30+ Vinegar Uses That Will Blow. Your. Mind.

Mar 2, 2021 | Cleaning Tips and Tricks, Favorite Food Tips

Vinegar is such a cheap and versatile household item to keep on hand! From making buttermilk to cleaning pretty much any surface, or even making your nail polish last longer, don't want to miss out on these vinegar uses.

bottle of vinegar with cleaning cloth, from Fun Cheap or Free

Vinegar is easily and readily found in pretty much any grocery or convenience store. And talk about cheap! Holy mother of pearl, it's amazing. Really, it's basically like liquid duct tape. And we all know how versatile that stuff is!

*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Since you know we're all about finding hacks to make your life easier and cheaper, we're here with the most amazing vinegar uses. Seriously, keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the ride at all times, because it's about to get crazy awesome up in here!


APPLE CIDER VINEGAR USES

strawberries in a solution of vinegar, from Fun Cheap or Free

Apple cider vinegar has been around for a long time. There are basically two different types: filtered and unfiltered. The filtering process pasteurizes it, removing any sediment and leaving a clear, amber liquid. Unfiltered apple cider vinegar is usually organic and still has the “mother,” which contains healthy bacteria, yeast, and protein. The unfiltered vinegar is more expensive, so keep this in mind, depending on how you plan to use it!

Here are our favorite apple cider vinegar uses:

  • Salad Dressing – Use apple cider vinegar as a salad dressing! It's so easy to make your own homemade vinaigrette and it tastes so good.
  • Catch Fruit Flies – Get rid of those pesky insects inside your house the natural way!
  • Skincare – As part of your skincare routine, mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water to use as a toner every night.
  • Detox Bath – Get your relaxing soak on! Add a cup of apple cider vinegar and two cups epsom salts to your bathwater.
  • Outdoor Bug Repellent – Apple cider vinegar works as a great natural bug repellent to keep those annoying, biting insects away.
  • Fruit and Veggie Wash – Use ACV as a fruit and vegetable wash to remove any residues or dangerous bacterias. This also helps produce last longer, reducing any waste!
  • Possible Weight Loss – There's the possibility that ACV can help with weight loss because it makes you feel more full, leading you to eat less.
  • Type 2 Diabetes – It could improve blood sugar and insulin levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. (Talk to your doctor before trying this!)

Pro Tip: While apple cider vinegar has a relatively indefinite shelf life, it keeps the longest when it's stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and heat. It doesn't necessarily have to be stored in the fridge, though some people think it tastes better when it's cold.


WHITE VINEGAR USES

buttermilk syrup in a mixing cup, from Fun Cheap or Free

Put that cheap, distilled white vinegar to use around the house! It may not smell the best, but it comes in so handy.

  • Homemade Buttermilk – Make your own buttermilk! For every cup of buttermilk you need, mix a cup of plain milk with a tablespoon of vinegar. Allow it to sit for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Buttermilk makes the best syrup for those homemade French toast sticks and waffles!
  • Extend Your Nail Polish – Make your nail polish last longer! Mix half a cup of warm water and two teaspoons of vinegar. Soak your nails in it for one minute, then allow them to fully dry. This removes all oils from your nails for better, longer nail polish adherence. Who'd a thunk it?!
  • Beautiful Flowers – Make your expensive fresh-cut flowers last longer. Add two tablespoons vinegar and two tablespoons sugar to water in a 1-quart vase. Change the water every few days or when it gets cloudy.
  • Remove Dried-On Paint – Clean your old paint brushes by soaking brushes in vinegar for an hour. Then, boil fresh vinegar, remove from heat, and add any paint brushes (that won't melt) to the pot. They should rinse clean easily!
  • Remove Stickers – Take that unwanted bumper sticker or decal off your car! Squirt with undiluted vinegar until the sticker is completely loosened and comes off.
  • Help Wiper Blades – Clean your windshield wiper blades when they start getting streaky during a rainstorm. Dampen a cloth with vinegar and run it back and forth a few times until it's clean.
  • Remove Old Wallpaper – Mix equal parts vinegar and water. Saturate a section of the wallpaper and let it sit for a few minutes. Use a wallpaper scraper to easily and carefully peel off the wallpaper! Do this in sections so the vinegar doesn't have time to dry.
  • Stop the Itching – Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and dab it on your bug bites to alleviate the itch.
  • Get Rid of Water Rings – Fix wood stains on furniture by mixing equal parts vinegar and olive oil. Apply it with a soft cloth and go with the grain of the wood. Remove with a clean, soft cloth.
  • Remove Crayon Marks – Did cute little Billy just draw you a masterpiece on the wall? Easily remove those marks from walls or floors (except for hardwoods) without breaking a sweat. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and rub it until it comes off!

