26 Smart (and Sustainable) Uses for Vinegar Around the House

If you're looking for a multitasking cleaning product you can use for everything from whitening laundry and washing windows to driving out pests and sanitizing surfaces, it's time to stock up on distilled white vinegar. This pantry staple makes easy work of a multitude of household chores, without the use of harsh commercial chemicals.

"Vinegar is a good cleaning agent because it is acidic (with a pH value of 2.4), making it effective for breaking down mineral deposits and stains," says Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, a Neighborly company. "When diluted, it can be a safe and environmentally friendly cleaner."

You can use vinegar to clean a host of things in your home, such as countertops, glassware, shower heads, and toilets. It also works to brighten your laundry and deter pests, like ants. And while you can use other types of vinegar like apple cider vinegar to clean, you should stick with plain white vinegar. "White vinegar is the most versatile choice for cleaning because it is clear and has a neutral scent," says Alicia Sokolowski, president and co-CEO of AspenClean. "It's ideal for most cleaning applications, including descaling, disinfecting, and removing odors."

Of course, there are some things that vinegar should not be used on. "You should avoid using vinegar on natural stone surfaces, as it can etch the stone," says Mock. Steer clear of using vinegar on hardwood floors, cast iron and aluminum cookware, delicate jewelry, egg stains or spills, and electronics as well.

Things to Never Mix With Vinegar

Vinegar doesn't mix well with certain other cleaning agents. Take care never to mix vinegar with:

• Bleach
• Ammonia
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Baking soda in a closed container

Mixing vinegar with any of these cleaning agents can result in dangerous chemical reactions, like toxic chlorine gas (bleach), chloramine vapor (ammonia), peracetic acid (hydrogen peroxide), and combusting containers (baking soda).

Deodorize the Room

"Vinegar can help neutralize odors in the home, such as in the kitchen or refrigerator," says Katie Dills, senior vice president, The Cleaning Authority. The best part? All you have to do is leave a dish filled with 1/2 inch of white vinegar in the offensive-smelling room for it to work its magic. Leave it in the room until the smell dissipates completely.

Dissolve Rust

Rust can be a major pain to remove, but using white vinegar makes it easy. For smaller rusted items, soak them in a bowl of white vinegar overnight. For larger items, pour white vinegar over it, let it sit, and rub clean.

Keep Colors Bright

Using vinegar in your laundry is a natural way to keep your clothes bright and fresh. Add 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to your laundry load right before the final rinse cycle to help remove stains, eliminate odors, and remove mildew.

Whiten Your Whites

If you prefer not to use bleach in your laundry cycles, consider vinegar to whiten your clothes. Vinegar's natural acidic properties lend itself to whitening fabrics. Add 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to your laundry cycle along with your detergent to help whiten dingy whites.

Clean Faucets

"Vinegar can dissolve limescale, soap scum, and mineral deposits on faucets," says Dills. To do so, soak a paper towel in vinegar, then drape it over your faucet. Leave it to sit for about an hour, then wipe away the built-up crud.

Clean Windows and Mirrors

One of the common issues with cleaning windows and mirrors is leaving streaks behind, but using white vinegar can help with that. "Diluted vinegar (1 part vinegar to 1 part water) cleans glass surfaces, mirrors, and windows well," says Sokolowski. "Spray it on a clean microfiber cloth and wipe the surface. Always wipe with the same pattern for mirrors and windows: the S movement (from top to bottom)."

Descale Your Coffee Maker

If you can't remember that last time you cleaned your coffee maker, reach for the vinegar. "Vinegar is excellent for removing mineral deposits and scale buildup in appliances like kettles and coffee makers," Sokolowski says. "Mix equal parts of vinegar and water, run the mixture through the appliance, and don’t forget to rinse thoroughly."

Deodorize Trash Cans

Yikes—we all know that our kitchen trash cans can harbor some pretty unwelcoming smells. Scrub the inside of your trash can with a mixture of white vinegar and water using a long handled brush. Rinse well, then dry.

Eliminate Hard-Water Stains on Glass

"Vinegar’s acidity is effective at breaking down hard water stains, limescale, grime, and stains," Dills says. To bring your glass back from cloudy white stains, use a clean rag with distilled white vinegar on it, and rub the item. The vinegar will help remove calcium and magnesium buildup.

