TOP

BACK TO HOME

 Uses & Tips Of Vinegar

Household Hints

Floors

No-wax floors:
To wash no-wax floors, add ½ cup of white distilled vinegar to a half-gallon of warm water.

Carpet stain removal:
A mixture of 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent and 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar in a pint of lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be done as soon as the stain is discovered.

Windows & Walls

Streakless windows:
Simply wash with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth. This solution will make your windows gleam and will not leave the usual film or streaks on the glass.

Washing woodwork:
You can ease the job of washing painted walls, woodwork and Venetian blinds by using a mixture of 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white distilled or cider vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda with 1 gallon of warm water. Wipe this solution over walls or blinds with a sponge or cloth and rinse with clear water. Dirt and grime comes off easily and the solution will not dull the painted finish or leave streaks.

Water or alcohol marks on wood:
Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing with a mixture of equal parts of white distilled vinegar and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for the best results.

Kitchen

Garbage disposal cleaner:
Garbage disposals may be kept clean and odor free with vinegar cubes. Vinegar cubes are made by filling an ice tray with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and enough water to fill the ice tray and then freezing it. Run the mixture through the disposal, and then flush it with cold water for a minute or so.

Coffee maker cleaner (automatic):
White distilled vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers from hard water. Fill the reservoir with white distilled vinegar and run it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished. (Be sure to check the owner’s manual for specific instructions.)

Clean the microwave:
Boil a solution of ¼ cup of white distilled vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.

Deodorize the kitchen drain:
Pour a cup of white distilled vinegar down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

Clean the refrigerator:
Wash with a solution of equal parts water and white distilled vinegar.

Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards:
Wipe with full strength white distilled vinegar.

Brass polish:
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.

Ant deterrent:
Ant invasions can sometimes be deterred by washing counter tops, cabinets and floors with white distilled vinegar.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies/Gnats in Your Kitchen
Place a bowl filled with ½ quart water, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar and a couple of drops of dish soap to attract the fruit flies.  Always eliminate the source of attraction, i.e., ripened produce.

Cleaning Stainless Steel Appliances
Apply vinegar with a soft cloth to remove streaks from stainless steel appliances.  Try in an inconspicuous place first.

Cleaner Dishes and Glasses
Pour 1 ½ cup to 2 cups white distilled vinegar in the bottom of dishwasher, along with regular dishwasher soap.  Wash full cycle. 

Remove Refrigerator Smells
Place 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a glass and set in refrigerator.  Within 2 days, any smell is gone!

 Bathroom

Bathtub film:
Bathtub film can be removed by wiping with white distilled vinegar and then with soda. Rinse clean with water.

Shower doors:
Rub down shower doors with a sponge soaked in white distilled vinegar to remove soap residue.

Toilet bowl cleaner:
Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.

Unclog the showerhead:
Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or faucets by soaking them in white distilled vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.

Lawn/Garden

Kill grass:
To kill grass on sidewalks and driveways, pour full strength white distilled vinegar on it.

Kill weeds:
Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.

Increase soil acidity:
In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas. The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plants to use.

Neutralize garden lime:
Rinse your hands liberally with white distilled vinegar after working with garden lime to avoid rough and flaking skin. Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to remove excess lime.

Keep Flowers Longer
Keep flowers fresh longer.  Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons white vinegar in a 1-quart vase of water.  Trim stems and change water every five days.

Plant Nutrients
Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:8.  Mix a separate solution of sugar and water in a mixture of 1:8.  Combine the vinegar and sugar mixtures.  Add to plant as long as needed. 

Pets

Pest fighter:
A teaspoon of white distilled vinegar for each quart bowl of drinking water helps keep your pet free of fleas and ticks. The ratio of one teaspoon to one quart is for a forty-pound animal.

Pet accident:
Test the color fastness of the carpet with white distilled vinegar in an inconspicuous place. Then sprinkle distilled vinegar over the fresh pet accident. Wait a few minutes and sponge from the center outward. Blot up with a dry cloth. This procedure may need to be repeated for stubborn stains.

Get Rid of Odor on a Smelly Dog
Wet the dog down with fresh water.  Use a mixture of 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 2 gallons water.  Saturate the dog’s coat with this solution.  Dry the dog off without rinsing the solution.  The smell will be gone!

Other

Bumper stickers:
Remove bumper stickers by repeatedly wiping the sticker with white distilled vinegar until it is soaked.  In a few minutes, it should peel off easily.  Test on a small invisible area of the car to ensure there will be no damage to the paint.

Paintbrush softener:
Soak the paintbrush in hot white distilled vinegar, and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.

Cleaning the Radiator Vent
Turn down the thermostat.  Unscrew the air vent, soak it in vinegar to clean it, then turn the thermostat all the way up.  After a few minutes, you’ll hear a hissing sound followed by a little bit of water spurting out.  Finally, steam will start exiting that hole.  Turn off the radiator valve and replace the vent.  It should be straight up and hand tight.  You should not need or use a wrench.

Frosted windows:
For those rare winter mornings when there is frost on the car, wipe the windows the night before with a solution of one part water to three parts white distilled vinegar.  They won’t frost over.

Furniture
Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth.  Try in an inconspicuous place first.

Cleaning Leather Shoes
Make a solution of one part water to one part white vinegar, and use it sparingly on the shoes. Dip a cloth into the solution, and dab it over the salt-streaked parts of your shoes.
May have to repeat the cleaning a few times before all the salt is removed.  Salt actually can damage leather, so it’s best to clean shoes as quickly as possible. Don’t let the salt stains build up.

Fireplaces
Wash fireplaces with a 50/50 ratio of water and vinegar to remove the blackened soot on glass front doors. If the doors have a spring-loaded clip, remove it, then take out the doors.

Lay them flat on newspapers, spray with the vinegar/water solution and soak.  Wipe it off with newspaper.

Cleaner for Gold Jewelry (Winner of June 2007 Vinegar Online Use Contest)
Use one cup apple cider vinegar.  Submerge solid gold jewelry item in vinegar for 15 minutes.  Remove and dry with cloth. 

Remove Lime Stains from Car
Pour a small amount of white vinegar on a clean cloth.  Gently rub the area of lime staining with the cloth until the stain is gone.  Test a small are first to ensure no discoloration.

Worn DVDs:
If you have a worn DVD that has begun to stick or suffers from the occasional freeze-frame, wipe it down with white distilled vinegar applied to a soft cloth.  Ensure the DVD is completely dry before re-inserting in the DVD player.  (Note:  This only works on DVDs that are scratched of dirty through normal wear.)

Laundry Hints

Wine stains:
Spots caused by wine can be removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester and permanent press fabrics if done so within 24 hours. To do it, sponge white distilled vinegar directly onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean according to the directions on the manufacturer’s care tag.

Freshen baby clothes:
The addition of 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to each load of baby clothes during the rinse cycle will naturally break down uric acid and soapy residue leaving the clothes soft and fresh.

Clothes washing magic:
Clothes will rinse better if 1 cup of white distilled vinegar is added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar is too mild to harm fabrics, but strong enough to dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents.

Blanket renewal:
Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and free of soap odor if 2 cups of white distilled vinegar are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.

Deodorant stains:
Deodorant and antiperspirant stains may be removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with white distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.

Hole removal:
After a hem or seam is removed, there are often unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with white distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.

Keeping colors fast:
To hold colors in fabrics, which tend to run, soak them for a few minutes in white distilled vinegar before washing.

Leather cleaning:
Leather articles can be cleaned with a mixture of white distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.

Scorch marks:
Lightly rub white distilled vinegar on fabric that has been slightly scorched. Wipe with a clean cloth.

Setting colors:
When you are color dyeing, add about a cupful of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse water to help set the color.

Shower curtains:
Add 1 cup of white distilled vinegar to the rinse water when you launder your shower curtain.  Do not spin dry or wash out.  Just hang immediately to dry.

Unclog steam iron:
Pour equal amounts of white distilled vinegar and water into the iron’s water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.

Clean a scorched iron plate:
Heat equal parts white distilled vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.

Cleaning Vintage Lace
Soak the lace in cold water, rinsing it several times.  Next, hand-wash the lace gently with a wool detergent, such as Woolite.  If rust spots are a problem, try removing them with a mixture of white vinegar and hot water.

Food Preparation

Getting the last drops:
When you can’t get the last bit of mayonnaise or salad dressing out of the jar, try dribbling a little of your favorite vinegar into it, put the cap on tightly and shake well. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve been wasting.

Cooking fish:
Try soaking fish in vinegar and water before cooking it. It will be sweeter, more tender and hold its shape better. When boiling or poaching fish, a tablespoon of vinegar added to the water will keep it from crumbling so easily.

