25+ Best Household Uses For Vinegar

Vinegar has got to be one of the most amazing products we can put in our arsenal for saving money.  Not only is it cheap…about .03 to .05 cents per oz…vinegar has dozens of uses.

I have been using vinegar for years and it’s one thing that I cannot and will not run out of.

Before I start listing all the wonderful uses that vinegar has, I want to tell you that not all vinegar is created equal.  There’s several different types of vinegar available at the grocery stores.

The two I’m going to talk about in this post are white vinegar and distilled vinegar.

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White vs. distilled

White vinegar and distilled vinegar differ fundamentally in their acetic acid content.  Distilled vinegar is 5-8% while white vinegar…also known as spirit vinegar, has 5-20% acetic acid. 

White vinegar is made through the natural fermentation of sugar cane extract or by combining acetic acid with water. Distilled vinegar can be made from any type of vinegar by separating ethanol from the base mixture.

Both white and distilled vinegar can be used in cooking, cleaning and food preservation, however, since white vinegar is stronger than distilled, it is more suitable for cleaning and disinfecting. Distilled vinegar, on the other hand, is better for cooking, flavoring, food preservation and is used in many natural home remedies.

Personally, I’ve used basic distilled white vinegar for all of the uses, below, and it has worked great, but this is a personal preference and I just wanted you to know there is a difference.

25+ Best Household Uses For Vinegar

all purpose cleaner

Vinegar is one of the best cleaners and deodorizers you could possibly want.  It’s mildly acidic and will clean and shine just about everything in your house. 

Here are just a few ways that it can be used around the house as an all purpose cleaner:

• Mix 1 cup of vinegar to 5 cups of water to clean windows.  Makes a great eyeglass cleaner, too!
• Use full strength to kill stale food odors in your kitchen containers.
• Dilute it with water and boil on the stove to get rid of stinky cooking odors.
• Add 1/4 cup vinegar to 1 gallon of water to clean & shine linoleum or no-wax vinyl floors.
• Moisten papertowel with vinegar and lay it over your kitchen (or bathroom) faucet to remove mineral deposits.
• Clean your tile & Formica shower walls, while inhibiting the growth of mold and mildew by wiping down the walls with a sponge dampened with water & vinegar.
• Clean chrome and stainless steel spraying the fixtures with a light mist of undiluted vinegar. Wipe off and buff with a soft cloth.

Also check out this post: 25+ Uses For Baking Soda Around The House

Fantastic shower cleaner

This is my favorite cleaning hack, ever!  I use a dish scrubbing wand, that you can pour your dish liquid in…only I use a solution of vinegar and Dawn dish liquid.  This makes a powerful shower cleaner that cuts through soap scum and will leave your shower sparkling clean!  The best part is it’s safe to use while you are actually in the shower.  I keep the scrubber on a little hook in the shower and when it needs scrubbing, I do it after I’m done showering but before I get out.

For the scrubber, I mix equal parts vinegar and Dawn and just pour it into the reservoir hole.  If you heat the vinegar up prior, it will mix a little better with the dish liquid, but that’s optional.

If you would like to make a larger portion, mix 1 cup vinegar to 1 cup Dawn dish liquid in a spray bottle.  This makes a great all purpose bathroom cleaner.  Spray on your shower doors & walls and leave for about 30 minutes. Come back with a sponge to wipe down and rinse.  I use this to clean my bathtub and sinks, as well.

*Note – Do not use this cleaner on granite or marble.  These surfaces are natural stones and vinegar’s acidity can etch them over time.

gets smells out of laundry

I am constantly using vinegar in my laundry routine.  It works like magic!  If you’ve ever experienced smelly t-shirts…you know…a mix of body odor and a mildew-y smell, that won’t seem to come out no matter how much you wash it, it’s because there’s a bacteria that gets down into the fibers of the material.  Before you toss the shirt, try this first:

Pour straight vinegar on the shirt either in the sink or in your washing machine and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then, throw it in the washer and wash as normal.  The vinegar will get into the fibers that are holding the smell and kill the bacteria.

Sometimes, towels will develop the smell over time.  You can add a cup of vinegar to your rinse cycle or use a Downy Fabric Softener Dispenser Ball.  I have two Downy balls that I’ve had for years.  I fill it and put it in the washer when I first load it.  The Downy ball releases the vinegar in the rinse cycle.  Clothes and towels come out smelling fresh and clean! This also works as a great fabric softener, so it’s almost like killing two birds with one stone!

keep colors from bleeding

If you have a new garment that hasn’t been washed already and your afraid it may bleed, you can set the color by soaking the garment in a few cups of vinegar prior to its first washing. This works great for dark colors, like red or black.

