Increasing soil acidity. If your water is hard, add 275 ml of food grade acetic acid to 4.5 litres of warm water before watering acid-loving flowers such as rhododendrons, heathers and azaleas. Vinegar will release the iron into the soil and plants will absorb it. Azaleas can sometimes be watered with a mixture of two teaspoons of food grade acetic acid and 1 litre of water.
Ant deterrent. If your home is infested with ants or other insects, they are probably coming in through doors and windowsills. Add a little food grade acetic acid to the threshold and windowsills to repel ants.
Prevent car windows from freezing. If you have to leave your car outside overnight in winter, spray the windows with a mixture of food grade acetic acid and water (3:1). This mixture will prevent the windows from freezing.
Helping flowers bloom longer. Indoor plants and flower arrangements can be sprayed with a 1:1 mixture of spirit vinegar and water, which will help them bloom longer.
Extending the life of a flower bouquet. Add a small amount of apple cider vinegar to the water, shake the solution a little and then dip the bouquet into it to extend its life.
Nuisance flies. Pour some apple cider vinegar into a glass or bowl, cover it with cling film and poke small holes in the surface. Flies will fly into the trap, get inside, and won’t be able to get back out.
Weed control. Food grade acetic acid can kill grasses and weeds that spread and prevent flowers from growing. Spray the food grade acetic acid directly onto the weed leaves. (Spray carefully to avoid damaging the plant you want to protect from weeds.)
Indoor air freshening. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda, 15 ml (one tablespoon) of spirit vinegar and 270 ml of water. Once the mixture has stopped foaming, mix well and transfer into a bottle with a nozzle.
Fragrant air freshener. Add approximately 15 g each of sage, rosemary, mint, rue and wormwood to 570 ml of apple or wine vinegar. Keep the mixture in a warm place for about a week. After straining, you can use the liquid as an air freshener or to neutralise unpleasant odours.
Clogged sink. If you have this unpleasant problem and no magic powder at hand, don't panic. Add half a glass of baking soda to the drain and pour in a glass of food grade acetic acid. Then all you need to do is wait. The mixture will fizz, sizzle and make all sorts of sounds. Don't be alarmed – this is a normal chemical reaction that will help remove the dirt. Wash off any residual mixture with water.
Quality cleaning of eyeglasses. A little bit of spirit vinegar and a soft microfibre cloth are all you need to perfectly clean your glasses.
Pesky stains of burnt food on saucepans. Add a little food grade acetic acid to a dirty pan, then add more water and keep it on the heat until the solution boils. After just five minutes, the burnt food will disappear along with the bubbles.
Removes stains on floors and carpets. To remove floor stains, pour one glass of spirit vinegar into two litres of warm water. For cleaning carpets, pour spirit vinegar on the dirty spot and then add a little cleaner. Allow to dry and then rub with a brush. Spots will disappear.
Neutralise cigarette and smoke odours. To neutralise the smell of smoking, pour some food grade acetic acid into a bowl and leave it where you want to eliminate the bad smell.
Unpleasant smells in rubbish bins. Soak a slice of bread in vinegar, place it on a napkin and place it directly on the bottom of an empty dustbin. Leave it there overnight and dispose of it later. Bread and vinegar absorb all the odour molecules like a sponge. This trick is also effective for neutralising other particularly odorous areas of the home.
Cleaning cutting boards. Clean cutting boards with undiluted vinegar. This not only removes grease, but also eliminates any lingering odours.
Cleaning coffee machines. Half-fill the water container with spirit vinegar and switch on the coffee maker as usual. Repeat the process again with a full container of water. Your coffee machine will be spotlessly clean.
Multipurpose cleaner. Vinegar removes fat. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for applications where the removal of a sticky mass is required. It also stops mould, dissolves mineral build-up, gives a fresh smell, kills bacteria and stops them from forming. Mix 1/3 spirit vinegar, 1/3 medicinal alcohol and 1/3 water with 3 drops of dishwashing liquid in a used bottle with a nozzle to make a great floor cleaner. Just spray and clean. You can also use this liquid to improve the odour of the room and to wipe off dust. This cleaner will also clean any tiled floor perfectly. Alcohol is added to help the solution dry faster, so you can leave it out.
Whirlpool cleaner. Once a year, add 4.5 litres of spirit vinegar to a bath of water and turn it on. This will clean nozzles, etc.
Toilet cleaner. To clean stubborn stains in the toilet, spray some food grade acetic acid on them and scrub vigorously with a toothbrush. The water in the cistern will smell fresh if you add 570 ml of apple cider vinegar to it. Leave in the tank for at least half an hour.
Plastic shower curtain cleaner. Keep a spray bottle filled with a mixture of spirit vinegar and water in your bathroom and use it regularly to prevent mould forming on plastic shower curtains.
Easily peel hard-boiled eggs. To easily peel hard-boiled eggs, add a teaspoon of spirit vinegar and a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water.
Prevent eggs from cracking. Add 2 tablespoons of spirit vinegar to the water before boiling. This will prevent the eggshells from cracking.
Soften cooked beef. Add a tablespoon or more of apple cider vinegar to the water when boiling beef to soften the meat and improve its flavour.
Reduce the starchiness of pasta. If you add a few drops of spirit vinegar to the pasta water, the starch in the pasta will disappear and the pasta will be less sticky.
Reduce the starchiness and stickiness of rice. Add a little spirit vinegar when cooking the rice. Use the following proportions: 1 glass of rice, 2 glasses of water and a little splash of spirit vinegar. Once the rice is boiling, cover the pot and cook over a low heat, or simmer covered for 20 minutes. Once the rice is uncovered, use a fork to stir it. Vinegar destroys starch and the rice loses its intrinsic stickiness.