed-remover, look no further than apple cider vinegar. Use it to get rid of stubborn weeds growing in pavement cracks, along fences, driveways, even in mulch. Vinegar also works as a great against mushrooms. Just be careful using it too close to shrubs, flowers, or in your vegetable garden, as it can also harm those plants.

Sources:

Article Sources:
Cristina Oprean, March 2022 , https://www.point2homes.com/news/home-design/apple-cider-vinegar-uses-around-house.html
images from: Freepik.com

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