If there’s one thing we can say for sure, it’s that white vinegar, spirit vinegar or household vinegar is the most versatile product in the home.
As well as being economical and environmentally friendly, vinegar has many properties: deodorizing, cleaning and disinfecting. It can be used in all four corners of the house, making home maintenance child’s play.
When we first adopt vinegar, we don’t necessarily realize the diversity of uses it can have and the savings we can make on various household products.
To help you discover vinegar’s many possibilities, here’s a complete guide to its main uses.
In the kitchen, in the bathroom, on carpets and rugs, for taps, on certain fabrics, etc. Here are all the secrets to using white vinegar.
What are the different uses of white vinegar?
1. White vinegar, a multi-surface cleaner
White vinegar is a natural household product that can replace many chemical household products, whether for cleaning floors, furniture, worktops and so on.
Not only will you save a lot of money, but you’ll also be able to use it effectively. To take advantage of vinegar’s disinfecting and cleaning qualities, simply use it undiluted on the dirtiest surfaces, or diluted for daily maintenance.
For those bothered by the smell of vinegar, simply add essential oils, such as lavender or lemon, for a much more pleasant scent.
2. White vinegar, a powerful scale remover
Scale and limescale can form on many surfaces in the home: on taps, shower heads, bathroom walls, toilets and even in the kitchen, particularly in kettles and coffee makers.
To get rid of them effectively and naturally, no solution is more powerful than vinegar. It dissolves the stains and restores the treated surfaces to their original appearance.
All you have to do is let the pure vinegar act on the surfaces concerned.
3. White vinegar, a fabric softener
Rather than using chemical fabric softener, which is harsh on the skin and highly polluting for the environment, we recommend using white vinegar.
Simply replace your usual dose of fabric softener with half a cup of white vinegar. It’s ideal for sensitive skin, especially that of children.
4. White vinegar, a drain deodorizer
Clogged pipes can give off strong odours. To put an end to this problem effectively and without the need for costly chemical products, vinegar is the ideal solution.
To use it, simply pour it undiluted down the drain and leave overnight, then rinse with hot water in the morning.
5. White vinegar to unclog drains
White vinegar can also be used to unclog drains. To do this, you need to combine the power of vinegar with that of baking soda.
To unblock a sink or washbasin, pour half a glass of baking soda down the drain, then add a glass of white vinegar. The mixture will foam, and when the chemical reaction is complete, pour boiling water down the drain.
The result is simply magical, and the pipes are instantly unclogged.
6. White vinegar for wallpaper removal
White vinegar is another great DIY product. A mixture of water and vinegar is all you need to effectively remove wallpaper.
Simply soak a sponge or use a spray to wet the wallpaper all over. The paper is then easily removed with a spatula.
7. White vinegar to clean wooden furniture
There’s nothing like vinegar and olive oil to restore the shine of wooden furniture. To make the perfect vinegar-based household cleaner for wood, mix 1/4 vinegar and 3/4 olive oil.
Simply clean wooden surfaces with this mixture to restore the material to its original splendor. Another 100% natural, 100% effective product.
8. White vinegar soothes insect bites
Bee, mosquito or other bites can be soothed simply by applying white vinegar to the wound with a cotton pad. The result is instant relief, and the itching disappears immediately.
9. White vinegar to clean and restore old brushes
Nylon brushes can be cleaned and revived with a good vinegar cleaning. Simply soak them in hot vinegar for about half an hour. Once the bristles have softened, brushes can be cleaned with warm, soapy water.
Even the oldest brushes are restored to their original condition and can be reused without problem.
10. White vinegar as a microwave cleaner
Microwaves clog up very easily, and deposits can become very difficult to remove. But using white vinegar, you can clean them effortlessly.
Simply place a bowl of vinegar in the microwave and run for 4 minutes. Then let the steam act inside for 10 minutes, without opening the appliance door.
A simple wipe down with a sponge will clean everything, leaving the appliance as good as new and perfectly disinfected, without the need for scrubbing.
11. White vinegar to restore leather’s shine
Leather clothes, shoes, bags and sofas can become dull over time. To restore the shine to leather objects and furniture, simply clean them with a cloth soaked in white vinegar, then polish with a clean, dry cloth.
12. White vinegar, the ideal glass cleaner
There’s no need to buy window cleaner when you know that a white vinegar spray diluted with water is just as effective, if not more so.
Just follow the same procedure as with a conventional spray and a cloth, and the result is simply impeccable.
A tip that also works well for cleaning prescription glasses.
13. White vinegar, a great conditioner
White vinegar is also an excellent cosmetic product, and can be used in the shower as a conditioner, for example. Vinegar makes hair shinier and easier to detangle.
