Grandma Carol I'm the mother of 3 married children and 12 wonderful grandchildren, with another one on the way. View all articles | Contact author

PART TWO

Many years ago, my mother-in-law gave me some information on "inflation busters". She grew up in the Great Depression, and learned to be very resourceful with simple ingredients!  It would serve us well to learn to be that resourceful again – and we may have to soon out of necessity!  It is a lot of information, so I am going to break it down into several different posts.

This second one is about ways to use vinegar.

-To clean your washing machine, fill the washer with warm water and pour vinegar into it. Run the machine through an entire cycle. The vinegar will cleanse the hoses and unclog soap scum from them.

-Vinegar is a natural meat tenderizer and makes a fabulous marinade.

-Final rinse for brunettes and redheads: rinse hair with water containing a several tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. For blonds, rinse with water containing a few tbsp of lemon juice. Both will remove soapy film and give the hair a beautiful shine.

-Vinegar is a must when washing crystal. Rinse in 1 part vinegar to 3 parts warm water. Air dry.

-To remove lime deposits from a tea kettle, fill with equal parts vinegar and water. Bring to a boil and allow to stand overnight..

-Vinegar brought to a boil in a new frying pan will prevent foods from sticking.

-Save time and money by using the cheapest brand of dishwashing detergent available, but add a few tbsp of vinegar to the dishwater. The vinegar will cut the grease and leave your dished sparkling clean.

-Spots on stainless steel sinks can also be removed with white vinegar.

-To keep cheese from drying out, wrap in a cloth dampened with vinegar.

-Try soaking fish in vinegar and water before cooking it for a sweet, tender taste.

-White vinegar will help remove a permanent crease. Sponge the material liberally with the vinegar and press with a warm iron.

-You will eliminate the lint problem by adding 1 cup white vinegar to the final rinse cycle.

-Vinegar is a must for hand washing. It cuts down soap so fast you will only have to rinse two times.

-To remove grease from suede, sponge with a cloth dipped in vinegar or club soda. Restore nap of suede by brushing with a suede brush.

-To soften hard paint on brushes, soak in hot vinegar. Follow with a wash in warm, sudsy water.

-When smokers are in your home, a dish of vinegar placed inconspicuously in the room will help absorb odors. When they leave, put out a dish of ammonia to freshen the room or put vinegar and water on a towel and swing it around.

-To remove polish build-up, use a mixture of ½ cup vinegar and ½ cup water. Rub with a soft cloth that has been moistened with solution, but wrung out. Dry immediately with another soft cloth.

-Use full strength vinegar to remove lime deposits from bath hardware.

-For a quick shine for glass shower doors, rub with a sponge dampened in white vinegar.

-Dark stains in aluminum pans often can be removed by boiling water containing either vinegar or 1 tbsp cream of tartar per quart of water.