CasaSugar

Casa Quickie: Add a Shot of Alcohol

CasaSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 07:00:00 -0700

. . . Rubbing alcohol, that is. If you're mixing your own green cleaning products, you might find yourself slightly dissatisfied with the simple vinegar-and-water mix you're using for cleaning windows. The New York Times recently tested different window cleaning products, including mixing up some simple vinegar-and-water solutions. The tester, Stephen Treffinger, reports, "I tried several variations of a homemade white-vinegar-and-water mix, which did a good job at practically no cost. The one that proved most effective was one part vinegar to two parts of water. It was very runny, though, which meant I had to wipe quickly and vigorously with newspaper. A couple of tablespoons of rubbing alcohol added to the mix boosted its cleaning power and made it evaporate faster."

So, next time you mix up your own window washing solution, add a shot of rubbing alcohol to really add some oomph to your homemade window cleaning product.

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Casa Quickie: Mirror, Mirror

CasaSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:30:33 -0700

For the easiest and cheapest way to get your mirror clean, dilute white distilled vinegar with water, and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Spritz your mirror and wipe it off with a newspaper. When you're done, the paper can go straight into your compost, so this method's not only cheap, it's eco as well. If you're not big on cleaning with newspaper, you can also try using microfiber cloths.

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How-To: Ten Garden Uses For White Vinegar

CasaSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:30:11 -0700

Now that you know the household uses for white vinegar, I thought you might like to know how you can expand its use to your garden. As you may remember, white vinegar is an eco-friendly product, and it's also cheap: You can buy a gallon of white vinegar for less than $3.

The word "vinegar" is from the French term vin aigre, meaning "sour wine." White vinegar is made from allowing a distilled alcohol, like white wine, vodka, or gin, to oxidize. This changes the chemical components of the alcohol, making it more sour, but also more useful.

To find out how you can use white vinegar in your garden, read more.

Pesky raspberry leave stains on your palms? Banish berry stains by rubbing your hands with white distilled vinegar.
Make sure your hummingbirds avoid toxic cleansers in their nectar by cleaning feeders with white distilled vinegar.
Rust on your tools or spigots? Soak them overnight in white vinegar to loosen and get rid of rust.
Dingy plastic patio furniture gets cleaner with a solution of one tablespoon white distilled vinegar to one gallon of water.
Hate slugs as much as I do? Say sayonara by spraying them with one part water and one part white distilled vinegar.
Azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and gardenias are all acid-loving plants. Add a cup of white vinegar to a gallon of water, and water them generously every month or so.
If you have weeds or grass in cracks in your sidewalks and steps, pour white vinegar in the cracks to get rid of the greenery.
If your terracotta pots have white mineral bits on them, soak the pots for an hour or two in a sink filled with half white vinegar and half water.
Make your cut flowers last longer by adding two tablespoons of white vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar to each vase. Fill with water, and enjoy.
Stop the ants from marching in by pouring white distilled vinegar on their paths, as well as in ant hills.

Do you have other garden uses for white vinegar? Tell me about them by commenting below!
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How-To: Ten Household Uses For White Vinegar

CasaSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:00:26 -0700

Not so long ago, I told you about some of the ways you can use baking soda around your house. Now, I've got some great uses for another eco-friendly product: white vinegar. Not only is white vinegar eco, it's also cheap: You can buy a gallon of white vinegar for less than $3.

To find out how you can use white vinegar for your household cleaning, read more.

Need some scouring power? Combine 1/4 cup baking soda with one tablespoon liquid detergent. Add a little white distilled vinegar so your paste has a creamy texture.
Do you have a stinky garbage disposal? Freeze white vinegar in an ice cube tray, then drop several cubes down the disposal while running cold water through it.
Get rid of soap scum in your dishwasher by pouring a cup of white distilled vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through an entire cycle
Remove tea and coffee stains from mugs by scrubbing them with salt and distilled vinegar.
Polish chrome sink fixtures with a paste made of two tablespoons salt and one teaspoon white distilled vinegar.
Clean tarnished copper and pewter with a paste using equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and table salt.
Oops! Did you leave wet laundry in the washing machine? Banish the musty smell by pouring two cups of white distilled vinegar in the machine and washing the clothes in hot water. Run the clothes through again with detergent.
Kill bathroom germs with white vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe clean.
Get your brights brighter by adding 1/2 cup white distilled vinegar to your rinse cycle.
Your steam iron will work best if it doesn't have pesky mineral deposits in the steam vents and spray nozzles. Fill the water chamber with a mix of white vinegar and distilled water. Set it upright and let it steam for a few minutes. After the iron is cool, rinse the chamber with water, refill with water, and shake the water through the vents.

Do you have other household uses for white vinegar? Tell me about them by commenting below!
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