Cake icing:
Cake icing can be prevented from becoming sugary if a little vinegar is added to the ingredients before cooking. The same is true when making homemade candy.

Boiling eggs:
When boiling an egg and it’s cracked, a little vinegar in the water will keep the white from running out.

Keeping potatoes white:
A teaspoon of white distilled or cider vinegar added to the water in which you boil potatoes will keep them nice and white. You can keep peeled potatoes from turning dark by covering them with water and adding 2 teaspoons of vinegar.

Freshen vegetables:
Freshen up slightly wilted vegetables by soaking them in cold water and vinegar.

Fruit and vegetable wash:
Add 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar to 1 pint water and use to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, then rinse thoroughly.  Research has shown that vinegar helps kill bacteria on fruits and vegetables.

Frying doughnuts:
Before frying doughnuts, add ½ teaspoon of vinegar to hot oil to prevent doughnuts soaking up extra grease.  Use caution when adding the vinegar to the hot oil. 

Flavor booster:
Perk up a can of soup, gravy or sauce with a teaspoon of your favorite specialty vinegar. It adds flavor and taster fresher.

Meat tenderizer:
As a tenderizer for tough meat or game, make a marinade in the proportion of half a cup of your favorite vinegar to a cup of heated liquid, such as bouillon; or for steak, you may prefer to a mix of vinegar and oil, rubbed in well and allowed to stand for two hours.

Fruit stains:
Remove fruit or berry stains from your hands by cleaning them with vinegar.

Fresh lunch box:
It is easy to take out the heavy stale smell often found in lunch boxes. Dampen a piece of fresh bread with white distilled vinegar and leave it in the lunch box overnight.

Get rid of cooking smells:
Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.

Fluffy Egg Whites
Soak a paper towel with 1-2 Tablespoons of white distilled vinegar.  Wipe mixing bowl and beaters or whisk with the vinegar-soaked paper towel, then dry with a cloth or paper towel prior to whipping egg whites. 

Fluffier Rice
For fluffier and great tasting rice, add a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar to the boiling water before adding rice.  Rice will be easier to spoon and less sticky. 

Health

Relief from Heartburn
For relief of heartburn or acid indigestion, take one or two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Machine for Sleep Apnea:
To clean the calcium deposit of the humidifier reservoir, heat 450 ml (1 ¾ cups) of vinegar in the microwave for 2 minutes. Pour vinegar into reservoir and replace cap. Let sit for 1 hour. Remove vinegar. Reservoir should be clean and calcium free. Contact manufacturer before cleaning with this method or review manufacturer’s directions.

Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting:
Douse with vinegar. It will soothe irritation and relieve itching.

Relieve sunburn:
Lightly rub white distilled or cider vinegar on skin. Reapply as needed.

Relieve dry and itchy skin:
Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.

Fight dandruff:
After shampooing, rinse with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.

Soothe a sore throat:
Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow. For another great gargle: 1 cup hot water, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vinegar, gargle then drink.

Treat sinus infections and chest colds:
Add ¼ cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer. (Be sure to check vaporizer instructions for additional water measurement.)

Skin burns:
Apply ice-cold vinegar right away for fast relief. Will prevent burn blisters.

Chest congestion:
To clear up respiratory congestion, inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.

Toenail fungus:
Soak toes in a solution of vinegar and water, using 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.

Arthritis Relief
Mix a teaspoon of half apple cider vinegar, half honey in a glass of water with a teaspoon of orange flavored Knox gelatin.

Lessen Morning Sickness
Drink some apple cider vinegar in water, with honey added.  This concoction can help calm a queasy stomach.

Stop Itching
Apply a paste made from vinegar and cornstarch.  Keep on until itch disappears. 

Cleaning Heavily Soiled Hands
Moisten cornmeal with apple cider vinegar.  Scrub hands, rinse in cold water and pat dry. 

Soft Feet
Combine 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 2 gallons warm water.  Soak feet for 45 minutes then use a pumice stone or file to remove dead skin from heels and callused areas of feet.

Wart Remover
Mix lukewarm/warm water with a cup of white distilled vinegar.  Immerse area with wart and soak 20 minutes everyday until wart disappears. 

Bug Spray
Combine equal amounts of water, white distilled vinegar and liquid dish soap in a spray bottle.  Use on skin, as needed. 

Kids Stuff

Coloring Easter eggs:
Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar with each ½ cup of hot water, then add food coloring. (Check egg-coloring booklets or food dye box for specific directions.) Vinegar keeps the food dyes bright and prevents streaky, uneven colors.

Making naked eggs:
Place eggs in a container so the eggs are not touching. Add enough vinegar to cover the eggs. Cover the container, put in the refrigerator and let the eggs sit in the vinegar for 24 hours. Use a large spoon to scoop the eggs out of the container. Be careful since the eggshell has been dissolving, the egg membrane may be the only thing holding the egg together. Carefully dump out the vinegar. Put the eggs back in the container and cover them with fresh vinegar. Leave the eggs in the refrigerator for another 24 hours. Scoop the eggs out again and rinse them carefully. If any of the membranes have broken, throw those eggs away. When you’re done, you’ll have an egg without a shell.

How to build a volcano:
First, make the “cone” of the volcano. Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (more water may be added if needed). Stand a soda bottle in a baking pan and mold the dough around it into a volcano shape. Do not cover the hole or drop dough into it. Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food color (can be done before sculpting if you do not take so long that the water gets cold). Add 6 drops of detergent to the bottle contents. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid. Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle. Watch out – eruption time!

Berry Ink & Quill Pens

Berry ink ingredients:
½ C. Ripe berries (blueberries, cherries, blackberries, strawberries, elderberries, raspberries, etc.)
½ Tsp. Vinegar
½ Tsp. Salt

Fill a strainer with the berries and hold it over a bowl. Using the rounded back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the strainer so that the berry juice strains into the bowl. Keep adding berries until most of their juice has been strained out and only pulp remains. Add the salt and vinegar to the berry juice. The vinegar helps the ink retain its color and the salt keeps it from getting too moldy. If the berry ink is too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Store in a baby food jar. Only make a small amount of berry ink at a time and, when not in use, keep it tightly covered.

Quill pen ingredients:
A large feather (find your own or purchase one from a craft store)
Craft knife
Paper
Berry ink
Paper towels

Use a craft knife to cut

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Antioxidant Activity of the New Black Vinegar “IZUMI”.

Nagashima M, Saito K.

M. Nagashima, Department of Sport Life Style Management, National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Shiromizu-1, Kanoya City 891-2393, Japan, Tel: +81-994-46-4937, E-mail: nagasima@nifs-k.ac.jp;

Abstract

Study of the polyphenolic composition and antioxidant activity of new sherry vinegar-derived products by maceration with fruits.

Cejudo Bastante MJ, Durán Guerrero E, Castro Mejías R, Natera Marín R, Rodríguez Dodero MC, Barroso CG.

Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Cádiz, P.O. Box 40, E-11510, Pol. Río San Pedro, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.

Abstract

November 2010

Vinegar’s Use in Natural Cured Pork Products
The following information was issued by the University of Arkansas’ Food Safety Consortium, titled, “Vinegar, Natural Source of Nitrate Provides Way to Safeguard Organic Pork.”

The release advises of a solution to manufacture natural or organic cured pork products, without using nitrite or nitrate.  (If nitrite or nitrate is used, these products cannot be labeled natural or organic.)  According to the release, Dr. Joe Sebranek of Iowa State University, with support from the University of Arkansas’ Food Safety Consortium, found a solution by incorporating vinegar with lactate and vinegar with lemon powder (natural antimicrobial ingredients) into naturally cured pork products.  The results indicate that bacterial pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes, were inhibited in the naturally cured pork products, but not to an equivalent level as in conventionally cured pork products.  Dr. Sebranek notes, “…With a naturally fermented vinegar product, you have a mixture of organic acids. It’s not typically used as a preservative but it provides some of the organic acids that are recognized antimicrobials. There’s a mixture in that kind of a product that essentially provides a preservative effect.”

To read the entire release, use this link.

October 2010

Use Vinegar to Clean Produce
In a 2003 study at the University of Florida, researchers tested disinfectants on strawberries contaminated with E. coli and other germs.  They found the vinegar mixture reduced bacteria by 90 percent and viruses by about 95 percent.”

April 2010

Type of Wood Impacts Sensory Qualities of Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar
A study published in the March 2010 issue of Journal of Food Composition and Analysis reports that wood used for the aging of vinegar (balsamic and red wine) determines both the chemical composition and sensory properties.  The research, titled “Effect of wood on the phenolic profile and sensory properties of wine vinegar during ageing,” was conducted in Spain.

