Vinegar: Miracle Product

Let me start off by saying I hate using chemicals for any purpose. All the beauty products I use are as natural as possible and I never buy commercial cleaning products (unless of course they are 100% all natural, and I mean actually all natural not just with a label saying so). Luckily there is a cheap and effective substance that can be used for a multitude of purposes. That's right, you guess it. Vinegar.


I love the stuff. I always buy in the largest size possible, since even for 4L it only costs a few dollars. There are so many uses for it but here is a list of my top 5 favourite uses:


1) Cleaning Solution: No need to buy chemical cleaners ever again. Just splash a little vinegar where you would normally use a cleaner of some sort and apply a little elbow grease. You can mix it with some water and clean counter tops or glass (mirrors, windows, etc). I actually can't think of many things you can't clean with it (but avoid using if cleaning delicate surfaces since the acid might damage them).


2) Facial Toner: Great for acne since it kills bacteria, vinegar can be used on your face as a gentle and effective toner.


3) Hair Rinse: Rinsing with vinegar is an easy way to remove product buildup from your hair. Just rinse though a little vinegar before shampooing.


4) Varmit Repellent: I often sprinkle a little vinegar on my garbage bags before setting them outside to be picked up the next morning. It tends to discourage any critters from getting into the garbage and making a mess. My mom also tried sprinkling vinegar on our flat roof to discourage the raccoons that had been "playing" there. It worked like a charm and we haven't had any problems since.

5) Fabric Softener: Just add a little vinegar before the rinse cycle in your laundry machine and it works to soften your fabrics and remove any left over detergent. (It also works well as a stain remover if you let it soak into the stain before washing).


All five uses have been tested and used by myself on numerous occasions so I can guarantee they do work. There are plenty of websites you can visit to get a more complete list of uses.

I like:
131 Uses for Vinegar http://www.angelfire.com/cantina/homemaking/vinegar.html
1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar http://www.vinegartips.com/Scripts/
44 things to do with vinegar http://www.canadianliving.com/life/green_living/44_things_to_do_with_vinegar.php
The Vinegar Institute- Uses and Tips http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html


Note: There is a lot of similarities between these lists but I still think they are all worth a look.