<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"1. Kitchen Surfaces and Utensils Vinegar has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that make it a good choice for cleaning in the kitchen. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water, then pour it into a spray bottle. Use it to clean and disinfect kitchen surfaces such as countertops and stainless-steel sinks and appliances. Just spray on and wipe off with a clean cloth. Be sure to use only nonabrasive cloths or sponges for wiping so you don&amp;#039;t scratch the surface. The cleaning solution also works on myriad other kitchen items, including pots, pans, cooking utensils and cutting boards. 2. Dishwasher and Garbage Disposal Appliances that grind waste or clean dirty dishes can start to stink. So try a little vinegar. For the dishwasher, pour a cup of vinegar into the bottom (don&amp;#039;t place it in the soap dispenser) and run it without any dishes inside on a hot water setting. For the disposer, pour in a cup of vinegar. Turn on the disposer for a second to spread the vinegar around, then turn it off. Wait for a couple minutes, then turn the disposer back on with the water running. Another method is to pour vinegar into ice trays, freeze it, then drop the vinegar ice cubes into the disposer while running it. It&amp;#039;ll remove odors, and the ice will sharpen the blades. 3. Plumbing Fixtures A natural cleaner that kills mold, mildew, and bacteria, vinegar is an effective alternative to pricey bathroom cleaners. It will remove mineral deposits from sinks and faucets, and it will also clean the bathtub, ceramic tile in the shower, shower doors, and even the toilet. Spray it on and rinse it off with water. Stubborn mold or stains may require a second dose. Use a squeegee on the shower door to avoid water spots, and turn on the bathroom fan or open a window to vent the vinegar smell. 4. Water Rings on Wood Set a cold drink on your wood furniture without using a coaster and you&amp;#039;ll leave a round reminder not to do it again. To remove it, dip a white cloth in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and vegetable oil, and rub out the stain, wiping with the grain. Then clean the area with a dry cloth to make the wood shine. You can also remove water rings from leather furniture by dabbing them with vinegar on a cloth. 5. Clogged Showerhead The tiny openings in a showerhead can get clogged over time from minerals such as calcium and magnesium that are in the water. If you don&amp;#039;t have a water softener, mineral deposits are even more likely to accumulate. To get your shower back to full power, fill a plastic bag with vinegar and place it over the showerhead, then tie the bag tight to the shower arm. Let it sit overnight. Remove the bag in the morning, rinse off the showerhead with water, then shower away. It&amp;#039;ll blast water like the day you bought it. 6. Grill Grates Food just tastes better when it&amp;#039;s cooked on a grill. But dripping grease, splattered barbeque sauce, and stray pieces of meat can get baked onto the grates and become a bear to clean. Vinegar is a simple, safe way to clean them and allow you to fire up the grill and start cooking right away. Spray straight vinegar onto the grates, then scrub them with a wire or grill brush until they&amp;#039;re clean. 7. Price Tag Residue We&amp;#039;ve all been there: You try to remove price tags from newly bought items, but the paper surface peels and leaves sticky residue behind. Rubbing it with a damp cloth typically won&amp;#039;t work, or at least not quickly. A better way is to wipe or spray with vinegar. Let it soak in for a couple minutes, then wipe away the debris with a paper towel or cloth. It&amp;#039;ll come right off. This process also works for decals on windows, and bumper stickers on vehicles. 8. Dull Silver Vinegar can bring back the shine to dull silver, including jewelry, vases, ornaments, and silverware. Let the silver soak in a mixture of vinegar and a tablespoon or two of baking soda. Keep your items in the mixture for about 15 minutes, then rinse them under warm water and polish dry with a soft cloth. If an item is too large to soak in the mixture, rub the solution on the silver and let it sit for 15 minutes or so, then rinse and polish. 9. Windows A surefire recipe for clean, streak-free glass: Mix one part vinegar with five parts warm water. Spray the mixture on the window or mirror, then wipe it off with a squeegee. 10. Mystery Smells in the Car Fast-food wrappers, pets, spilled coffee, carsick kids\u2014it&amp;#039;s hard not to stink up a vehicle. If you long to drive, leave a bowl of vinegar on a seat overnight. It&amp;#039;ll remove the odors, and the vinegar smell will go away quickly when you remove the bowl the next morning. If a stinky car is a continual problem, leave the bowl and vinegar bottle in the trunk for frequent use. 11. Ants Ants follow scent trails left by other ants. So if the ants are marching into your home, more will follow. Sweeping or mopping the floor typically won&amp;#039;t eliminate those scent trails and deter the rest of the ant colony. But vinegar will. Disrupt their trails by spraying vinegar anywhere you&amp;#039;ve seen ants, both inside and immediately around the perimeter of the house, as well as around entry doors and windows. The smelly barrier acts as a repellent. 12. Weeds Lawn and garden stores typically sell weed killers that contain acetic acid, which is also found in vinegar. For an environmentally friendly solution that won&amp;#039;t harm pets or wildlife but can eliminate a small amount of weeds, such as those growing in the cracks in your driveway or sidewalk, pour straight vinegar directly onto them. You may have to do this a couple times to completely kill the weeds. 13. Rust The same acetic acid that kills weeds also reacts to iron oxide to remove rust. Place hinges, nuts, bolts, or other metal parts into a bowl of vinegar. Let them sit for a couple hours until the rust is gone, then rinse the items with water so the vinegar won&amp;#039;t continue to affect the metal. 14. Household Odors When you burn popcorn in the microwave, the eye-watering smell can be hard to chase away. It&amp;#039;s even worse in the winter, when you don&amp;#039;t want to open the windows. Spraying air fresheners will mask the stench with artificial scents. The acetic acid in vinegar, on the other hand, absorbs the odors. Spray some in the room the way you would a traditional freshener. Then pour vinegar in a bowl and let it sit in the room to remove any remaining smells. The room cleaner will even work on tobacco smoke. 15. Beer Stains The morning after a good party, it&amp;#039;s not uncommon to discover a beer stain or two in the carpet. If the stain is still damp, blot up what you can with a dry white towel. To remove the stain, spray it with one part vinegar and two parts water. Then blot up the vinegar solution, making sure to use a white towel so a color won&amp;#039;t bleed into the carpet. The vinegar will remove the stain and the beer odor. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/life-culture/cleaning-organizing/news/a6229/15-ways-to-fix-everything-with-vinegar-popular-mechanic/>