February 2010

Antiglycemic Properties of Vinegar in Healthy Adults
Dr. Carol Johnston of Arizona State University (ASU) has been researching the use of vinegar in treating Type II diabetes. Most recently, Dr. Johnston and colleagues published research in the January 2010 online issue of Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, titled, “Examination of the Antiglycemic Properties of Vinegar in Healthy Adults.” The researchers concluded that “The antiglycemic properties of vinegar are evident when small amounts of vinegar are ingested with meals composed of complex carbohydrates. In these situations, vinegar attenuated PPG (postprandial glycemia) by ~20% compared to placebo.” In short, vinegar reduces PPG in healthy adults. Of note, the researchers state that taking steps to reduce PPG is recommended by the American Diabetes Association to limit complications of diabetes.

Effect of Organic Acids and Marination Ingredients on the Survival of Campylobacter jejuni on Meat - Wine Vinegar Mentioned
Researchers in Denmark undertook a study to determine whether marination of chicken meat in different food ingredients can be used to reduce populations of Campylobacter jejuni. The study was recently published in the Journal of Food Protection (Vol. 73, No.2, 2010, pages 258 - 265). Of note, the researchers write:

To compose an efficient antibacterial marinade, the antibacterial effects of different food ingredients on C. jejuni inoculated onto broiler meat medallions were evaluated. The most efficient food ingredient was wine vinegar either alone or in combination with red wine and soya [soy sauce]. The antibacterial activity of wine vinegar continued during 3 days of storage, whereas the other ingredients and acids were effective only within the first 24 h of storage. Wine vinegar is a fermentation product of wine and contains a combination of organic acids (acetic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid) and other fermentation metabolites. Lemon juice, which had the lowest pH (2.7), was not as effective as wine vinegar (pH 3.4) for reducing the population of C. jejuni.

June 2009

Vinegar May Prevent Build Up of Fat
According to foodnavigator-usa.com, a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that animals fed a high-fat diet (50% of energy from fat) and supplemented with acetic acid at two different levels developed about 10 per cent less body fat than mice just eating the diet. The Japanese researchers, led by Tomoo Kondo from the Central Research Institute of the Mizkan Group Corporation, found that vinegar was working at a genetic level, by influencing genes linked to fatty acid oxidation and heat-generating (energy burning) proteins. According to the researchers, “The results of this study suggest that acetic acid suppresses body fat accumulation by increasing fatty oxidation and thermogenesis in the liver through PPAR-alpha.” Use this link for further information.

Saltiness and Acidity (using vinegar): Detection and Recognition Thresholds and Their Interaction Near the Threshold
In the recent issue of the Journal of Food Science (a publication of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)), a study was published titled, “Saltiness and Acidity: Detection and Recognition Thresholds and Their Interaction Near the Threshold.” According to a recent IFT newsletter about the study, it was noted that vinegar may enhance saltiness and enable lower sodium content.

The interaction of saltiness and acidity at the threshold level was studied with 35 to 40 young female panelists. As a first step, the detection and recognition thresholds of salt, rice vinegar and rice black vinegar were measured. Levels were then varied. The researchers found that both the detection and recognition thresholds of salt were decreased with the existence of the added vinegar ingredient. This tendency was more pronounced with rice black vinegar than with rice vinegar. However, no significant changes in the threshold of both detection and recognition were observed when salt at the half concentration of the detection threshold was added to rice vinegar. The researchers noted that was an interesting finding “since this breaks the symmetry of the enhancement/suppression between saltiness and acidity commonly believed.

December 2007

Benefit of Vinegar Consumption in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Research was published in the November 2007 issue of Diabetes Care that demonstrated that vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations. The investigators at Arizona State University (ASU) found that the vinegar treatment was especially effective for the six subjects who had a typical fasting glucose greater than 7.2 mmol/L. Fasting glucose in these participants was reduced by 6 percent compared with a reduction of 0.7 percent in those with a typical fasting glucose less than 7.2 mmol/L. According to an article about the study, the researchers concluded, “Vinegar is widely available, it is affordable, and it is appealing as a remedy, but much more work is required to determine whether vinegar is a useful adjunct therapy for individuals with diabetes.” To read the entire article, use this link.

To review the press release issued by ASU on December 18, 2007 on the study, click here.

Recent Research Confirms Bactericidal Activity of Vinegar
Researchers at the Food Biotechnology Department, Instituto de la Grasa (CSIC) in Seville, Spain, conducted research on the antimicrobial activity of several products. Vinegar and red and white wines were among the products tested. (Note: The focus of the research was olive oil, but it confirmed other findings related to vinegar and red and white wines.) The following microorganisms were used in the study: S. aureus, L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis, E.coli 0157:H7, S.sonnei and Yersinia sp.

Among the items tested, vinegar (5% acetic acid) showed the strongest bactericidal activity against all strains tested, which was attributed to its high acetic acid content. The researchers noted their study confirmed previous results. It was noted that both red and white wines exhibited bactericidal activity, in particular against Salmonella Enteritidis and Yersinia sp. S. aureus and L. monocytogenes were the least sensitive to the wines. The research was published in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of Food Protection (Vol. 70, No. 5, 2007).

November 2006

Study Suggests Vinegar Increases Calcium Absorption from Foods
University scientists in Ebetsu, Japan, have suggested that vinegar increases the extraction of calcium from food, based on two separate studies. The researchers say they found feeding laboratory animals a diet containing 1.6 percent vinegar for 32 days increased their absorption of calcium. Another study showed adding vinegar to boiling broth could boost the amount of calcium in chicken stock by 40 percent. The scientists believe the acetic acid in vinegar liquefies minerals in bones and shells. To read more, use the following link: www.thirdage.com

July 2006

Use of Vinegar to Treat Diabetes
On its Web site, KNBC in Los Angeles ran a story about the use of vinegar in treating diabetes. The segment titled, “Medical Minutes From Dr. Bruce Hensel,” notes, “If you’re diabetic ask your doctor if a little vinegar can reduce your need for medicines.” To read more, click here.

March 2006

Japanese Sleep-supporting Soft Drink Based on Tomato Vinegar
According to beverageworld.com, the Japanese household products maker, Lion Corp, has launched a sleep-supporting soft drink based on tomato vinegar. The product, called “Gussumin,” is targeted mainly to women having difficulties with sleeping. Tomato vinegar, made from fermented tomatoes, contains the transmitter substance, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is said to have relaxing effects. It was developed as a result of joint research by a laboratory owned by Lion and a research center affiliated with Ota General Hospital in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture in eastern Japan. To learn more this product, use the following link: www.beverageworld.com

January 2006

Japanese Study Finds Vinegar Helps Suppress Rise in Blood Sugar Level
Earlier this month, the Mizkan Group in Japan released the results of its latest research on vinegar. The results indicated that consuming vinegar (about 15 ml), either by drinking it or having “vinegared” food, can suppress a rise in the postprandial glucose level. According to Japanese Corporate News Network (JCCN), the Mizkan Group conducted experiments with 12 adult women and compared two groups: one group consuming vinegar with a meal and the other without vinegar. The JCCN indicated that the company has confirmed that acetic acid plays a role in this suppressive effect. It was noted that these findings may contribute to research on glycolipid metabolism-related diseases. To view the entire article, please use the following link: http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=11637

December 2005

Vinegar Curbs Appetite
The Vinegar Institute earlier reported that a recent Swedish study found that consuming vinegar with white bread cut expected rises in insulin and blood sugar. The study also found that subjects felt fuller. The research is titled, “Vinegar supplementation lowers glucose and insulin responses and increases satiety after a bread meal in healthy subjects” and was published in the September 2005 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

According to the research, “A significant dose-response relation was seen at 30 min for blood glucose and serum insulin responses; the higher the acetic acid level, the lower the metabolic response. Furthermore, the rating of satiety was directly related to the acetic acid level.” The article notes that there is a rapid increase in obesity and diseases related to insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). It is also noted that evidence exists to substantiate that a diet characterized by a low GI (glycemic index) has benefits in both prevention and treatment of several diseases linked to IRS, such as cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, the researchers conclude, “The selection of pickled and fermented products or meal additives, and the use of vinegar-based drinks, which are currently introduced in the market, may provide means to reach efficient levels of acetic acid. Addition of vinegar to carbohydrate-rich meals of high-GI character, or the use of, for example, homofermentative, acetic acid producing starter cultures offers a potential to lower the GI and increase the postmeal satiety. The possible long-term health benefits of including pickled products or fermented products in the diet need to be examined.” The researchers also note that the level of acetic acid needed to elicit a response might be difficult to ingest as a salad dressing or as pickled vegetables.

