I found this list of uses for vinegar on one of the discussion lists I participate in....you may recognize some of them, and others may be new to you (there were a few new ones for me!). So, break out those gallons of vinegar! (thanks for the ideas to Sarah in KY!) 1 Kill grass on walks and driveways. 2 Kill weeds. Spray full strength on growth until plants have starved. 3 Increase soil acidity. In hard water: one gallon of tap water for watering rhododendrums, gardenias, or azaleas. 4 Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are known. 5 Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.

For removing smells from carpet or upholstery: sprinkle a little baking soda on an out-of-sight spot of the carpet or fabric. Leave for 15-20 minutes and then brush or vacuum it off. If the color has not been affected by the baking soda, then use it on the place that needs deodorizing in the same manner.

Homemade Air Fresheners for Household Odors Most commercial air fresheners do not freshen the air at all. Instead, they mask one odor with another, coat your nasal passages with an undetectable oil film, or diminish your sense of smell with a nerve deadening agent. For a safer alternative, you may wish to consider an alternative method: Ventilation - Open windows or doors in the house for at least a short period every day. This will also help to reduce toxic fumes that may be building up indoors. Cinnamon and Cloves - Boil these spices for a fragrant smell. For ease of cleaning, make a cheesecloth bag to contain these spices, and boil the cheesecloth bag. An excellent alternative when entertaining is to steep spiced tea or cider. Potpourri - Buy or make your own potpourri from your favorite herbs and spices. Place the potpourri in a small basket or jar or in small sachet bags. Oil of Wintergreen - Dampen cotton balls with oil of wintergreen and place out of sight but where air will touch them. Vinegar - Distribute partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room or boil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odors. Vanilla - Place pure vanilla on a cotton ball in a small saucer. Place the saucer in the car or refrigerator to remove odors. It is renowned to remove even skunk odors. Keep the cotton ball out of reach of children; vanilla has a high alcohol content. Baking Soda - Place a partially filled saucer of baking soda on the refrigerator shelf. Replace every two months and when you do, pour the contents of the used box down the drain to remove odors and keep the drain clean. Baking soda can also be used to deodorize bottles by filling them with undiluted baking soda and allowing the bottles to soak overnight. Then wash as usual. Borax - Empty the garbage frequently and clean the can as needed. To inhibit growth of odor-producing molds and bacteria, sprinkle 1/2 cup Borax in the bottom of the garbage can. Vinegar or Celery Stalk - To avoid or remove onion odors from your hands, rub white vinegar on your hands before and after slicing. Rubbing hands with the end of a celery stalk will also remove the odor. All Purpose Cleaner - Fill a 32oz spray bottle nearly full with water. Add a squirt or two of Ivory Liquid Dish soap. Put the sprayer back on and gently shake the bottle until the soap has been evenly distributed. Use Ivory because most other dish soaps leave behind a filmy residue. Ivory is especially safe for Corion, marble and wood counter tops and butcher blocks. And it’s safe to use on brass or gold plated faucets. Reference

For more effective dishwashing, add a few tablespoons of vinegar along with the dishwashing detergent when washing dishes. The vinegar cuts the grease and leaves dishes sparkling. Reference

In the kitchen The kitchen is the most likely place to find baking soda. Don't stop with using it for baking, though! A box or small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator, freezer, or any cupboard will keep away unpleasant odors. Similarly, baking soda will keep away garbage odors; sprinkle the bottom of the pail, and then sprinkle again after you put a new bag in. Grease fires can be put out by sprinkling them with baking soda. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water. To remove stale smells from food containers, rinse out with hot water and baking soda. If the smell persists, let the container soak overnight in the baking soda and water mixture. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors! For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily. Reference: Bathroom Cleaning Tips

Bathroom Cleaning Tips Windows and Mirrors Several Ideas

Uses for Fabric Softener Sheets: Wiping up sawdust, on the shop workbench, from drilling or sandpapering is easy. A used sheet will collect sawdust like a tack cloth... and more 13 Ideas

Removing Crayon To remove crayon from hard surfaces, spray with WD-40 lubricant and wipe off. Wash with 1 quart warm water and 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid. To remove crayon from fabrics, spray both sides of the fabric with WD-40. Let sit 15 minutes, then work-in undiluted dishwashing liquid, flush under the hottest water allowable for the fabric and launder as usual.Reference

De-Liming the Dishwasher and Glassware This method serves two purposes by cleaning out the dishwasher and removing the white mineral residue from glassware. Put all of your glassware into the dishwasher and place a bowl with 1-1/2 cups of liquid chlorine bleach in the bottom. Do not add dishwasher detergent. Run the dishwasher through the wash and rinse cycles but not the dry cycle. Next, empty the bowl and add 1-1/2 cups of white vinegar and run the dishwasher through the wash, rinse and dry cycles. If you have a heavy mineral buildup, you may need to do this a few times, then keep it up with a monthly or bi-monthly cleaning, depending upon what best suits your needs.Reference

Keeping Drains Running Smoothly For a great once-a-month drain cleaner, pour 1/2 cup baking soda into the drain, follow with 1/2 cup white vinegar -- it will foam. Cover and let sit 30 minutes and then flush with cool water. For stubborn, slow-running drains, pour 1 cup baking soda and 1 cup salt down the drain. Follow this with 2 quarts boiling water. Let sit 30 minutes, then flush with cool water.Reference

Grass Stains? A simple solution for grass stain is this... take plain old rubbing alcohol one part (about a 1/4 cup) to two parts water (about a 1/2 cup) and put into a little hand spray bottle. Keep spraying it. You can use an old tooth brush to rub some of it out. Every time the grass stains appear I reach for my old reliable spray bottle to remove the stains. Felt Tip Pen Stains To remove felt tip pen stains, rub the stain with soap and a toothbrush. You can also try lemon juice. Food Stains If you soak food stained clothing in a mixture of water and automatic dishwashing detergent for about 36 hours, it will remove 99% of the stains... it also works on baby clothes that have had a blow out in them! Jeans keep their color longer if you wash them inside out. The first wash should be without detergent. Cleaning Leather. Small spots of dirt on glossy leather can be removed with a damp sponge. Scuff marks can be removed with a shoe polish of the correct color. Wet rubber gloves will remove pet hair from clothes and furniture. Rub a candle on the runners of a sticky desk drawer, it's amazing how much of a difference it will make. Furniture restoration: To make furniture look older mix varnish with soot and then paint on. Light scratches on furniture can be disguised by using a wax crayon pencil. Another method is to rub with a Brazil Nut. Small dents in furniture can be steamed out using a steam iron or a damped cloth. Be careful not to overdo it on delicate or very valuable items.

Chlorine Bleach: Use on sturdy white fabrics such as cottons. Do not use blends. Brilliant Bleach: This is a hydrogen peroxide-based bleach for use on whites and colors. All-fabric Bleach: Use this for colors and blends. Do not sprinkle directly on to fabrics. Biz® All-fabric Bleach and Presoak: This is great for soaking clothes with protein-based stains, including diapers, underwear and clothes with formula stains. Follow directions on the container. Reference: Queen of Clean

Lemon Juice: Nothing beats lemon juice for creating eye-popping white clothes. Fill a bucket with warm or hot water, depending on the fabric. Place white socks, underwear, blouses and such into the water and add the slices of one lemon or 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Let soak for a few hours or overnight. If you're using lemon slices, remove and dump water and all into the washer. Launder as usual. Automatic Dishwashing Detergent: Add 1/4 cup to a bucket of warm or hot water, depending on the fabric. Toss in white socks, underwear, pillowcases and white canvas shoes. Let soak two or three hours, then dump into the washer and launder as usual. Reference:Queen of Clean

Cream of Tartar: Look for this in the spice aisle at the grocery store. Use it to remove stains and rust from white clothes. Sprinkle the stained area with the cream of tartar. Gather the fabric so that the stain is in a little pouch and dip it into the hottest possible water for the fabric. Dip it a few times and repeat if needed. Reference