Get Rid of Coffee and Tea Stains

Everyone has their favorite mug for sipping hot coffee and tea, and it's likely showing signs of wear with stains. Fill your mug halfway with white vinegar and the other with hot water, allowing the mixture to then sit for about 10 minutes. Drain the mixture and scrub your mug to bring it back to its former glory.

Remove Mildew and Mold

"Vinegar can help remove mildew and mold from bathroom tiles, shower curtains, and other surfaces," says Sokolowski. "Spray or apply vinegar directly, let it sit for a while, scrub, and rinse."

Unclog Drains

Unclog a slow drain with vinegar and baking soda. (This is a case where adding baking soda is useful, so long as you don't mix these two in a closed container!) "Mix baking soda and vinegar to create a natural drain cleaner," Sokolowski says. "Pour it down the drain, let it fizz and work for about 15 minutes, then flush with hot water to clear clogs and remove odors."

Fabric Softener Replacement

Vinegar's laundry prowess doesn't stop at whitening and deodorizing—it can also act as an effective natural fabric softener. "Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to your washing machine's rinse cycle," says Sokolowski. "It can help soften clothes, reduce static, and remove detergent residue."

Remove Stickers and Labels

Trying to scrape off stickers and labels is notoriously hard, and there always seems to be residue left behind. Simply soak the labels and stickers in white vinegar, then peel off.

Showerhead Cleaner

"Vinegar is effective for removing hard water deposits and stains from showerheads and faucets in the bathroom," says Mock. To clean your showerhead with vinegar, use this method from Sokolowski: "Fill a plastic bag with vinegar and secure it around your showerhead with a rubber band. Leave it for several hours to remove mineral deposits and improve water flow."

Neutralize Pet Odors

We love our furry friends, but pet accidents are bound to happen from time to time. First, blot the accident up, then clean the affected area using a mixture of vinegar and water. The vinegar will neutralize the odor and help prevent your furry family members from having a repeat accident.

Clean the Dishwasher

Your dishwasher is a workhorse when it comes to cleaning your dishes, but the appliance itself needs to be cleaned every once in a while as well. Run your empty dishwasher with a cup of vinegar to remove odors and mineral deposit buildup.

Clean the Washing Machine

Similarly, your washing machine can benefit from a vinegar rinse. Simply add 1 cup of white vinegar to an empty washing machine and run it as normal.

DIY a General All-Purpose Cleaner

A handy application of vinegar is to use it as an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner. "Mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with 4 cups of warm water to create an all-purpose surface cleaner," Dills says. Use this mixture to clean everything from windows and glass to sinks and appliances.

For disinfectant purposes, use a 1:1 ratio, says Dills. "You can mix a 1:1 ratio of vinegar and water to wipe down doorknobs, handles, switches, etc. around the home," she says.

Clean Floors

Vinegar can effectively clean and sanitize floors, but make sure you only use it on specific types of flooring. Hardwood floors cannot be cleaned with vinegar, but tile can, for instance. "For tile, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with 1 gallon of water. Use this solution to mop your floors," says Sokolowski.

Drive Away Pests

Keep ants at bay with vinegar. "Vinegar can deter ants," says Mock. To do so, mix equal amounts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then spritz your vinegar solution any place that ants tend to gather, like kitchen corners or crevices.

Stainless Steel Appliance Cleaner

Streak-free stainless steel shine can be had with vinegar. "To clean stainless steel appliances, apply vinegar with a microfiber cloth, then wipe with the stainless-steel grain to remove fingerprints and smudges," Sokolowski says.

Kill Weeds

Besides repelling ants, vinegar is an effective weed killer as well. Vinegar's acidity kills weeds by breaking down the cell walls, while also removing moisture, causing them to shrivel. Make a simple DIY weed killer with 1 cup of salt, 1 gallon of vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of dish soap.

Clean Bath Toys

Children's bath toys are susceptible to mold and mildew growth from all of the moisture they're around. Give these toys a bath of their own in a large bucket or bowl filled with warm water. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar for every gallon of water, and allow the toys to soak for 10 minutes. Then rinse and dry them.

Shine Silver

Silver can easily be restored to its natural beauty with vinegar. To clean tarnished silver, buff your silver items with a soft microfiber rag dipped in vinegar. Rinse the pieces and dry them.

Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Pesky fruit flies won't be a problem anymore with just a small bowl of vinegar covered in plastic wrap. Poke small holes through the plastic wrap so that the flies attracted to the vinegar will get trapped inside.