Ways to use vinegar
We usually use vinegar to add some flavour to our food, but vinegar has many benefits and it is an all-purpose liquid that can be used for cleaning, cooking, in the garden, etc. My grandmother used it and now I am using it. I usually prefer apple cider, even though the white vinegar is equally valuable. Vinegar is proven to benefit human health too. However, I haven’t included any uses of vinegar to improve our health in the following list, because it may be harmful if it is not used according to the doctor’s prescription.
IN THE KITCHEN
1. Boiling eggs
Adding two tablespoons of vinegar to the boiling water prevents the egg from cracking. If the shell of the egg is cracked use the same procedure to keep the white from flowing out.
2. Marinade
Marinade two kilos of meat in ¼ cup of vinegar overnight to kill bacteria and tenderise the meat. Combine with herbs and anything you like to add to the marinade.
3. Salad vinaigrette
Mix olive oil, vinegar, and honey to have a basic salad sauce.
4. Sauce ingredient
Add some vinegar to the sauce to make the flavour more intense.
5. Replace lemon
One tablespoon of vinegar equals four tablespoons of lemon juice.
6. Wash fruits and vegetables
Fill half the sink with water, add half a cup of vinegar and soak the vegetables or fruits you wish to wash. This way you will kill bacteria.
7. Pickles
There are many recipes for pickles and one of the main ingredients is vinegar.
8. Salad
A few drops of vinegar in the salad make the flavour of the vegetables more intense.
9. Make cheese
Many kinds of cheese can be made from milk and vinegar. Search on the web for traditional cheese recipes.
10. Soup
Add flavour to the soup with a few drops of vinegar
11. Cakes
A few drops of vinegar add an extra flavour to baking.
12. Fruit stain remover
Remove fruit stains from your hands by rubbing them with distilled vinegar.
13. Wine vinegar
Mix a portion of 2:1 vinegar and dry red wine, to make an excellent dressing for salads.
BUGS AND ANIMALS
1. Restrain ants
Spray vinegar around areas where the ants are. The smell of vinegar is very strong and the ants hate it.
2. Get rid of bugs and fruit flies
Make a trap for bugs by adding a few drops of soap into a cup of vinegar. The bugs will be attracted by the smell and will be drowned in the cup.
3. Get rid of ticks and fleas
Directly spray the coat of the dog with a mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar.
4. Clean the dog’s ears
Wet a soft cloth in a solution of 4:1 water to vinegar and gently clean the ears. That will deter them from scratching their ears too.
5. Remove odours from dog
Before bathing the dog, spray the coat with vinegar and then brush its hair.
6. Keep away fleas and mange
Every time you freshen the drinking water of your pets, add a few drops of vinegar to protect them from fleas and mange.
7. Clean the fish tank
Empty the tank and rub the surfaces with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar. Then rinse with cold water.
GARDEN
1. Weed exterminator
Kill weed by spraying vinegar directly on the unwanted area and reapply until it is exterminated.
2. Keep flowers fresh in a vase for longer
In a litre of water add ten teaspoons of vinegar and five teaspoons of sugar. Change the water of the vase every two days to extend the life of the flowers.
3. Grow beautiful flowers
Once a month mix a litre of water with ten tablespoons of vinegar and water the plants. Flowers will absorb iron released from the vinegar.
4. Plant diseases
Before buying a chemical drug for any plant disease, try to spray the plant with a mixture of two tablespoons of vinegar into two litres of water.
PERSONAL CARE
1. Mouthwash and freshen breath
Rinse your mouth with a solution of a cup of warm water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
2. Clean Dentures
Fill a cup with half water and half vinegar, soak the denture overnight and brush the next day.
3. Control Dandruff
You can massage your hair with a solution of 2:2 warm water to vinegar, before or after shampooing your hair.
4. Shiny Hair
After shampooing rinse your hair with a solution of a cup of warm water and a tablespoon of vinegar. If your hair is dry use half of the vinegar and if you have oily hair use an extra half of the vinegar.
5. Natural Deodoriser
Soak a cotton pad with vinegar and wipe your armpits.
6. Jellyfish and insect bites
Apply undiluted vinegar to insect bite to relieve the itching.
7. Keep away insects
Rub vinegar on your skin to keep away insects.
8. Sunburns
Soothe sunburns by applying a soft cloth saturated with vinegar on the area.
9. Soothe dry skin
Add half a cup of vinegar to the bathwater.
10. Bruises
Soak a cotton pad with vinegar and leave it on the bruise for about an hour.
11. Healing of burn
It relieves pain and stinging and prevents blisters from light burns.
12. Releases breathe
If the nose is clogged, boil water with vinegar and inhale the water vapor.
13. Relieves headache
Wet a cloth with vinegar, place it as a compress on your forehead and lie down.
14. Relieves sore throat
Gargle with a solution of equal parts of warm water and vinegar.
15. It stops hiccups
Drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of vinegar. It might help you!
16. Relieves feet
The acidic content of the vinegar helps to stop the growth of fungi. Wash your feet twice a day with a little vinegar to see the difference.
I am sure there are many other vinegar applications we can use to make our lives chemical-free. Please feel free to let me know if you are aware of any other method of using it!