June 2005

Vinegar Lowers Cholesterol
The Japanese Corporate News Network (JCNN) reported on a study that found the regular intake of vinegar (15 ml or more per day) can significantly lower the level of cholesterol in the blood. According to the JCNN article, “acetic acid has induced the effect.” The results were presented at the 59^th Annual Meeting for the Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science.

April 2005

Vinegar as a Weapon Against Cancer
The A.P. John Institute for Cancer Research issued a press release on acetic acid’s detrimental effect on cancer cells by inhibiting glycolysis, the energy-producing process in cells. The release notes, “...logic dictates that if you shut down Glycolysis with acetic acid, cancer cells will die from starvation.” The release also states several times that vinegar is a natural source of acetic acid. Additionally, the article mentions citric acid and notes, “Citric Acid is readily converted into acetic acid in the body and when combined, prove to be valuable weapons in fighting cancer.”

January 2005

Increase soil acidity. In hard water areas, add
a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for
watering acid loving plants like rhododendrums,
gardenias, or azaleas. The vinegar will release
iron in the soil for the plants to use.

Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar
and 1 teaspoon sugar for each quart of water.

Prolong the life of flowers in a vase. Add two
tablespoons of vinegar plus three
tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water.
Stems should be in three to four inches of water.

Neutralize garden lime. Rinse your hands liberally
with vinegar after working with garden lime to
avoid rough and flaking skin.
Clean pots before repotting, rinse with vinegar to
remove excess lime.


BUGS AND ANIMALS:

Fish bowl cleaner Eliminate that ugly deposit in
the gold fish tank by rubbing it with a cloth
dipped in vinegar and rinsing well.

Eliminate animal urine stains from carpet. Blot
up urine with a soft cloth, flush several times
with lukewarm water, then apply a mixture of equal
parts vinegar and cool water. Blot up, rinse,
and let dry.

Deter ants. Spray vinegar around door and window
frames, under appliances, and along other known
ant trails.

Remove skunk odor from a dog.
Rub fur with full strength vinegar; rinse.

Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on an area to
discourage cats from walking,sleeping, or
scratching on it.

Keep dogs from scratching ears. Clean the inside
of the ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted
vinegar.

Keep away fleas and mange. Add a little vinegar to
your pet’s drinking water.

Keep chickens from pecking each other. Add cider
vinegar to their drinking water.

Clean milking equipment. Rinse with vinegar to
leave system clean, odorless, and bacteria free
without harmful chemical residue.




CARS & TOOLS:

Polish car chrome. Apply full strength.

Clean rust from tools, bolts, and spigots. Soak
the rusted tool, bolt, or spigot in undiluted
vinegar overnight.

Keep car windows frost free. Coat the windows
the night before with a solution of three parts
vinegar to one part water.




HEALTH & BEAUTY:

Dampen your appetite. Sprinkle a little vinegar on
prepared food to take the edge off your appetite.

Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot or douce the
irritated area with vinegar and relieve itching.

Relieve itching by using a cotton ball to dab
mosquito and other bug bites with Vinegar straight
from the bottle.

Relieve sunburn by lightly rubbing it with
vinegar. You may have to reapply.

Take 1 cup of vinegar and warm water into a
large glass and use to rinse your hair after
you shampoo. Vinegar adds highlights to brunette
hair, restores the acid mantel, and removes
soap film and sebum oil.

You take 1 tablespoon full and swollow when you
have the hiccups. It stops them instantly.

Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to
bath water.

Fight dandruff, by rinsing with vinegar and
2 cups of warm water, after shampooing.

Soothe a sore throat. Put a teaspoon of vinegar
in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.

Cure for colds. Mix one-quarter cup Apple Cider
Vinegar with one-quarter cup honey.
Take one tablespoon six to eight times daily.

Treat sinus infections and chest colds.
Add ¼ cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.

Feel good recipe. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass
of water, with a bit of honey added for flavor,
will take the edge off your appetite and give
you an overall healthy feeling.

Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.

Remove warts by applying a lotion of half cider
vinegar and half glycerin.
Apply daily to warts until they dissolve.

Relieve arthritis. Before each meal, drink a
glass of water containing two teaspoons
Apple Cider Vinegar.
Give it at least three weeks to start working.

Remove corns by making a poultice of one crumbled
piece of bread soaked in one-quarter cup Vinegar.
Let poultice sit for one-half hour, then apply to
the corn and tape in place overnight. If corn does
not peel off by morning, reapply the poultice for
several consecutive nights.

Cure an upset stomach by drinking two teaspoons
Apple Cider Vinegar in one cup water.

Prevent yeast infections. Douche with one
tablespoon vinegar to one quart warm water,
to adjust the pH balance in the vagina.

Clean dentures by soaking them overnight in
vinegar, then brush away tartar with a toothbrush.

Relieve cough by mixing one-half cup Apple Cider
Vinegar, one-half cup water, one teaspoon cayenne
pepper, and four teaspoons honey.
Take one tablespoon when cough acts up.
Take another tablespoon at bedtime.


LAUNDRY & OTHER CLOTHES CARE:

Use in laundry to cut soap.

Get rid of lint in clothes. Add ½ cup of vinegar
to the rinse cycle.

Prevent lint from clinging to clothes: Add one cup
vinegar to each wash load.

Keep bright colors from running. Immerse clothes in
full strength vinegar for 10 minutes before washing.

Freshen up the washing machine. Clean the hoses
and unclog soap scum.
Once a month pour one cup of vinegar into the
washing machine and run the machine through a
normal cycle, without clothes.

Brighten fabric colors. Add a ½ cup vinegar
to the rinse cycle.

Take grease off suede. Dip a toothbrush in vinegar
and gently brush over grease spot.

Remove tough stains. Gently rub on fruit, jam,
mustard, coffee, tea. Then wash as usual.

Get smoke smell out of clothes by addibng a cup of
vinegar to a bath tub of hot water.
Hang clothes above the steam.

Remove perspiration stains from clothes by
applying one part vinegar to four parts water,
then rinse.

Deodorant and anti-perspirants stains may be
removed from clothing by lightly rubbing with
distilled vinegar and laundering as usual.

Cotton and wool blankets become soft, fluffy and
free of soap odor if 2 cups of distilled vinegar
are added to the rinse cycle of the wash.

Clothes will rinse better if a cup of vinegar is
added to the last rinse water. The acid in vinegar
is too mild to harm fabrics but strong enough to
dissolve the alkalies in soaps and detergents.

When dyeing fabric, add a cup full of distilled
vinegar to the last rinse to set the color.

Nylon hose will look better and last longer if
1 tablespoon of vinegar is added to the rinse
water when washing.

To obtain a sharper crease in your knit fabrics,
dampen them with a cloth wrung out from a solution
of 1/3 distilled vinegar and 2/3 water.
Place a brown paper bag over the crease and iron.

Excess laundry suds that develop during hand
laundry may be eliminated by splashing a little
vinegar into the second rinse. Follow this with
another rinse in plain water.

Deodorize a wool sweater: Wash sweater, then rinse
in equal parts vinegar and water to remove odor.

After a hem or seam is removed, there are often
unsightly holes left in the fabric. These holes
can be removed by placing a cloth, moistened with
distilled vinegar, under the fabric and ironing.

Unclog steam iron by pouring equal amounts of
vinegar and water into the iron’s water chamber.
Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes
in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to
cool. Any loose particles should come out when you
empty the water.

Clean a scorched iron plate by heating equal parts
vinegar and salt in a small pan. Then rub the
solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark
or burned stains.


IN THE KITCHEN:

A mixture of salt and vinegar will clean coffee
and tea stains from chinaware.

Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in
2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

Boil better eggs by adding 2 tablespoons water
before boiling. Keeps them from cracking.

Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and
tenderizes the meat. Use one-quarter cup
vinegar for a two to three pound roast, marinate
overnight, then cook without draining or
rinsing the meat.
Add herbs to the vinegar when marinating as desired.

Put vinegar on a cloth and let sit on the back
of your kitchen faucet and it removes hard water
stains.

Vinegar can help to dissolve mineral deposits that
collect in automatic drip coffee makers. Fill the
reservoir with vinegar and run it through a
brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when
the cycle is finished.
(Be sure sure to check the owners manual for
specific instructions).

Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned
with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon
of salt in 1 cup of distilled vinegar.

Clean the dishwasher by running a cup of vinegar
through the whole cycle once a month to reduce
soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on
glassware.

Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the
drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then
flush with cold water.

Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down
the drain and add ½ cup of vinegar.
Rinse with hot water.

Eliminate onion odor by rubbing vinegar on your
fingers before and after slicing.

Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards by wiping
with full strength vinegar.

Cut grease and odor on dishes by adding a
tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.

Clean a teapot by boiling a mixture of water and
vinegar in it. Wipe away the grime.

Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal by making
vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal.
After grinding, run cold water through.

Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut
butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.

Get rid of cooking smells by letting a small pot
of vinegar and water simmer on the stove.

Freshen a lunchbox by soaking a piece of bread in
vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.

Clean the refrigerator by washing with a solution
of equal parts water and vinegar.

Clean stainless steel by wiping with a vinegar
dampened cloth.

Clean china and fine glassware by adding a cup of
vinegar to a sink of warm water. Gently dip the
glass or china in the solution and let dry.

Get stains out of pots by filling the pots with
a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint
of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be
washed away.

Clean food-stained pots and pans by filling the
pots and pans with vinegar and let stand for
thirty minutes.
Then rinse in hot, soapy water.

Clean the microwave by boiling a solution of ¼ cup
of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave.
Will loosen splattered on food and deodorize.

Make buttermilk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a
cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.

Replace a lemon by substituting ¼ teaspoon of
vinegar for 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Firm up gelatin by adding a teaspoon of vinegar
for every box of gelatin used. To keep those
molded desserts from sagging in the summer heat.

Prepare fluffier rice by adding a teaspoon of
vinegar to the water when it boils.

Make wine vinegar by mixing 2 tablespoons of
vinegar with 1 teaspoon of dry red wine.

Debug fresh vegetables by washing them in water
with vinegar and salt. Bugs float off.

Scale fish more easily by rubbing with vinegar 5
minutes before scaling.

Prevent soapy film on glassware by placing a cup
of vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher,
run for five minutes, then run though the full
cycle.

The minerals found in foods and water will often
leave a dark stain on aluminum utensils.
This stain can be easily removed by boiling a
solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar
per cup of water in the utensil.
Utensils may also be boiled in the solution.

Unsightly film in small-necked bottles and other
containers can be cleaned by pouring vinegar into
the bottle and shaking. For tougher stains, add a
few tablespoons of rice or sand and shake
vigorously. Rinse thoroughly and repeat until
clean or determined hopeless.

After cleaning the bread box, keep it smelling
sweet by wiping it down with a cloth moistened
in distilled vinegar.

To eliminate fruit stains from your hands, rub
your hands with a little distilled vinegar and
wipe them with a cloth.

Grease buildup in an oven can be prevented by
wiping with a cleaning rag that has been moistened
in distilled vinegar and water.

Formica tops and counters will shine if cleaned
with a cloth soaked in distilled vinegar.

No-wax linoleum will shine better if wiped with
a solution of ½ cup of white vinegar in
1/2 gallon of water.

Stains on hard-to-clean glass, aluminum, or
porcelain utensils may be loosened by boiling in
a solution of one part vinegar to eight parts
water. The utensils should then be washed in
hot soapy water.



IN THE BATHROOM:

Kill germs on bathroom fixtures by using one part
vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle.
Spray the bathroom fixtures and floor,
then wipe clean.

Soap and stain build up can be removed from chrome
and plastic fixturesif they are cleaned with a
mixture of 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons
of distilled vinegar.

Clean soap scum, mildew, and grime from bathtub,
tile, and shower curtains. Simply wipe the
surface with Vinegar and rinse with water.

Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet
by spraying them with vinegar and brushing
vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3
cups of distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for
a half hour, then flush.

Unclog a shower head by unscrewing it, remove the
rubber washer, place the head in a pot filled with
equal parts Vinegar and water, bring to a boil,
then simmer for five minutes.

Corrosion may be removed from showerheads or
faucets by soaking them in diluted distilled
vinegar overnight. This may be easily accomplished
by saturating a terry cloth towel in vinegar and
wrapping it around the showerhead or faucet.

Bath tub film can be removed by wiping with
vinegar and then with soda.Rinse clean with water.



MISCELLANEOUS:

Use vinegar in the steam cleaner to reduce soap
bubbles.

Mix vinegar with lindseed oil and use it to clean
your wood.

Clean eyeglasses by wiping each lens with a drop
of vinegar.

Soak new propane latern wicks in vinegar for
several hours. Let dry before using. Will burn
longer and brighter.

Deodorize the air. Vinegar is a natural air
freshener when sprayed in a room.

Turn a chicken bone into rubber by soaking it in a
glass of vinegar for three days. It will bend like
rubber.

Deodorize a room filled with cigarette smoke or
paint fumes. Place a small bowl of vinegar in
the room.

Remove decals or bumper stickers by soaking a
cloth in Vinegar and cover the decal or bumper
sticker for several minutes until the vinegar
soaks in. The decals and bumper stickers should
peel off easily.

Cleaning windows by using undiluted Vinegar in
a spray bottle. Dry offwith newspaper.

Prevent patching plaster from drying by adding one
tablespoon vinegar to the water when mixing to
slow the drying time.

Plastic can be cleaned and made anti-static by
wiping down with a solution of 1 tablespoon of
distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
This will cut down on the plastics’ tendency to
attract dust.

The colors in carpets and rugs will often look
like they have taken a new lease on life if they
are brushed with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar in
a gallon of water.

A mixture of one teaspoon of liquid detergent and
1 teaspoon of distilled vinegar in a pint of
lukewarm water will remove non-oily stains from
carpets. Apply it to the stain with a soft brush
or towel and rub gently. Rinse with a towel
moistened with clean water and blot dry. Repeat
this procedure until the stain is gone. Then dry
quickly, using a fan or hair dryer. This should be
done as soon as the stain is discovered.

Spots caused by cola-based soft drinks can be
removed from 100 percent cotton, cotton polyester
and permanent press fabrics if done so with in 24
hours. To do it, sponge distilled vinegar directly
onto the stain and rub away the spots. Then clean
according to the directions on the manufacturer’s
care tag.

Sponging away grease and dirt with a sponge dipped
in distilled vinegar will keep exhaust fan grills,
air-conditioner blades and grills dust free.

Leather articles can be cleaned with a mixture of
distilled vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture
into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.

To loosen old glue around rungs and joints of
tables and chairs under repair, apply distilled
vinegar with a small oil can.

Soak a paint brush in hot vinegar, then wash out
with warm, sudsy water to soften it up.

Patent leather will shine better if wiped with a
soft cloth which has been moisten with distilled
vinegar.

To add a pleasant scent to a room while at the
same time removing an unpleasant odor, add
cardamom or other fragrant spice to a bowl of
distilled vinegar and place in the warmest corner
of the room.

Varnished wood often takes on a cloudy appearance.
If the cloudiness hasn’t gone through to the wood,
the cloudiness can be removed by rubbing the wood
with a soft lintless cloth wrung out from a
solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar in a
quart of luke-warm water. Complete the job by
wiping the surface with a soft dry cloth.

Dirt and grime can be easily removed from woodwork
with a solution of 1 cup of ammonia, ½ cup of
distilled vinegar, and ¼ cup of baking soda in a
cup of warm water. This solution will not dull the
finish or leave streaks.

Stubborn rings resulting from wet glasses being
placed on wood furniture may be removed by rubbing
with a mixture of equal parts of distilled vinegar
and olive oil. Rub with the grain and polish for
the best results.

Wood paneling may be cleaned with a mixture of
1 ounce of olive oil and 2 ounces of distilled
vinegar in 1 quart of warm water. Moisten a soft
cloth with the solution and wipe the paneling.
The yellowing is then removed by wiping with a
soft, dry cloth.

 

******************************************************************

Facts About Vinegar 

Consumers in the South buy and use more white distilled vinegar than in any other region of the country.
Pearls melt in white distilled vinegar. Cleopatra won a bet that she could consume a fortune in one meal. She dissolved some pearls in vinegar and drank them.The name vinegar is derived from the French vin aigre [sour wine].White vinegar is also called spirit vinegar.White vinegar is made by oxidating distilled alcohol. The shelf life of white vinegar is almost indefinite. Vinegar was commercially produced as early as 2000 BC. Vessels with traces of vinegar dating back to 6000 B.C. have been found in Egypt and China.