Pro Tip: Vinegar is a great way to de-stink things! If you move into a pre-owned house (or car) and you can't handle the smell, put a bowl of vinegar in each room overnight (preferably when you're not also there) to get rid of the smell. It absorbs pretty much any odor, from strong cigarette smoke to pet odors! The vinegar smell should dissipate quickly when you're done, but you can put some boxes of baking soda out to help it along if needed.


USE VINEGAR TO CLEAN… EVERYTHING

woman cleaning carpet with vinegar, from Fun Cheap or Free

Vinegar is the perfect cheap and safe household cleaner! You can easily make homemade spray carpet cleaner, hard floor cleaner, oven cleaner, drain cleaner, and window/glass cleaner. Check more cleaning ideas out in our homemade cleaner recipes post!

Here are some other ways to use vinegar to clean around your house:

  • Blinds – Clean washable blinds with equal parts warm water and distilled vinegar.
  • Sleep Apnea Machines – Put 1 ¾ cups distilled vinegar in the microwave for two minutes. Pour it into the reservoir and let sit for an hour before pouring out. (Make sure this is in line with your owner's manual!)
  • Steam Irons – Remove that pesky mineral residue. Pour equal parts distilled vinegar and water into the reservoir. Allow the iron to steam for five minutes. Unplug, cool, and empty!
  • Regular Iron – Make your iron sparkly clean again and get rid of those scorch marks. Heat equal parts distilled vinegar and salt in a pan. Rub onto the bottom of a cooled iron to remove scorch marks.
  • Shower Head or Faucet – Dissolve mineral buildup in shower heads or faucets! Add a cup of vinegar to a plastic baggie and position it over what needs to be cleaned so it can soak in the vinegar. (A zip tie works great to hold the baggie in place.) Allow it to soak overnight, then rinse the next day.
  • Strip Towels and Washcloths – Cleaning rags, towels, and washcloths can get stinky after a while. Throw them in the washer with a cup of vinegar (in place of the detergent) and wash them in hot water. This is one of our favorite laundry hacks and they'll come out smelling fresh and clean every time!

Pro Tip: For shinier hair, every few washes, rinse hair with a mixture of one cup water and vinegar (either kind will do). Use two tablespoons of vinegar for oily hair and one tablespoon of vinegar for dry hair. Be careful not to get it in your eyes! A second rinse with water is optional.


IN THE KITCHEN

cleaning microwave, from Fun Cheap or Free

It's a fact of life that the kitchen can get nasty… After all, it probably is one of the most-used rooms in the house! These vinegar uses are some of the best ways to get your kitchen sparkling clean again.

  • Clean Your Microwave – Mix a cup of water, ¼ cup vinegar and half a lemon (or lemon juice) in a microwave-safe container. Microwave until the window steams up, then wipe away any residues.
  • Descale Automatic Coffee Makers – Run vinegar through the coffee maker in place of water. When it's done, run a few cycles of plain water through until there's no longer a vinegar smell.
  • Instant Pot – Get that Instant Pot sealing ring clean! Add two cups of white vinegar to the insert, seal the lid and set to “steam” setting for two minutes. Remove the ring and let it air dry completely. No more weird stains or smells!
  • Sheet Pans – Don't be embarrassed by your dirty sheet pans again! Mix ½ cup baking soda, ½ cup distilled vinegar, and hot water. Then apply to tour pans and allow them to soak for 30 minutes to an hour. Give it a good scrub to remove the residue.
  • Fridge – Clean your fridge with a 1:1 solution of distilled vinegar and water. It's perfect for getting those shelves and drawers cleaned!
  • Water Dispenser – Don't forget the water dispenser on your fridge! Minerals can easily build up on the inside and outside of it. Grab a small brush, dip it in vinegar, and get to scrubbing! A straw brush works great because it can go up in the dispenser to scrub any buildup out.

Pro Tip: While vinegar really is amazing and seems like it can do almost anything, there are a few instances when you shouldn't turn to it! Never use vinegar on hardwood floors, granite and marble countertops, stone floors, and egg stains or spills.


How was that exciting ride? What are your favorite ways to take advantage of this liquid duct tape? Share your vinegar tips and tricks with us in the comments below!

Image with text that reads "30+ ways to use vinegar" from Fun Cheap or Free

Looking for more great ideas?

  • If you like how vinegar is easy on your budget, check out our simplest budgeting method!
  • Now that you're going to use vinegar for everything, grab a big bottle the next time you make a Costco run.
  • Running low on dinner ideas? Don't miss out on these great options!

Happy cleaning!

3 Comments

  1. Ashley

    I was wondering if I could link your blog on my blog post about vinegar?? I am just starting up my blog and love you list that matches my post for today.

    Reply
    • FunCheapOrFree

      No problem! As long as you link back I’m perfectly fine with that 🙂 Good luck on the new blog!

      Reply
  2. hilary ikstrums

    Thanks sooooo much. Great not to spend ridiculous amounts of $s on brain,lung,skin and stomach harming smelly chemical cleaners,most of which are just a gimmick. Hilary.

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *