Hot Vinegar.

So, if you're anyone who knows me even kind of well, you'll know that I LOVE vinegar. I often tell people (especially my husband) that someday Vinegar will likely be the cure for cancer. Think I'm kidding? Not. Soooooo not kidding.

Vinegar is especially good for cleaning. Floors. Walls. Showers. Toilets. Car seats. Carpet. Laundry. You name it, vinegar can clean it. Vinegar mixed with other things are great too. Like Dawn Dish Soap. I would rave on Dawn too, except that I'm pretty sure it's only good as a glue for getting that vinegar to stick heartily to my shower walls without dripping off before it does it's business.

HOT VINEGAR. If you don't know this already, heated up vinegar is twice as effective as the already amazing not-hot vinegar. 3 minutes in the microwave and you have yourself a cleaner that will kill all things gross. And I'm not messing around either. Did I mention that it does all of the heavy lifting for you too? No more using "elbow grease" like your mom once told you.

Still don't believe me? Test some of these for yourself. You know I have.

#1 - Clean that awful hard water ring around the toilet. You know the one I mean, it's just above the water level. (Hey, we don't all have water softeners.) Use 4 Cups HOT (I mean boiling) Distilled Vinegar, pour into toilet, and let it sit overnight. Walah. Water stain? What water stain?

#2 - Soap Scum a problem in your pretty white shower? It used to be in mine. Not anymore! Take 1:1 ratio (I like 1 Cup of each) Dawn Dish Soap & Vinegar, and lightly shake in a spray bottle. I would suggest that you use the original blue Dawn, but the others work pretty well too. Once it's slightly mixed and foamy, spray all over the inside of your shower. Let it sit for an hour (or overnight if it's reallllllly bad), and then just wipe down with a rag and rinse. Totally not playing with you, there are people out there who are willing to prove it to you - not me, you're not going to see the inside of my shower on a before picture. (Click here, and then stop judging her, you know yours is bad too.)

After your once a week scrub and sanitize, I suggest just keeping a bottle of Vinegar right there in the shower to spray it down after each shower. Sure, it's not the best smell in the world, but once you see how well it keeps your shower clean you'll learn to love it. (I can.not.stand. the smell of bleach anymore!)

#3 - Remove carpet stains. Even OLD ones. I posted about this on my FB page a few weeks ago, because it was so simple I felt dumb not thinking of it before. I used it to remove PURPLE ICEY from my WHITE CARPET. And Jared didn't even know anything had happened. It was THAT good. I'll direct you here for the directions, but all you need is some vinegar, water, baking soda, and then some tools like your iron and some white towels. Get crackin', you know you have some spots to clean.

#4 - Clean your windows, walls, etc. Just heat it up, put it in a spray bottle, and go to town! My mirrors should always be pristine. (They totally aren't) Even though I know better.

#5 - Put it in your steam mop. I don't know why I didn't consider this earlier, but it's actually GOOD for the steam mop! It keeps it "gunk free" from the hard water. Not to mention, if you have laminate floors like me, the vinegar will keep your floors from getting even a little bit spotty from the water. Just a healthy splash in the tank with the water should do.

#6 - ANTS. Do you have them? I do. I think my house was built on an ant hill. Seriously. We know that we have a crack in our foundation (What, we went floor-less for a few months, no big deal), and I swear the ants use the crack as an avenue into our home. Guess what though? They don't like white distilled vinegar! Ha! Spray it around doors, window sills, any opening where they like to intrude. They'll stay away, I promise.

#7 - Deodorize your garbage disposal. Pour down 1/2 Cup Baking Soda, and 1/2 Cup Vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes (or more if you're me, because I've walked away and forgotten about it). Turn on the disposal and rinse down with alternating hot and cold. A few drops of lemon oil is great for a fresh scent too, but not required.

#8 - Cut through the grease on your Microwave Hood, Hood Fan, or Cabinets above your stove with a Sponge soaked in vinegar. It may just be easiest to heat up some vinegar on the stove, and then put it into one of those brushes with the handle you can fill with vinegar. It won't take much scrubbing, and that grease will be gone. Take THAT EasyOff!

#9 - Ring around the sink faucet. Do you have one? I get it occasionally on my kitchen sink since it's stainless steel builder-grade. Soak some paper towels in vinegar, and wrap them tightly around the base of your faucet. Let it sit over night, and the ring will be gone in the morning.

#10 - Get rid of calcium buildup on your shower heads! Fill a ziplock bag half way with vinegar, wrap it around the shower head, and secure with a rubber band. By the time you take your next shower, you'll be asking "Build up? What build up?"

#11 - Clean the inside of your appliances. 1/2 Cup Vinegar in with a load of dishes in the dishwasher (or alone) will clean the inside of your dishwasher. 1/2 Cup in a rinse load in your clothes washer, and your washer will be clean. 1 Cup brought to a rolling boil in the microwave, and the vapors will help loosen the hardened food, so all you'll have to do it wipe it out!

#12 - 1/2 Cup of Vinegar in your rinse cycle with your towels, and you'll have the softest towels on the block. Not only will it soften your fabrics (natural fabric softener!) but it will strip the previous residue from your old fabric softener, without ruining your fabrics! BONUS: It also brightens whites and colors, and removes the "dinge" from your blacks! Now go make your clothes look new again! (Careful on those dark wash jeans you just purchased though, it WILL remove that extra dye that you're probably planning on leaving in for a few wears.)

#13 - Remove wrinkles while ironing. 1 Part vinegar to 3 parts water, in a spray bottle. Bye, Bye Wrinkles. (Or just put it directly in your iron, it's good for it anyway, right?)

#14 - Diaper Rash. Ugh. Dreaded Diaper Rash. We've all experienced it (or at least, our kids have). A few tablespoons of vinegar in your baby's bath water will help clear it right up!

Just a good reason to show you my Mr. Handsome again. 

#15 - WEEEDS! This has been one of my favorite uses! Spray the weeds in your garden (careful, don't get your Hastas) and they will be dead by the next morning! No joke! It works!

Check out a few of these pinterest pins. (ALL of which I have tested and found to be true - and you know I wouldn't lie to you about a good Pinterest Pin.)

101 Uses for Vinegar! 
101 MORE Uses for Vinegar! 

Okay guys, so now that I've convinced you that my love for Vinegar is not crazy, somebody go buy me this book or this one. (Or tell my husband that he needs to buy it for me, that works too.)

SEE? It probably will cure cancer someday.

By the way, Heinz is not paying me to post about my love of vinegar. But hey, Heinz People, if you read this - you can pay me in copious bottles of vinegar. I like all kinds. ...and you're welcome.