Tips for cleaning everything from your toilet to your toes
There are more products out there today than ever before – for cleaning, for beauty, for health. Each claims to be better than the last. So how do you even begin to pick?
Well, the answer might rest in just one product: vinegar. Yup. Plain old – cheap – vinegar! Our mothers used it and so did their mothers before them. How could so many generations of women be wrong? And as times and technology change, we’re finding even more uses for vinegar today. Check it out!
Furniture
- Water rings. Wet glasses got you down? Mix equal parts vinegar and olive oil. Dip a cloth into the mixture and rub in a circular motion, working with the grain. Use a dry cloth to restore the shine.
- Water spots on leather? Full strength vinegar applied to a cloth or sponge will make them disappear. To clean the whole couch, mix equal parts vinegar and boiled linseed oil. Put it in a spray bottle, shake and spray it on the couch. Use a soft cloth to spread it around. Then let it dry for a few minutes before rubbing it off with another clean cloth. You’ll soon have a soft shiny sofa!
In the kitchen
- Dirty fridge shelves? Clean them with equal parts vinegar and water.
- Lime buildup on your faucets? Make a paste of 1 tsp. vinegar to 2 tsp. salt. Rub it on and watch it sparkle!
- Coffeemakers. Pour a cup of vinegar into the coffeemaker in place of water. Don’t add coffee!! Turn it on and let it drip into your coffeepot. If it’s still limey, repeat.
- Mayonnaise rescue. Down to the bottom of your mayonnaise jar? Add a couple drops of vinegar and shake, shake, shake. The rest will come out easily.
- Clean the microwave. Equal parts vinegar and water in a bowl will work wonders toward cleaning your microwave. Cook on high for five minutes. The steam will loosen the caked-on food so you can wipe it clean. No scrubbing or scraping needed!
- Hard-boiled egg rescue. Keep your eggs from cracking in boiling water by adding two tablespoons vinegar to the water. It will also make the eggshells easier to remove.
Bathroom
- Full strength vinegar in a spray bottle will kill bathroom germs around the sink and counters. Wipe them dry with a cloth or paper towel.
- Toilet rings. Dilute vinegar with a little water and pour it into the toilet bowl. Let the solution sit at least a few hours — overnight is even better. Then scrub with a brush until it’s clean — and you’re done.
Laundry
- Static cling. No need for dryer sheets if you have vinegar on hand. Just add a half-cup to your wash cycle. Dryer lint won’t stick to your clothes due to the acid from the vinegar.
- Got dirty socks? Who doesn’t? Vinegar will make them look like new! Just add one-cup vinegar to a kettle of boiling water. Remove from the burner. Add socks and soak overnight.
- Leather works. Clean leather handbags and shoes by wiping them with a cloth dipped in vinegar.
Office
- Computer cleaning. Is you keyboard looking grungy? Turn off the computer and get cleaning. Mix equal parts water and white vinegar. Wet a cloth, wring out the excess liquid, and wipe away. Dip Q-tips in the solution to get into tricky places like the rows of your keyboard.
- Is your mouse sticking? Use the same solution to clean a mouse with a roller ball. Take the mouse apart and remove the ball. Use a damp cloth to clean the ball and a Q-tip to get out any other dirt. Let it sit for a couple hours to dry and then re-assemble. Voila! Good as new.
- Ink stains. If you’ve gotten ballpoint pen marks on your desk, your wall or your chair look no further. Rub it with full-strength vinegar on a cloth and watch the ink magically disappear.
Flowers
- Droopy blooms? Don’t toss them out! Just add one teaspoon of sugar and two teaspoons of vinegar to the vase and watch them get new life!
Pets
- Cat litter. Think outside the box to eliminate litter odor. Pour about a half-inch of vinegar into the litter box when it’s empty. Let it stand for 20-30 minutes. Dump out the vinegar, rinse with water and refill the litter.
- Shiny coats. Dogs will look like they just came from the groomer when you spray them with a mixture of vinegar and water (one cup vinegar to one quart water). Besides the shiny coat, an added bonus is that it repels fleas and ticks.
Beauty
- Teeth whitener. We all know that baking soda is good for teeth, but it turns out that vinegar is too. Once a week, brush your teeth with white vinegar to whiten your teeth and freshen your breath.
- Stop itching. With summer approaching, mosquitoes are surely planning their attack. Be ready with vinegar! Just pour some on a cotton ball and apply it to the bite. It will stop the itch and disinfect the area.
- Nail polish. Extend the life of your manicure with vinegar. Just soak a cotton ball and wipe it over your nails before applying polish. It will remove any surface oil on your nails and make your polish last longer.
- Spa time. Add a half-cup of vinegar to your bath and get the benefits of exfoliation without the work. The vinegar removes dead skin cells, leaving your skin smooth.
- Refresh your hair. No need to change your shampoo when you have vinegar. Just combine a tablespoon of vinegar through your hair once a month to remove hair product buildup.
- Foot fetish. Get soft summer feet by soaking your tootsies in one part vinegar and two parts warm water. Soak for 20 minutes a day and you’ll be good to go! Anywhere.
Discovery Village at Stuart offers a variety of senior living programs to keep seniors healthy and active. Learn about our senior living options and amenities today when you contact us at 772.247.5400.
