Vinegar How to Use

[Cypress]

I have vinegar in the bottle unopened. How is it used in household cleaning? Is it safe for septic systems? Can it be used in the laundry at all? I seem to remember it is a substitute for bleach and disinfects as well. Can it be used straight out of the bottle or is it diluted? What about a hair rinse?

What to do with vinegar?

[Dhiana]

I love it as a fabric softener for my clothes since I hang them to dry.
About 1/4 cup per load.

I'll pour a bit in the toilet before going away on vacation to keep it clean for my return.

Here's a few recipe's, probably copied them from someone else on this board :)

Spray Cleaner:
1/4 Cup Dish Soap
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
2 tsp Borax
3 1/2 Cups HOT Water
Lemon or Citrus oil - approx 5 drops

Glass Cleaner:
1 part Vinegar
4 parts Water
= Put in Spray Bottle

Clean Iron face:
Salt & Vinegar

Vinegar Deodorizer:
- Straight 5% vinegar (plain distilled white) poured into a spray bottle
- Spray on cutting boards, let sit overnight
- Spray on Toilet Rims

[Rosemary]

I've been using straight vinegar for years around our house and in the kitchen both as a general cleaner and for cleaning produce. I keep a spray bottle on the sink for produce and cleaning the counter, and a spray bottle in each bathroom. Note, vinegar shouldn't be used in granite or grout.

[lessisbest]

Books have been written on the subject..... This link has 95+ uses for vinegar: http://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/150-household-uses-for-vinegar/

-Since vinegar has so many practical culinary and household uses, AND it has a nearly indefinite shelf-life, it's one of the home storage top storage products. We always keep at least 4 gallons of white vinegar on-hand, plus homemade vinegar. It costs $3.98 for two 1-gallon jugs at Sam's Club.

-I've been taking the peelings and cores from making dehydrated apple slices and making vinegar with them.

-We use white vinegar in our washing machine, instead of softener, too. It was suggested because our hard water causes problems resulting in repairs for the pumps, and the white vinegar helps dissolve the hard water build-up. My washing machine will be 14-years old in November, and the only repairs have been replacing the water hoses - twice.

[Cypress]

I appreciate the reply. Is Vinegar safe in septic systems? Bleach is a no-no for sure. But can Vinegar safely be washed down the drain? I use benign cleaning products generally like baking soda, Seventh Generation cleaners, hot soap and Murphy's Oil Soap.

[Float On]

http://www.earthcare.us/blog/cleaning-with-vinegar-can-save-your-septic-system/

Very safe for septic system. Even recommended by some. Do you have a garbage disposal? I put a little down my garbage disposal every week to help prevent build-up.

[nswef]

Cypress, I use vinegar as a hair rinse, just a bit in a glass and fill with water, pour on after shampooing, don't rinse out, I use it in the wash as a softener, I put a few drops of essential oil in a cosmetic bottle of vinegar and splash it on after my bath on my arm pits and other places where I sweat. I also drink 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before bed for acid reflux. I swear my hair and nails are healthier since I started this about 5 years ago. I used to buy Braggs with the "mother" but now I just use any kind...don't notice a difference.

[jody]

I've not tried this yet but was told that if you use baking soda and vinegar together in the rinse cycle, sheets will be as white as when you took them out of the package. All yellowing gone.

[Cypress]

Oh thanks! I'll start with the wash cycle. I cannot get somethings clean enough so maybe this will boost the detergent. I can try the rinse on hair tonight. The odor will evaporate by tomorrow I hope.

[lessisbest]

I appreciate the reply. Is Vinegar safe in septic systems? Bleach is a no-no for sure. But can Vinegar safely be washed down the drain? I use benign cleaning products generally like baking soda, Seventh Generation cleaners, hot soap and Murphy's Oil Soap.

Murphy's Oil Soap is far from "benign". My husband has worked for 40-years for a customized cabinet manufacturer (he's a CKD and VP of the company) and using Murphy's Oil Soap on the cabinets will VOID the warranty. Them, and many other manufacturer's of fine-wood products, will make the same claim against using Murphy's Oil Soap. All you are doing when using Murphy's Oil Soap is coating vegetable oil soap on the wood and leaving it on, which can do everything from soften the finish to attracting dust and grime. This will result in streaking and will leave the finish with a dull look. It's really not all that "green" a product, either. All most fine-wood surfaces with today's finishes on them require to keep them clean is mild soap and water, and then dried with a soft towel.

[Cypress]

Murphy's Oil Soap! I actually like the smell. Hmmm, I use it on my walls, floors and woodwork. I wash the vinyl parts of my car too. That's the first time I read something like this What's a mild soap? Is dish soap mild?

[TVRodriguez]

I use diluted vinegar as a rinse for my hair in the shower.

[lessisbest]

Murphy's Oil Soap! I actually like the smell. Hmmm, I use it on my walls, floors and woodwork. I wash the vinyl parts of my car too. That's the first time I read something like this What's a mild soap? Is dish soap mild?

There is quite a bit of debate as to whether soaps are synthetic or natural products, and “soap” and “detergent” are often used interchangeably to further confuse the topic. Assuming soap can’t be caustic and do damage is also an ill-conceived notion put forth by advertisers, not necessarily based on any real testing.

So-called “soaps” are often considered “natural” or "green" products since they are made from naturally occurring fats and oils instead of petroleum products and chemical derivatives. And why wouldn’t we also consider petroleum a “natural” product? It’s produced in nature, but synthesized for specific uses, just like “natural” oils.

Chemists in the field consider the method for producing the soap molecule from these “so-called” natural oils makes them synthetic products as well as those made from petroleum and chemicals – and there is a whole lot of chemistry about the process you can search for yourself on-line if you need more information than what I can post on a message board. Just because a “natural” soap cleans well doesn’t mean there can’t be other problems, which I mentioned above in my pervious post about using it on finished wood products.

Dish soap is mild as long as you use it in dilution with LOTS of water.

The bottom line is -- you can use whatever products you like, but use them with as much information as you can get on the product without a lot of assumptions because it’s supposed to be “natural”, “green”, or a soap and not a detergent.

When you read the product safety sheet for Murphy’s Oil Soap, it states: “The use of safety goggles and protective gloves is recommended.” How mild can it be if you need goggles and gloves?

In truth, most things clean well with plain water and people power (aka elbow grease). If it needs a little more power for grease and grime, add a little vinegar.