To use, soak hair in vinegar after shampooing and leave for a few minutes. Afterwards, rinse well with clean water to prevent the vinegar odor from remaining impregnated in the hair. Once again, certain essential oils can be used to perfume the vinegar and leave a pleasant scent on the hair.
14. White vinegar to remove traces of mildew
In damp places like bathrooms, mold and mildew can easily grow. Rather than using bleach, which is a major environmental pollutant, you can use spirit vinegar.
To do this, simply spray pure white vinegar onto the surfaces to be treated, leave to act and rub down with a sponge. Surfaces cleaned in this way are then protected from mold growth.
This trick works on all types of surface, but should not be used on marble, as it may be damaged.
15. White vinegar for household appliances
White vinegar’s disinfectant and anti-scale properties make it an unbeatable ally for protecting and maintaining major household appliances.
To keep washing machines and dishwashers, for example, looking like new for years to come, it’s important to carry out maintenance cleaning several times a year.
To do this, you need to clean them thoroughly and then run a vacuum wash at maximum temperature, putting a generous dose of white vinegar in the tank normally used for detergent or dishwashing tablets.
16. White vinegar to dissolve rust
White vinegar not only dissolves limescale and scale, it also dissolves rust. This is the ideal solution for any rusty tool, screw or bolt.
To remove rust effortlessly, simply soak rusty objects in pure vinegar for 2 to 3 days. When you come out of the bath, the rust will be completely gone.
17. White vinegar to remove pet urine stains
Pets sometimes urinate inside the house. When this happens, you can get rid of the stains and odour with white vinegar.
To do this, soak a cloth in vinegar and dab the stain. The stain can then be sprinkled with bicarbonate and vacuumed up.
All traces are gone and surfaces are clean and disinfected.
18. White vinegar to clean, disinfect and deodorize the fridge
Cleanliness is essential in a fridge, and there’s nothing better than vinegar, a natural and healthy product.
To do this, soak a sponge in white vinegar and clean the refrigerator walls. Finally, wipe everything down with a clean cloth to absorb all traces of moisture.
19. White vinegar to remove traces of glue left by labels
When it comes to reusing glass containers, it’s always a pain to remove the labels. Even with the best will in the world, the glue often remains impossible to remove. The best way to get rid of these traces of glue is to use white vinegar.
Simply apply a little vinegar to a sponge and rub the glue away until it disappears completely.
20. White vinegar for stain removal
Vinegar is also a great stain remover for grass, coffee and wine stains. This trick works on most fabrics, but it’s important to take precautions with delicate linen.
To remove a stain using vinegar, soak a clean cloth in vinegar and gently rub the stain before putting it in the machine on the usual cycle.
21. White vinegar for shiny dishes
White vinegar is an excellent degreaser. It removes all greasy residues from dishes, leaving them shiny.
Vinegar can therefore be used instead of rinse aid in a dishwasher for impeccable results (or diluted in a basin of water to rinse hand-washed dishes).
Finally, vinegar is also very effective for removing burn marks from pots and pans. In this case, pour vinegar and water into the pan and bring to the boil until the char has completely disappeared.
22. White vinegar, a powerful deodorizer
Certain odors can linger in fabrics, making your home smell bad. Thanks to white vinegar, it’s possible to get rid of them.
Simply dilute one part vinegar with two parts water and apply the mixture to the affected area. Leave for about twenty minutes, then rub in with a clean cloth.
23. White vinegar for weeding gardens and vegetable patches
Weeding a garden or vegetable patch is a very tedious job, which is why many gardeners don’t hesitate to use chemicals to accomplish the task, an action that pollutes and is potentially dangerous to health.
A much better and 100% natural solution is to create a mixture of white vinegar and lemon to spray directly onto the weeds.
24. White vinegar to clean wallpaper
Poor-quality wallpaper can end up yellowing. You can also get mildew on the paper, if you have a damp home. Finally, you may have children who have put their dirty fingers on the wall. In any case, you can’t leave it like this. A good cleaning will be necessary.
As we’ve already mentioned on this page, vinegar can be used on wallpaper to loosen it. In this case, the paper will need to be soaked to be effective. In the case of a stain on wallpaper, there’s no question of soaking the paper at all, otherwise you’ll have to change it.
- If you have non-washable wallpaper, you can still wipe it with a damp cloth, but don’t be too insistent. You’ll need to soak the fabric in white vinegar diluted with water.
- If you have vinyl paper, you can dilute your vinegar a little less. This is the case for quality wallpaper, which is washable. To find out more, follow this link.
One last tip: remember to clean the paper from the bottom up, to avoid drips on the wall.
And that’s how you can use white vinegar in 24 different ways!
