Vinegar - The Magic Cleaner

Vinegar - The Magic Cleaner
Compiled and edited by Dr. Abe V. Rotor
Vinegar is acetic acid. It is a product of oxidation of ethyl alcohol or wine - C2H5OH + O2 -> CH3COOH. That is why "vin-egar" means sour wine.

Vinegar is the most popular food conditioner, but outside of the kitchen, vinegar has many uses, from deodorizer to weed killer, and home remedy for common ailments from sore throat to insect bite.

The other side of vinegar is its tremendous cleaning power. No natural substance is more powerful and versatile than vinegar when it comes to this role. Here are some practical uses.

1. Remove lime deposits. Add vinegar to warm water and soak your tea kettle overnight. This will also work on your glass coffee pot. Put one-half cup of vinegar in the pot and fill rest with warm water.

2. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain and add ½ cup of vinegar. Rinse with hot water. You may deodorize the kitchen drain from time to time. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

3. Mix some vinegar with salt. It will clean dishes, pots, glasses, windows, brass, copper, bronze, pans. Skillets. Rinse well with warm water,

4. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar.

5.Debug fresh vegetables. Wash leafy greens in water with vinegar and salt. Bugs floats off.

6. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full strength vinegar. Cut grease and odor on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.

7. Eliminate onion odor. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.

8. Scale fish more easily. Rub with vinegar 5 minutes before scaling. Vinegar and salt is used to immobilize hito and dalag fish before they are prepared for cooking.

9. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal. Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal. After grinding, run cold water through a minute.

10. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered food and deodorize.

11. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox overnight.

12. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

13.Get stains out of pots. Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.

14.Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mold producing bacteria.

15.Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth. Clean china and fine glassware. Add a cup of vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.

Before leaving the kitchen when everything is already clean and in proper order, damp a clean cloth with natural vinegar and lightly apply areas where ants, cockroaches and flies usually visit. Vinegar acts as insect repellant. Wipe the working area to remove cooking odor. Keep a small glass jar of vinegar open and place it in a discreet corner. Vinegar is an excellent air freshener. It will also absorb fumes of fresh paint.

There's one important note though: Be sure you are using natural vinegar - the direct product of acetification as shown in the formula. No, not glacial acetic acid which is for industrial use, and not edible. Happy cleaning!
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