Uses In The Kitchen 

Cut grease: When washing greasy pans or dishes, add a few tablespoons of vinegar to your soapy dishwater.
Aluminum utensils: Dark stains on aluminum utensils can be removed by boiling them in a solution of 1 tablespoon of distilled vinegar per cup of water.
Automatic coffee maker cleaner: Dissolve the mineral deposits that collect in automatic drip coffee makers from hard water by filling the reservoir with vinegar and running it through a brewing cycle. Rinse thoroughly with water when the cycle is finished.
Percolator coffee maker cleaner: Pour vinegar into a cool unplugged coffee percolator and soak it overnight. Then rinse it thoroughly and wipe with a damp cloth.
Nonstick cookware: To remove the white spotty film caused by minerals in the water rub the pans with a cloth dipped in vinegar.
Glassware: To keep your glassware from getting cloudy, place a cup of vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher and run for five minutes, then run through the full cycle.
Food-stained pots and pans: Soak the insides of the pots and pans in full-strength vinegar for 30 minutes, then rinse in hot, soapy water.
Lime deposits in tea kettle: add ½ cup vinegar to the water and soak overnight.
OR
Boil full-strength vinegar in the kettle for a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.
Chrome fixtures, appliances, and counter-tops: Rub away streaks and smears with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
Brass, copper and pewter polish: Make a paste by dissolving 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup vinegar and stirring in flour. Apply paste to the metal and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.
Scouring cleanser: Combine ¼ cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent, add vinegar until it forms a thick creamy texture.
Wood cutting boards: To clean and disinfect, wipe with full strength vinegar.
Sink drains: To help prevent grease buildup and to keep them fresh smelling, pour a handful of baking soda down the drain pipe, then pour in one-half cup of vinegar. Cover the drain tightly for a few minutes, then flush with cold water.
Garbage disposal: To keep it clean and fresh smelling make some vinegar ice cubes. Mix one cup of vinegar in enough water to fill an ice cube tray and freeze, then grind the cubes through the disposal. Flush with cold water.
Dishwasher: To reduce soap buildup inside your dishwasher, add a cup of vinegar and run it through a full cycle once a month.
Refrigerator: To clean, wash with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar.
Clean microwave: Place a bowl with 2 cups water and ½ cup vinegar inside the microwave and microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes or until it boils. Keep the microwave door closed for a few minutes to allow the steam to loosen the grime, then wipe clean.
Grease splattered oven door window: Saturate it with full-strength vinegar, let the vinegar soak in for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping clean.
Unpleasant cooking smells: Boil a tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water to eliminate cooking smells.
Onion odor on hands: Rub vinegar on your fingers before and after slicing onions to eliminate the lingering onion odor.

Uses Around The House 

Labels, decals, or price tags: To remove, cover with a cloth soaked in vinegar and leave on overnight.
Bumper stickers: Wipe repeatedly with vinegar and let the vinegar soak in. In a few minutes it should peel off easily.
Exhaust fan grills, ceiling fan blades, and air-conditioning grills: Wipe with full-strength vinegar to cut the grease and dirt.
Windows: Use full strength vinegar in a spray bottle. Dry with a soft cloth.
Residue left by commercial window cleaners: Remove with a solution of 2 cups water, 1 cup white distilled vinegar and 1 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent.
Stale, smoky odors: Set a bowl of vinegar in an out-of-the-way corner of the room.
Mildew, dust, and stale odors: Wipe down walls with undiluted vinegar on a cloth or a sponge mop.
Salt stains on shoes: Pour undiluted vinegar on a damp cloth and wipe into the affected areas. Then polish with a soft cloth.
Fireplaces: Wash with a 50/50 ratio of water and vinegar to remove the blackened soot on glass front doors.
Flower vase: Get rid of the water line by filling it with a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar. OR
Soak a paper towel in vinegar and stuff it into the vase so that it is in contact with the water line.
Plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum sports equipment: Clean by applying a paste of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Wipe off with soapy water and rinse with clear water.
Urine on a mattress: Clean with a vinegar and water solution. Then sprinkle the area with baking soda and let dry. Brush or vacuum the residue after it is dry to the touch.
Berry stains on your hands: Rub them with vinegar.
Loosen rusty bolts and stubborn spigots: Soak them in full-strength vinegar.
Paintbrush softener: Soak the paintbrush in hot vinegar and then wash out with warm, sudsy water.
Paint splatters on windows: Apply full-strength vinegar with a clean paintbrush.
Remove wallpaper: Use a paint roller to wet the surface very thoroughly with a solution of equal parts vinegar and hot water, or spray on until saturated.
Painting old concrete: Before painting, clean with full-strength vinegar. Let it air dry.
Shine pennies: Soak them for a couple of hours or overnight in a glass or bowl of undiluted vinegar.
Vinyl baby books or board books: Clean with vinegar on a damp sponge or cloth.                                                                                                   Scissors: Clean off sticky residue with a cloth dipped in undiluted vinegar.
PCs and peripherals: Use a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water on a damp (wrung out) cloth.
Computer mouse: Use a cloth, dampened (wrung out) with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water to wipe the ball clean and to remove fingerprints and dirt from the mouse. Then use a moistened cotton swab to clean out the gunk and debris from inside the ball chamber, let it dry before reinserting the ball.
Window blinds: Wear a white cotton glove and moisten the fingers in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and hot tap water. Slide your fingers across both sides of each slat.
Ballpoint-pen marks on walls: Dab some full-strength vinegar on the it using a cloth or a sponge. Repeat until the marks are gone.
Clean piano keys: Dip a soft cloth into a solution of ½ cup vinegar mixed in 2 cups water, squeeze it out until there are no drips, and wipe off each key. Use a second cloth to dry off the keys. Leave the keyboard uncovered for 24 hours.
Deodorize lunch boxes, footlockers, and car trunks: Soak a slice of white bread in vinegar and leave it in the box overnight.
Musty closet: Remove the contents, then wash down the walls, ceiling, and floor with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 cup each of vinegar and ammonia and ¼ cup baking soda in 1 gallon water. Keep the closet door open and let the interior dry before replacing contents.
Eye glasses lenses: Clean with a few drops of vinegar and a soft cloth (Don’t use vinegar on plastic lenses).
Paint fumes: Place a couple of shallow dishes filled with undiluted vinegar around a freshly painted room to get rid of the strong paint smell.
Disinfect air-conditioner and humidifier filters: Clean your filter in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and warm water.
Let the filter soak in the solution for an hour, then squeeze dry before using.

Uses In The Bathroom 

Toilet bowl: Pour in one cup of undiluted Vinegar. Let it stand for five minutes. Flush.
Shower-head: To remove lime deposit, soak it in a container filled with full-strength vinegar overnight and replace.
Bathtub and tile film build up: Clean with vinegar and rinse with water.
Grout: Let full-strength vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrub it with an old toothbrush.
Shower curtains: Clean with full-strength vinegar.
OR
Wash shower curtains in the washing machine along with a bath towel. Add one cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle.
Chrome, stainless steel, ceramic, or plastic fixtures: Dampen a sponge or cloth with vinegar and wipe away the dull film. Polish with a soft, damp cloth.
Kill germs in bathroom: Spray with full-strength vinegar. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
Shower doors: To get rid of hard water deposits on the glass, spray with full-strength vinegar.
Shower door tracks: Fill the tracks with vinegar and let it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and clean using a toothbrush.

Cleaning Furniture & Wood 

Varnished woodwork and furniture: Rub with a soft cloth moistened with a solution of one tablespoon of vinegar in a quart of lukewarm water, then buff up with a soft, dry cloth.
Rings from wet glasses on wood: Rub them with a mixture of equal parts olive oil and vinegar.
Wood paneling: Use a solution of 1 pint warm water, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, and apply with a clean cloth. Let the mixture soak into the wood for several minutes, then polish with a dry cloth.
Remove candle wax from wood furniture: Soften the wax using a blow-dryer on its hottest setting, then blot up as much as you can using paper towels. Remove what’s left by rubbing with a cloth soaked in a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water. Wipe clean with a soft, absorbent cloth.
Wood decks and wood patio furniture: Remove mildew with a solution of 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup white vinegar, and ¼ cup baking soda mixed in 1 gallon water.

Cleaning Floors & Carpets 

Shiny, streak-less tile or linoleum floors: Mop with a solution of one-half cup vinegar and one gallon of water.
Tough stains on tile or linoleum floors: Apply undiluted vinegar directly on the stain.
Carpets and rugs: To bring up the color and nap brush heavy traffic areas and dirt spots with a mixture of one cup of vinegar per gallon of water. Then blot dry.
Indoor/outdoor carpet: Wash with a solution of 1 cup vinegar in 1 bucket of warm water. Scrub using a brush or a broom and then hose off.
Chewing gum: To loosen chewing gum stuck to carpeting or upholstery, soak it with vinegar.