Remove wine stains

If you drink wine, accidents are bound to happen.  If you have a wine spill on cotton, cotton/polyester or permanent press fabrics, sponge vinegar directly to the stain until the stain disappears.  Then, launder according to the directions on the label of the garment.  The key to having success with wine stain removal is to treat the stain as soon as possible, typically less than 24 hours.  The longer it sets, the harder it will be to remove.

Deodorize your kitchen drain

It’s no surprise that every now and then, some strange smells can come up out of our kitchen drains.  If you want to prevent this from happening, pour a cup of white vinegar down the drain and allow it to sit for about 30 minutes.  Then all you do is flush is with cold water.  This deodorizer is totally safe for septics.

neutralizes pet odors/stains

If the urine is still wet, clean up as much as you can with paper towels. If it dries, it will stain carpet and increases the chance of bacteria growth.  

In order to neutralize the pet urine odor, create a vinegar cleaning solution consisting of one part vinegar to one part water (1:1). Vinegar neutralizes the ammonia smell and should be safe for most carpets.  If you’re not sure, test for colorfastness in an inconspicuous place.

Next, slowly pour the solution on the stained area.  The vinegar/water solution needs to reach the lower fibers of the carpet to completely neutralize the area.

Allow the carpet to absorb the solution for at least 10 minutes and then, using paper towels or old rags, blot the soaked carpet (Do NOT rub) until you soak up most of the liquid.

Then, once the carpet is completely dry, sprinkle a little baking soda on the area for 15-30 minutes, then vacuum.

Keep pets from peeing in the same spot

I have used this trick for years.  If you’re housebreaking a pet, once they pee in a spot, they tend to return. You have to get the smell off of the floor or carpet by deodorizing the spot.

If they pee on tile, wipe up the pee with paper towel, then you can either mop the spot with equal parts vinegar and water or spray the floor with full strength vinegar.

If they pee on carpet, rugs or upholstery, try to get as much of the urine out by blotting it up with old rags or towels.  Then, pour vinegar (undiluted) on the spot.  Use the old rags/towels to blot up the vinegar and then reapply.  Leave the vinegar on this time and allow it to air dry.  This should do the trick.

unclog shower heads

If your shower head isn’t spraying like it did when it was new, a buildup of mineral deposits (calcium) may be clogging the holes. Before you run out and buy a new one,  Remove the shower head and place it in a pot, adding enough vinegar to cover it.  Heat the vinegar to just below boiling, then turn off the heat and let the shower head soak for about 8 hours (or overnight).  As it sits, the acid in the vinegar will dissolve the mineral deposits. Voila!  Should be good as new!

rinse aid for the dishwasher

This is also another one of my favorite uses for vinegar.  We have well water that’s extremely hard.  Even with a good water softener and commercial rinse aid, sometimes my dishes are left with a white, powdery substance (calcium) on them.  This makes the glassware extremely cloudy and it’s just down right nasty!

Before I start my dishwasher, I pour one cup of vinegar in the bottom of the tub. Put your dishwashing tab or powder in and start.  My dishes come out sparkling clean, every time.  

Unclog your steam iron

If your steam iron becomes clogged, pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the reservoir.  Turn the iron on and put it on the steam setting and let it steam for about 5 minutes while standing in the upright position.  Turn it off, let it cool then empty it.

cloudy glassware? No problem!

If you have had the above problem with hard water and it seems that no matter how much you wash your glasses, they’re still cloudy, try letting them soak either in a sink or large bowl of vinegar.  Leave them for a while…at least an hour. Then come back to them with your dish scrubber and watch the hard water spots disappear.  Even old spots will be gone!

clean the coffeemaker

When your coffee starts to have a funky taste or the brewing cycle is taking longer than it should, your coffee maker may be experiencing a build up of calcium & minerals.  This is easily remedied by using a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water.  This can be done several times, depending on how clogged your coffee maker is.  After you’ve run the vinegar/water cycle through it, turn it off and let it cool down for a few minutes and repeat, if necessary.  Then run clean water (only) through it 2-3 times to rinse any vinegar residue out of it.  You’ll be amazed at the gunk and chunky little pieces of minerals that come out of it.  You should clean your coffee maker at least twice a year.

Deodorize wood cutting boards

If you have wood cutting boards, you should NEVER put them in the dishwasher. The high heat is not good for the wood as it totally dries them out and over time, will ruin them.  Also, you should NEVER use dish soap on them because they are porous and will absorb the soap.

But when you use them to cut meat on, how are you supposed to clean & sanitize them??  Easy!!  

First, you’ll want to rinse your board off with water. Then, sprinkle the board with a course salt. Next, to disinfect, you wipe the board down with a dampened cloth with hydrogen peroxide. Now, last step…to deodorize your cutting board, spray it down with with vinegar.  Rinse with water and let it air dry.

clean the microwave

Boil a solution of 1 cup water and 1/4 cup vinegar in the microwave until steam forms on the window. Food residue will wipe away easily with a damp cloth.

Clean & deodorize the Fridge

You can give your refrigerator a good cleaning and deodorizing by using equal parts of vinegar and water to wash the inside and outside, the seal around the door AND the vegetable drawers.  Sometimes, I don’t even bother with diluting it with water.  I pour it, full strength, on a washcloth and wipe everything down.  You don’t have to worry about harsh, dangerous chemicals and it helps to prevent any mildew growth.

Be sure to put a box of baking soda inside, after you’re done cleaning to keep the odors away, as well!

Deodorize stinky lunch boxes

My kiddos would bring their lunch boxes home on a Friday (or sometimes leave them at school over the weekend) and put them in their rooms, only to bring them out on Monday morning.  Whatever was in it last had a few days to ferment and let me tell ya…I would sometimes gag at the horrible odor that wafted out of those boxes. 

One way to get that awful odor out was to soak a slice of bread in vinegar and leave it in the lunchbox over night.  Usually, the smell would be gone by morning.

Clean shower door tracks

The tracks of the shower doors can be one of the nastiest spots in your home.  Debri, mold & mildew can accumulate under the doors and eventually, you’ll see the grunge start working its way out from underneath the door.

You can use vinegar, full strength to get this yucky mess out!  Just fill the tracks with vinegar and let it sit for 3-5 hours.  If they’re extra dirty, microwave the vinegar in a glass container for about 30 seconds and pour over the tracks to flush the gunk out. An old toothbrush works great if you need to do a little scrubbing to help loosen it.

Clean & disinfect your toilet bowls

Keep your toilet looking and smelling clean by pouring about 2 cups of vinegar into the bowl and let it sit overnight.  If you do this at least once a week, it will help to keep the nasty looking water ring away that usually appears just above the the water line.

salad dressing

One of my favorite uses for vinegar is salad dressing.  I use vinegar and oil in my Simple Avocado Tomato Salad and when I make cucumber tomato salad.  Not only is this dressing delicious, it’s not high in calories.  

To make the dressing, I mix 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup Canola oil in a bowl and whisk it to blend it. Then pour over salad & toss.

weed killer

Fill a spray bottle (from Dollar Tree) with vinegar without diluting and spray liberally on weeds.  This works best if you do it on a warm, sunny day. This is great if you have weeds coming up through cracks in your sidewalk or driveway.  This is also a safe way to kill them without having to worry about children or pets getting too close. 

hair clarifier

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on expensive clarifying shampoos.  Put about 2 Tbsp of vinegar in a measuring cup and add a cup of water. Take the vinegar mixture into the shower with you and wet your hair. Then pour the mixture over your head and work it into your hair for a minute or so, then shampoo as normal. The vinegar will dissolve any product buildup, like hairspray, gels, etc., and you’re hair will be left squeaky clean, very shiny and it won’t dry your hair out or fade your color if your hair is color treated.

perks up fresh cut flowers

If you want your fresh flowers to stay perky a little longer, offer them a refreshing drink with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar to one quart of water.  Change the water every few days when it becomes cloudy.

Soften stiff paintbrushes

I’ve had many stiff paintbrushes over the years from being a decorative painter, so I keep a little container of vinegar in my shop and when they begin to harden up, I soak the bristle in a small glass or bottle cap for about 30 minutes. Then wash with warm, soapy water.  It’s almost like they’re new again.

Keep four legged friends away from your garden

Many animals, like dogs, cats, raccoons, rabbits and deer are turned off by the scent of vinegar.  Personally, I know my dogs hate it!

If you want to keep these unwanted visitors away from your garden, soak several rags in vinegar, place them on stakes and put them around the vegetables.  This should help deter them from feeding on the fruits of your hard work, yet won’t be harmful to the animal, but you will need to do this every 7-10 days, though.

So this is a great list to get you started on using vinegar in your kitchen, bathroom and pretty much your whole house.  What I listed here are ways I’ve used vinegar for years.  I’m sure there are many, many more uses for this wonderful, inexpensive product.  Skip the expensive cleaners and give vinegar a try!  It’ll save you some serious dough!

What are some uses for vinegar that ?  Leave me a comment, below!

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