Vinegar’s Versatility

Home cleaning may not be the first thing you think of when you see a bottle of vinegar, but below are some surprising solutions for your next spruce up

This Father’s Day, I’m thinking of my dad, who loves to eat seafood or Filipino food. He’s not super picky about what ends up on his plate, but if one thing is for sure, he has to have vinegar to go with it — so a jumbo-sized jug of vinegar was always a staple in my house. Luckily, I’ve found so many uses for it in the home beyond flavoring foods. Here are some of my favorites:

• Loosen cooked-on food from pots and pans. Pour enough vinegar in to cover the stubborn areas and let sit.

• Deodorize just about anything. For garbage disposals or drains, mix equal parts vinegar with baking soda (1/2 cup to 1 cup each). Let the mixture sit for five minutes and then flush with hot water. To get rid of moldy smells on clothes or towels, wash them in hot water and 3 cups of vinegar. Then, run them through a normal cycle with detergent.

• Clear up cloudy glassware. Soak glasses in undiluted white vinegar for 30 minutes. Rinse with cool water and dry.

• Descale your coffee maker. Fill the water reservoir with vinegar and run the cycle through. When it’s done, fill the reservoir with plain water and run it through at least two more times to rinse it clean.

• Rid tools of rust. Spray vinegar onto tools, screws or other metals and let sit overnight. When done, rust spots should wipe right off.

Have a comment or question for Joanne? Email thefixisinhawaii@gmail.com.