Pets 

Pet stains: Pour undiluted vinegar directly on the stain. Wipe clean, then blot with cold water.
Dogs and horses: Spray or rub on a solution of 1 cup white distilled vinegar to 1 quart water for a shiny coat.
Deposits and water lines on aquariums and fish bowls: Wipe deposits and water lines down with vinegar and rinse well. For stubborn deposits, soak for several hours or overnight.
Skunk odors: Wipe down the animal with a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water, followed by a plain-water rinse. Repeat if necessary.
Keep flies away from horses or other outdoor pets: Spray a mixture of water and vinegar around the area where the animals are kept.

Uses In The Laundry Room 

Cola or wine stain: Within 24 hours, apply undiluted vinegar directly to the stain (on washable 100% cotton, polyester, and permanent press cotton fabrics). Wash and dry as usual.
Deodorant stains: Rub lightly with undiluted vinegar. Then wipe with a clean cloth.
Mildew: A mixture of salt, vinegar, and water will help remove mildew stains on most fabrics.
Grass: To help remove grass stains on white clothes soak in full-strength vinegar for a half-hour before washing.
Coffee and tea: For stains that have set, soak in a solution of 1/3 cup of vinegar to 2/3 cup of water, then hang the garment out in the sun to dry.
Laundry pretreatment: Keep a spray bottle of a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar in your laundry room. Spray mixture on the stains before washing.
Grease on suede: Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
Smoky odor on clothes: Pour two cups of vinegar in a bathtub of hot water and hang your clothes above the tub.
Keeping colors from running: Immerse new clothes in full-strength vinegar before washing. Test on an inconspicuous spot first.
Setting colors: To set dye add about a cupful of white distilled vinegar to the last rinse water.
Unsightly hem marks: Gently rub them with a vinegar-dampened cloth. Then run a steam iron across the crease.
Hem hole removal: Place a cloth, moistened with vinegar under the fabric and iron.
Baby clothes: Add 1 cup of vinegar to each load of baby clothes during the rinse cycle to break down uric acid and soapy residue.
Lint: add ½ cup vinegar to the wash cycle to prevent lint on clothing.
Black clothes: To remove dulling soap residue use vinegar in your final rinse.
Washing machine: To freshen your washing machine, once a month pour in a cup of vinegar and run it through a normal cycle without clothes.
Moldy smelling wash: Pour a few cups of vinegar in the machine and wash the clothes in hot water. Then run a normal cycle with detergent.
Chemicals on new clothes: Add ½ cup white distilled vinegar to the wash water.
Leather cleaning: Clean with a mixture of vinegar and linseed oil. Rub the mixture into the leather and then polish with a soft cloth.
Static cling: Add ½ cup of vinegar to the last rinse cycle of your wash.
Nylon hose preserver: Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the rinse water when washing.
To keep iron free of corrosion and calcium deposits: Occasionally fill the water reservoir with full-strength vinegar and steam-iron a rag. Repeat the process using water, then thoroughly rinse out the inside of your iron.
Starch buildup on iron: Clean with a moist cloth soaked in full-strength vinegar.
Scorched iron plate: Rub a solution of equal parts vinegar and salt on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
Light scorch marks on fabrics: Rub lightly with undiluted vinegar. Then wipe with a clean cloth.

Uses In The Garden & Outside 

To kill dandelions: Fill a spray bottle with undiluted vinegar. Spray once directly on the plant and again near the ground so the vinegar can soak into the roots.
To kill unwanted grass and weeds: Pour or spray with full-strength vinegar.
Ants: Spread a 50-50 solution of vinegar and water all around their points of entry; door jambs, windowsills, and foundation cracks.
Eliminate anthills: Pour vinegar into ant hill.
Kill slugs: Spray them with a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar.
To keep cats, deer, dogs, rabbits, and raccoons out of your garden: Soak several rags in vinegar, then place them on stakes around the garden. Re-soak the rags about every 7-10 days.
OR
Put cotton balls soaked in vinegar in a 35mm film container. Poke a hole in the top and place in the garden.
Neutralize garden lime on your hands: Pour vinegar over your hands, then rinse with cold water.
To extend the life of cut flowers: Add two tablespoons vinegar, plus three tablespoons of sugar per quart of warm water.
Increase soil acidity: Add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of tap water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenias or azaleas.
Plant Nutrients: Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:8, then mix a separate solution of sugar and water also in a ratio of 1:8. Combine the vinegar and sugar mixtures, then add to plant as long as needed.
Clay Pot Cleaning: Soak pots in full-strength vinegar to remove white salt buildup.
House planters and attached saucers: Remove crusty rim deposits by soaking them for several hours in full-strength vinegar.
Birdbath: Clean by scrubbing it often with undiluted vinegar. Rinse well.
Cure a cement pond (before adding fish and plants): Add one gallon of vinegar to every 200 gallons of water. Let sit three days. Empty and rinse thoroughly.
Sanitize outdoor furniture and picnic tables: Wash with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
Clean plastic patio furniture with a solution of 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar to 1 gallon of water.
Outdoor fountain pump: Clean by soaking the pump in vinegar to remove any mineral deposits.
Hummingbird feeder: Clean with vinegar, soap or detergent can leave behind harmful residue.
Clean windshield wiper blades: Dampen a cloth or rag with some full-strength vinegar and run it down the full length of each blade once or twice.
Keep ice from forming on your car’s windshield: Coat the windows with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.
Car odor: To remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick, leave a bowl of vinegar in the car overnight on the floor.
Car vinyl upholstery: Clean with a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar.
Hard water stains on your car: To prevent water stains after washing, use a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part vinegar.
Car carpeting: Remove road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a 50-50 solution of water and vinegar, then blot with a soft towel.

Beauty & Health Aids 

Sunburn: Sponge vinegar on the sunburn to take away the sting.
Skin burns: Apply ice-cold vinegar right away.
Minor skin irritations: Vinegar will soothe minor skin irritations.
Bee or jellyfish sting: Douse with vinegar. It will soothe irritation and relieve itching. Note: vinegar should not be applied to Portuguese man o’ war stings.
Relieve dry and itchy skin: Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.
Stop Itching: Apply a paste made from vinegar and cornstarch. Keep on until itch disappears.
Bruises: Speed healing and prevent black-and-blue marks by soaking a piece of cotton gauze in vinegar and leaving it on the injured area for an hour.
Cold sore: Dab it with a cotton ball saturated in vinegar three times a day. The vinegar will quickly soothe the pain and swelling.
Chest congestion: Inhale a vapor mist from steaming pot containing water and several spoonfuls of vinegar.
Soft Feet: Soak feet 45 minutes in a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 2 gallons warm water, then use a pumice stone or file to remove dead skin from heels and callused areas of feet.
Toenail fungus: Soak toes in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water, 15 minutes per day.
Soften cuticles: Soak your hands/feet in a bowl of vinegar for five minutes.
Nail polish: Nail polish will last longer if you dampen your nails with some vinegar on a cotton ball and let it dry before applying your favorite polish.
Hair rinse: one cup of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
Dandruff: After shampooing, rinse with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
Clean a hairbrush: Soak in a vinegar solution.

Fun With Vinegar

Fun Things You Can Do With Vinegar

Vinegar Volcano 

Materials:
6 cups flour
2 cups salt
4 tablespoons cooking oil
2 cups of water
Soda bottle
Baking pan
Red food color
6 drops of detergent
2 tablespoons baking soda
Vinegar
Warm water (enough to almost fill soda bottle)

Mix 6 cups flour, 2 cups salt, 4 tablespoons cooking oil and 2 cups of water. The resulting mixture should be smooth and firm (add more water if needed).
Stand a soda bottle in a baking pan and mold the dough around it into a volcano shape. Do not cover the hole or drop dough into it.
Fill the bottle most of the way full with warm water and a bit of red food color. Add 6 drops of detergent to the bottle contents. Add 2 tablespoons baking soda to the liquid. Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle.

or

Materials:

1 narrow-neck bottle (25 oz./750ml)
A mound of dirt
1 tablespoon liquid detergent
A few drops of food coloring
1 cup of vinegar
Warm water
2 tablespoons of baking soda

Set the bottle on the ground and build up a mound of dirt around it with only the neck of the bottle showing a little.
Put 1 tablespoon of liquid detergent in the bottle.
Add a few drops of food coloring.
Add 1 cup of vinegar.
Add warm water, enough to fill the bottle almost to the top.
Very quickly add 2 tablespoons of baking soda that has been mixed with a little water.

