The American House

12 Vinegar Hacks From a Cleaning Expert That Can Save You Money

· Tips & Tricks
vinegar
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4. Get rid of salt residue on shoes

I wish I knew about this hack before! Every winter, my neighbors spread salt on the street in order to melt the snow. And I always wear dark brown boots. Imagine how it looks!

But I found out that salt residues can be cleaned with a DIY solution. How? You just fill a spray bottle with water and add a couple of tablespoons of white vinegar.

Shake it well and spritz the mixture on a paper towel. Then gently wipe your boots or shoes, depending on your needs. Keep the bottle close, because you will need it next season too!

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29 responses to “12 Vinegar Hacks From a Cleaning Expert That Can Save You Money”

  1. I have for years used vinegar as a cleaner, one of my favorite uses is for cleaning baseboards prior to painting, especially if there are pets in the house I use a mixture of 1/3 vinegar 1/3 ammonia and 1/3 water it cuts grease, dirt, and just about anything else plus you don’t have to rinse it off before painting. It is also excellent for cleaning greasy ceiling fan blades (if you have one in the kitchen you know what I mean about greasy) plus the walls or cabinets around the stove area.

    • I recently had a severe itching on my hands. A friend suggested wiping white vinegar on them. I did, about 2-3 times, and it really removed the itch.

      • While in a museum in Antwerp, Belgium 🇧🇪 i was the only one in the place and a gentleman was dusting the beautiful wood furniture. I asked him what he was using and he said white vinegar and water. That is all they had used for many years to keep the antiques in beautiful condition.
        Vinegar is the go to for dusting your furniture. Half water, half white vinegar. Use a soft rag wrung out well. Dust and go. You can follow up with a dry rag if you feel there is too much moisture on the wood or glass tops. Try it, you will be amazed! I only dust about every two weeks. It helps keep the dust away!

        • I thought that I was going to be the only one to post a tip other than a household tip, but here’s a health/medical tip that I can personally vouch for. I once burned the right side of the small of my back against the asbestos wrapped muffler on a fishing vessel. You can’t imagine how hot that muffler can be after running for days. I immediately went down to the galley, where one of my crew-members suggested apply vinegar to the quickly reddening burn patch on my back!
          It was amazing, in a matter of minutes, the burn stopped hurting, did not even blister, & crazily enough, I was able to sit in the sun without a shirt on!

  2. I use vinegar and baking soda to clean my stainless steel sink. I sprinkle baking soda in the sink and pour vinegar over it, allowing the combination to bubble and foam and and use a paper towel to wipe it down. Then I rinse with water. The sink shines and it helps keep the drain clean and odorless.

  5. I use vinegar for several purposes, one as a poutise with paper towels on rust stains on my driveway and another to clean the aerators on my faucets. A little white vinegar in a plastic bag over the aerator or kitchen faucet sprayer overnight loosens the calcium deposits so they can easily be removed with a old toothbrush

  6. Yes, I have a Kenmore dishwasher I bought in 1994 and it still runs and cleans excellent. I only ever used Finish ( formerly Electrasol) from day one!! Periodically, I bought commercial dishwasher cleaner, which really cleaned the white plastic interior. I cant verify that it cleans the drain pipes. I can only trust that the product is doing what it promises. Vinegar also removes the grease, food stains, mineral buildup, that commonly affect dishwashers over time. You will smell the vinegar while running the washer and even after for a few days. Be careful if you have stainless steel tub and interior baskets. The metal can rust over time . Remove the filters as directed by the manufacturer. You can manually soak the filters and descale the
    filters if needed. The spinning sprayers are sealed, so you can’t disassemble them, you must trust that the cleaner and or vinegar is doing the job. This maintenance will increase the life of your dishwasher, I’m still using mine after 28 years!! I hear that the newer models cheat to get the energy star rating. The element for heat drying is not as strong. As a result, your dishes come out wet. Im dreading the day
    I have to replace this awesomely performing and superior longevity no longer in existence today!

  11. I use Vinegar on EVERYTHING…my kids think it’s a scream. Every time we are looking for a solution to any problem, they’ll say: “Mom would use vinegar”, Where’s the Vinegar”! One great way to unclog drains is to pour about a half box of baking soda down the drain and follow with about 1/3 to 1/2 gallon of Vinegar and let it set for about 20 minutes. It will bubble up like a science experiment. I use a teapot full of boiling water to wash it down the drain, and drain is totally clean and fresh. AND it’s safe for your pipes!
    Also put some in your laundry rinse cycle ~~ it takes aways any odor, especially with dish towels and washcloths.

  14. HI EVERYONE,
    I WAS TOLD BY MY LATE MOM WHO I LOST TRAGICALLY ON VALENTINES DAY TO COVID, THAT YOU CAN USE VINEGAR (NOT SURE IF IT’S CIDER, OR WHITE) TO CLEAN NATURAL OAK WOOD FLOORS, AND HOW OFTEN? IS THIS CORRECT? ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!

  15. Back in the 1970s when I lived in Stuttgart, I hired a window washer who used white vinegar to clean the windows and old newspapers to wipe. I’ve done that myself ever since. My windows sparkle.

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