Do Know Ways To Be Frugal?
By villageanne
@villageanne (8553)
United States
February 28, 2007 4:08pm CST
I love being frugal. I have posted many discussions on ways that I am frugal. I have shared some of my tips and recipes for mixes along with other helps. I use vinegar and baking soda alot because they are cheap and have many uses, thus eliminating many commercial cleaners.
I use vinegar and baking soda to keep my drains running freely.
I never let myself run out of either of these wonderful products.
Did you know that vinegar:
1. Kills bacteria, mold and germs, There have been many studies made that show a 5 % solution of vinegar kills 99 percent of mold and 80% of germs or viruses. These studies were done by Heinz company. CBS News show 48 Hours had a special one Dec with Heloise reporting on tests from the good housekeeping institute thata also showed this.
You can keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar(plain household vinegar) in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don't even rinse, but let it air dry overnight. The smell of vinegar goes away within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the inside of the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.
2. Cuts grease.
White vinegar and lemon juice are acidic, they neutralize alkaline substances such as scale from hard water. Acids dissolve gummy buildup, eat away tarnish, and remove dirt from wood surfaces.
3. Is a great fabric softener. I use vinegar as a fabric softener, in my wash all year except winter. The reason that I do not use it in winter is because I find that it does not help with the static cling that occurs in our dry winters. In winter I use commercial fabric softener when my clothes start to shock me or when I get schocked getting out of a car.
4. will deorderize the toilet bowl. just spray it on the rim clean it.
5. will cut through grime and dirt on windows and mirrors
I use vinegar and a newspaper to clean my windows all year long except winter and I make another window cleaner in winter because it gets so cold here that my windows freeze when I use vinegar alone.
What do you use vinegar for?
10 people like this
27 responses
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
28 Feb 07
Wow- I didn't know vinegar had so many uses. I personally don't like the smell of vinegar.. I'm a bleach freak- I use bleach in my toilets to keep them clean and smelling fresh. I've never heard of vinegar for fabric softner-- Do you clothes smell like vinegar when they are all washed?
I used vinegar and really hot water to spray onto my walls to loosen up the wallpaper paste. I tried the steam clean things to take off the paper-- WHat worked best really was just hot water and viengar- Gave them a good soaking and the paper came off easily! I was impressed.. This was after about 3 days of trying other things... The house smelled like vinegar for days!
Thanks for the great pointers-
Not sure if I'll try vinegar in my wash-- but who knows.. If I run out of fabric softner.
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 07
No, the clothes do not smell like vinegar after they are dry
1 person likes this
@dancia2007 (551)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Thank you for sharing your frugal tips. You told me some things I didn't know about vinegar that I definitely will put to use.
I don't always like pinching pennies, I like to feel abundant because of what we didn't have when I was growing up, but as I am picking up pennies around the entrance when I shop, making interest off of lending money, etc., it is making me realize how important frugal practices can be. So I am open to other suggestions you may have in the future, too.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
28 Feb 07
Gee there are some very good ideas here, the supermarket will go out of business....thanks.
2 people like this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I think the supermarket will bounce back. LOL
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
28 Feb 07
vinegar is amazing. You can use it to bath your skin, two parts water one part vinegar. It helps control body odor. If your animal pees on the floor or in cloth wash it with vinegar, the smell for humans passes quickly but for animal it lingers and they don't want to go back to that place anymore. Also wash your floors and walls with vinegar if you are infested with cat fleas, like we were last year. It works well.
@mememama (3076)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I use it for all of those purposes you listed plus I use it in cloth diaper laundry. If they get unusually stinky, I wash again with a splash of vinegar. I also use it in my husbands work laundry, he gets greasy and sweaty at work and this cleans his clothes great!
3 people like this
@JennyLeah (190)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I LOVE vinegar for cleaning!
It's also great for cleaning up pet accidents from rugs, carpet, and upholstery. Even cats, and we all know how hard it is to get rid of the ammonia from those messes! First you blot up all the moisture with a towel, and pour on straight vinegar to the pee area. Make sure you use enough that it really saturates the area and gets down into the fibers of the fabric or carpet. Then let it dry. The vinegar neutralizes the ammonia, so the cat (or dog, but for dog messes you can use a diluted vinegar and water solution) won't return to the spot. If the smell lingers at all, once it's dry you can sprinkle baking soda on the spot and vacuum. Good as new!
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
28 Feb 07
Now you tell me I just cleaned my windows in the living room. But now I know because I have the house to finish and Im going to try your little trick. I can see how it would clean because the windex I buy has vinegar in it. But I didnt know about it killing bacteria. Great tip once again and thanks.
2 people like this
@coolcatzz (1587)
• Canada
1 Mar 07
Wow I never knew all the uses for vinegar before. I love being frugal too and enjoy hearing tips others have to share.
Now you were saying vinegar and baking soda for your drains. Could you tell me how much to mix because I have that problem quite often. Thanks.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
1 Mar 07
What i do is pour about a half a box or so of baking soda down the drain, getting as much as possible down the hole. Then just pour the vinager in a little at a time, Start with about a half cup and add more when bubbles weaken. Continue until bubbling stop. Let sit for about two minutes and flush with hot water.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
1 Mar 07
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/598520.aspx
Here is the link to a discussion on using vinegar to keep drains running freely
1 person likes this
@earth2jacq (1502)
• Philippines
1 Mar 07
Thank you for the tip. I really appreciate it most especially the one about spraying the cutting board with vinegar. I am always worried that since I use the cutting board a lot for different foods and I know washing it with soap alone won't kill most of the bacteria there. I am scared of salmonela so I want you to know that this tip is really a good help. I don't have any uses for vinegar except when I am cooking.
@Leykon (577)
• Canada
1 Mar 07
Thanks for the tips,I use a lot of vinegar also for windows and clothes almost all the same things as you but never thought of it for cleaning the toilet.I will definitely try it.
I use a lot Of vinegar as not only is it a lot cheaper then the cleaners you buy but also My hubby has allergies to the perfume in many cleaners and commercial softeners.the clothes come out nice and fresh and soft.
@kimberlymarie (203)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Vinegar and baking soda are two things I use for everything! They are fantastic. I use vinegar for everything you mentioned. I use it for cleaning my rat cages as well. Vinegar, baking soda and peroxide (the later two together to get up stuck materials, then vinegar) makes them easy to clean, and I feel they are cleaner then they'd be with anything else I could buy, and much safer, too.
2 people like this
@nishdan01 (3051)
• Singapore
1 Mar 07
I have an article written on frugal living which i want to share:
http://www.helium.com/tm/74731
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Thanks for all that valuable knowledge. I only use it to clean mirrors and for cooking.
1 person likes this
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Thanks for these great ideas. I am always looking for new ways to save money. I have always heard that vinegar is great for soooo many things. In our local electric company magazine they have a book that you can order that gives all kinds of ways to use vinegar and I keep saying I am going to order it.
@tarsadawn (350)
• United States
1 Mar 07
One way to be frugal and handy, not using vinegar...is by freezing Saran Wrap!!! I swear this works. You know how Saran Wrap can be clingy and hard to tear, when you first open the box, and you end up wasting half of it...anyway, if you keep it in your freezer, when you use it, it comes out nice and even and sticks to the plates and dinner dishes better. I saw it on Rachael Ray one day, started doing it and worked so good, I keep it there.
1 person likes this
