12 Unexpected Uses Of Vinegar

12 Unexpected Uses Of Vinegar

We don’t know about you, but here at SL were quite keen on cleaning. Whether it’s catching Marie Kondo on Netflix, Insta-stalking Mrs Hinch or googling the latest products to put in our cupboards, we can’t get enough of helpful hacks and cleaning shortcuts. So if you’re like us, you’ll want to know about this unsung Cinderella of the cleaning world – vinegar. Normally just reserved for salad dressing, vinegar is actually a domestic fairy godmother with a myriad of helpful and unexpected uses in the home. Read on to find out more.

It’s Great For Limescale 

If you’ve got a set of chrome taps that need a bit of sparkle, simply soak a few sheets of kitchen roll in vinegar – any type – drape them over the taps. Cover with a plastic bag and secure tightly at the base. Then wait. Try this process before bed and by the morning, your taps will look brand new. For showerheads, unscrew and submerge in a bowl filled with equal parts water and white vinegar. 

Descaling Your Kettle 

Descaling a kettle has to be up there as one of the most tedious tasks on the cleaning roster, but if you fill it with equal parts water and clear vinegar, boil it and leave it overnight, your kettle will be miraculously descaled. You might need to fill it up with water, boil and empty a few times to get rid of the teste – after all, nobody wants vinegary tea. 

Cleaning Your Washing Machine 

When you notice your washing machine is completely clearing the tray of washing powder and conditioner, it could be because your machine’s pipes are a bit clogged. It will typically be limescale, so mix a solution that’s equal parts water and clear vinegar, remove the tray and scrub that area of the machine thoroughly. 

Erasing Ballpoint Pen Marks 

If you have, ahem, a promising young artist in your home who just loves to scribble all over the walls with a ballpoint pen, don’t panic – instead grab some strong clear vinegar and dab it on the pen marks with a cloth repeatedly until it fades away. Then put all the pens in a high-up drawer. 

Wiping Down Your Computer 

If you’re constantly using your laptop or computer for work, it can easily get dirty. But there’s no need to splash out on expensive computer wipes. Mix equal parts clear vinegar and water in a bucket and dampen a clean cloth within the solution. Wring it out tightly and wipe over – but be sure to turn all the equipment off first. Don’t put the solution in a spray bottle as that can easily get inside the circuit, and use cotton swaps to wipe around the keys. 

Soothing Sunburn 

Clear vinegar contains acetic acid, a component of aspirin, which helps relieve the pain and inflammation of sunburn – and helps you resist the urge to scratch it. Soak paper towels in it and apply to the most painful areas, or add a cup to a lukewarm bath and have a long soak.

Removing Stubborn Clothes Stains 

Despite what the strong smell might suggest, vinegar is perfect for improving your outfits. If you find the armpits of your favourite clothes turning slightly yellow, soak the stained area overnight in equal parts water and clear vinegar. Machine wash afterwards and you’ll notice a significant difference. 

Shining Up Your Silverware 

If your jewellery needs a spruce, make everything look shiny and new by soaking them in a mixture of half a cup of clear vinegar and two tablespoons of baking soda, for three hours max. Rinse them under cold water and dry with a cloth – they’ll look as sparkly as when you first bought them. 

Steam-Cleaning Your Microwave 

Place a (microwavable) glass bowl with ¼ cup of clear vinegar with one cup of water and put the microwave on for five minutes on the highest setting. Once the bowl of liquid has cooled a little, dip a sponge into the mix and use it to wipe away stains inside – they’ll wipe straight off. 

Getting Rid Of Spots 

An extra little tip: not only can you use it around the house you can use vinegar to help your skin ailments. If you’re having a bad skin week, then apple cider vinegar is the perfect ingredient to help reduce the redness and inflammation – in fact, studies in which participants used apple cider vinegar regularly on their skin, experienced a significant reduction in acne. Put a little undiluted vinegar onto a cotton pad and dab it on the affected area – we’re not going lie, it will sting, but that’s just a sign it’s helping to fight that bacteria.  

Reducing Scarring 

If you’re too late to use vinegar on your acne, then it can help bring down any discolouration and scarring caused by it. The process of applying organic acids to the skin removes the damaged outer layer of the skin and promotes cell regeneration.   

Helping Achy Muscles

When lactic acid builds up during intense exercise, it can cause pain in the muscles. Apple cider vinegar helps to draw out that lactic acid when you drink it or rub it directly onto the sore muscle. Mix a little of the vinegar into a cup of warm water and apply to sore spots or mix with water and honey to drink it.

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