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 The
Many Uses of Vinegar
Vinegar has a long and fascinating history and over centuries many
different uses have emerged for this most common ingredient, providing
benefits for children, for cleaning and stain removal, and more besides.
Here are a few such uses:
* Beauty Care: Add a cupful of apple cider vinegar to the bathwater to
soothe tired muscles and relieve dry itchy skin and sunburn.
* Condiments: Make your own mint by gathering and stripping leaves from
the stalks when dry. Tear into tiny pieces and spread evenly in a shallow
dish. Cover with vinegar and leave for two or three hours before straining
and pressing leaves lightly in a screw-top jar. Store in a cool, dry
place.
* Children: Make your own playdough by mixing 2 cupfuls of flour with one
cupful of salt, one-half cupful of water and 1 teaspoonful of vinegar. Mix
the flour and salt first then slowly add water and vinegar, stirring all
the time until the mixture is stiff. Use your hands to kneed the dough.
The dough is ready to use or can be brightened with the addition of a
little food colouring.
* Cleaning and Polishing: Remove heavy dirt stains from children’s toys
and baby hardware, tiles and other heavy duty surfaces, by using a cloth
wrung out of lukewarm water to which a little vinegar has been added.
Leave to dry before buffing with a clean fluff-free cloth.
* Clothing: Make your own fabric softener by mixing bicarbonate of soda,
vinegar and water (parts: 2/2/4). Add a quarter cupful of the mixture to
the final rinse for hand or machine washing.
* Cooking and Food: Make your own red food colouring by mixing one cupful
of beetroot juice (tinned or fresh), two tablespoonfuls vinegar and water
to your desired colour. Bottle and leave in a cool place.
* Health Care: In folk medicine vinegar is considered an elixir for a long
healthy life and is recommended for internal and external use. Make a
daily drink from one tablespoonful of apple cider vinegar to a cupful of
warm or cold water, according to preference. The practice is believed to
benefit the memory and to help the body fight many diseases of advancing
years.
* Ironing Disasters: If linen is badly scorched take a cupful of vinegar
to which is added half an ounce of soap, two ounces of fuller’s earth and
the juice of one lemon. Boil well and spread over the damaged parts. Leave
to dry and wash the linen. You’ll find the stain has completely
disappeared.
* Smells: Make your own air spray by mixing two cupfuls of white vinegar
with one cupful of crushed herbs, choosing from rosemary, lavender,
cloves, thyme or pine needles. Place the ingredients in a saucepan and
boil gently for ten minutes then leave to cool. Pour into a large jar with
close-fitting lid. Leave to stand for three or four weeks. Strain and add
the mixture to a spray container or atomiser. Use in the same way as
commercial air sprays.
* Stain Removal: Ink stains can be removed by soaking the fabric in
vinegar for an hour or two before washing in the usual way.
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Vinegar
Facts
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