Salt And Vinegar Crystals 

Materials:
1/4 cup table salt
2 teaspoons vinegar
1 cup water
Shallow dish
Storage container
Sponge
Scissors

Cut a sponge so it fits in the bottom of the dish. Put the sponge in the bottom of the dish.
Boil water. Remove from heat and add a generous ¼ cup of salt a little at a time. Stir well after each addition of salt. Add vinegar. Stir well.
Pour the salt and vinegar mixture carefully over the sponge, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
Pour the extra mixture into a container and save.
Put the dish in a safe, sunny place. After a few days, salt crystals will start to form. If the salt and vinegar mixture evaporates, add more.

Translucent Eggs 

Place raw eggs, still in the shell, in a bowl of vinegar and let them sit for a day or two. The vinegar will dissolve the calcium in the shell until it appears translucent. It will feel rubbery and squeezable, but the inside will still be raw.

Blowing Up Balloons 

Materials:
Balloons
Small funnel or a small piece of paper rolled up in a funnel shape
Baking soda
Vinegar
Small clean empty bottle

Using the funnel, add 3 teaspoons of baking soda to each balloon.
Fill each bottle 1/3 full with vinegar.
Without dropping in the baking soda, fit the balloon over the bottle opening.
Hold up the balloon and let the baking soda fall into the vinegar.
The baking soda will mix with the vinegar to make carbon dioxide gas and blow up the balloon.

Rubber Chicken Legs 

Soak chicken bones in vinegar for about a week and the bones should appear to turn to rubber.

*************************************************************************
Vinegar’s Uses and Applications

No Flea Zone

You should first give your pets a good bath (see below). Then use a holistic remedy that fleas and mites find totally repulsive. The use of apple cider vinegar is claimed to be very effective if you mix one part vinegar with one part water, fill a spray bottle with it, and gently mist your pet—only on his fur coat, of course. Saturate your pet’s entire coat while being careful not to get any solution in her eyes or ears, and then let her dry. Do this every few days until all evidence of flea infestation is gone. Follow by combing your dog’s fur coat; every day is ideal. Evidence of fleas are the black spots, which is dried blood. (Test this by dropping the black spots on a damp paper towel, and if they are fleas, the black turns red.) Continue combing out daily until all evidence is gone. A side benefit of the apple cider vinegar is that you may notice your pet’s coat becoming more silky and healthier-looking, a sign that his internal system is growing healthier too. Some people have even reported using a solution of half white vinegar and half liquid dish soap and warm water for a wonderful bath solution, and watched in disbelief as the fleas literally fell right off and died in the tub.
If your pet doesn’t like the misting, you can alternate by dipping the comb in a cup with half organic apple cider vinegar and half warm water, and slowly and easily comb the fleas out; but this must be done daily until all fleas are gone.

Adding a few drops of apple cider vinegar to your pet’s drinking water will affect a change from alkaline to acidic from the inside out. Only the finicky eaters will be sensitive to the slight difference, but most pets should not mind the slight change. This makes the skin too acidic for fleas to feed or live upon.
But the best repellent is a healthy pet, with a healthy and natural diet (most pet food is processed and devoid of the necessary nutrients to health and energy). Fleas refuse to jump on healthy pets, as their smell is not attractive.

A Trap to Eradicate Flea Infestation Room by Room

·        If your pet has fleas, it’s a safe bet that fleas are infesting your house as well. A remedy is to simply pour vinegar into a bowl and set it out (overnight) in the room with the heaviest infestation of fleas. The next morning you should find dead fleas.
To rid your home of fleas this should be done for several consecutive nights and until the bowl has no fleas. Then move to other rooms, and repeat the process.

The Path to Wellness

·        When you bathe your pet, immerse him in a warm soapy bath, rinse well, and then use a sponge to apply the apple cider vinegar (diluted with equal amounts of warm water) onto your pet’s fur and legs. Be careful not to get any in your pet’s eyes, ears or other tender areas. The dead fleas will easily come off. The use of the soapy water and the application of apple cider vinegar will prevent reinfestation as long as you do this as a monthly maintenance program (along with ridding your home at the same time). If there are other dogs (or cats), you should give them a soapy bath as well so the flea infestation can be controlled and the fleas eradicated.

The vinegar remedy will only work, for your house and pets, if you attack the flea infestation on all fronts and consistently.

Where your pets love to lie or play should be treated as well. That includes the back yard, doggy houses, back patios, front yard, and garage.
Then, consider getting your pet’s health up to optimum level, because only “sick” dogs get fleas. Pets that are weak, malnourished, and under stressful conditions attract the fleas. It’s been documented time and again.

 ***************************************************************************

 Apple Cider Vinegar

It is widely believed that apple cider vinegar has the greatest health benefits. Most versions, including the popular Heinz version sold at most grocery stores are sold filtered. However, there is much evidence to suggest that unfiltered organic cider vinegar is necessary if you are wanting to achieve the results touted in the folk remedies.

Japanese Rice Vinegar

Taking vinegar and honey as a life enhancing tonic is an old custom in Japan.

Japan’s most famous vinegar is made form rice. The bulk of Japanese commercial vinegar is made from wine leftovers. The sediment left from the production of the rice wine called “sake” is used to make industrial vinegar. These dregs, called “lees”, produce a vinegar which is similar in nutrient value to our white vinegar.

The rice vinegar which is used for cooking and healing remedies is made directly from brown rice. Belief in the healing nature of this deeply colored rice vinegar has come down through thousands of years of Japanese culture.

Vinegar made from brown rice has five times the amount of amino acids as the commercial product made from lees. Perhaps the healthful benefits of rice vinegar are because of the 20 amino acides it contains. Or maybe the 16 organic acids that can be found in it.

The bottom of the bottle of even the best rice vinegar will have a fine rice sediment. When these grounds are disturbed they give the vinegar a muddy appearance. This dark residue is considered to be the sign of a high quality rice vinegar.

Recent Japanese research proves that vinegar helps to maintain good health and slow down aging by helping to prevent the formation of two fatty peroxides. This is important to good health and long life in two important ways. One is associated with damaging free radicals. The other with the cholesterol formation s which build up on blood vessel walls.

The sushi industry is largely dependent on vinegar’s ability to prevent germs from growing on the raw fish. It is sprinkled on the fish, included in dipping sauces, and used as a preservative.—Japanese housewives add a little rice vinegar to summer rice to prevent it from spoiling. In Japan, vinegar is used to produce one of that country’s most potent folk remedies---

Tamago-su (Egg Vinegar) ---Immerse a whole raw egg in a cup of rice vinegar. The egg and the vinegar should be allowed to set for seven days. During this time, the vinegar dissolves the egg, shell and all.—At the end of one week the only part of the egg which has not been dissolved, is the transparent membrane, located just inside the shell. Split open this membrane and dumps its contents into the glass of vinegar. Discard this piece of the egg. A small amount of this very powerful egg vinegar is taken three times each day, stirred into a glass of hot water. It is believed this will assure a long, healthy life. Samurai warriors considered egg vinegar tonic to be an important source of strength and power.

Combine Garlic & Vinegar for Extra Health Benefits---The Egyptian pyramid builders, Greek athletes, and Roman legionaires ate garlic for prodigious power and endurance.

Garlic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sugar

Boron in Vinegar—Boron is a mineral which is necessary for both plant and animal life. The human body does not make strong, straight bones when it is missing from the diet. One reason for this is that boron plays a critical role in the way the body uses calcium. Without boron, calcium cannot form and maintain strong bones. When vinegar releases its boron in the body, all sorts of wonderful things happen. Boron affects the way steroid hormones are released. Then it regulates their use, and how long they stay in the body. The boron and hormone connection is vital to bone formation. Blood and tissue levels of several steroid hormones (such as estrogen and testosterone) increase dramatically in the presence of boron. Both of these are needed to complete the calcium-to-bone growth cycle. This relationship between hormones, boron, and calcium helps to explain why estrogen replacement is about the only treatment for osteoporosis.

Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar has historically been produced in the regions of northern Italy. The earliest historical reference to it is from the 11^th century, when it was given as a gift to the Holy Roman Emperor Henry III in 1046. -The name balsamic, from balsam and balm, is derived from its purported medicinal qualities. One of its earliest folk uses was to prevent catching the plague.

CURE FOR HICCUPS—One teaspoon to one tablespoon of vinegar gets rid of hiccups.

WEIGHT LOSS—It’s an ongoing battle as to whether vinegar can help you lose weight, but the ones who say it will, say to drink a glass of water before each meal in which you’ve added a tablespoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of honey.

Flavored Vinegar—Flavored vinegars have been in throughout the world for thousands of years. There is evidence that the Babylonians flavored their vinegar with the addition of herbs. The most common flavoring agents added to vinegar are herbs, such as rosemary, basil, and garlic. However flowers, fruit, and vegetables are also commonly added.

TOP