Herbal Vinegar Around the House - spring cleaning

There are many uses for herbal vinegar, and it is simple and easy to make.  Check out these recipes I have shared before.  I am cleaning up the house for summer visitors and pulled out the vinegar from last summer to use it up before I make more from the garden. I have thyme, sage, lemon herb, and lemon and peppercorn, and several others.  Each of them or just plain white vinegar can be used with these great tips.

My Top 10 Springtime Uses For Vinegar

1. Clean out the refrigerator with a vinegar / water solution. Apple cider vinegar helps to absorb bad odors for a couple of days if left in an open container.

2. Cleans wooden cutting boards. Works as a great substitute for baking soda, making the boards clean and free of germs.

3. Insect repellent. Vinegar is a safe and effective insect repellent, chasing away ants and other insects once you wash the counter tops with a vinegar solution.

4. Fruit Fly Trap. Place a small bowl of vinegar on counter, add a few a drops of liquid dish detergent. The detergent creates a skim on the top of the vinegar, and the gnat or fruit fly can’t escape and drowns. Works like a charm!

5. Weed killer. Vinegar is a great natural way to kill weeds in the lawn.  Over the counter weed killers are full of harmful chemicals, and vinegar is a great alternative. Be sure to just spray your unwanted plants and not the ground. Vinegar will kill your grass as well, so be careful to get it just where you want it!

6. Enhances the acidity in soil. When some plants call for high acid soil, use a gallon of water to a cup of vinegar then water these plants.

7. Alternate fertilizer. Vinegar, used an in eight to one mixture with water helps to fertilize plants that are in need of help. Do not use on healthy plants.

8. Soap scum remover. Rub in white distilled vinegar followed by a nice scrub with baking soda to remove soap scum from tubs and showers. Rinse well with water.

9. Toilet cleaner. Vinegar works as a substitute for baking soda to clean the toilet, inside and out. Allow vinegar to stand in bowl for half an hour before flushing.

10. Shower cleaner. If you soak a towel in vinegar then wrap around the shower head to remove the corrosion and buildup of hard water.