Fifteen Ways to Clean Green Using Vinegar

Remove Carpet Stains
Dab light carpet stains with a mix of 2 tablespoons of salt and 1/2 cup vinegar. Let it dry, then vacuum it up. If you have a more difficult stain, add 2 tablespoons of borax to your mixture.

Clean laminate and wood flooring
Dip your mop into a mixture of 1/2 cup of vinegar and 1 gallon of water. Be sure to use only a slightly damp mop. Test in an inconspicuous area and check with your flooring manufacturer because the acidity in vinegar can ruin your floor’s finish.

Erase Ballpoint-Pen Marks on Walls
Just apply full-strength vinegar and continue to repeat until the mark is gone.

Remove Odor from a Closet
Remove everything from the closet, then wash the walls, ceiling, and floors with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar, 1 cup of ammonia, 1/4 cup of baking soda, and 1 gallon of water. Be sure to let your closet dry with the door open before putting it’s contents back.

Clean your Window Blinds or Venetians
Put on a white cotton glove, then dip your fingers in a solution of equal parts vinegar and hot water. Next, just slide your fingers along both sides of the blinds, and Voila! Make sure you rinse your fingers in clean water from time to time.

Unglue Stickers and Price Tags
Saturate the corners with vinegar, then scrape off (an expired credit card works well for this).

Clean your Computer Mouse
You can only do this with a mouse that has a removable tracking ball. Dip a cloth in a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. Wipe down the ball and the mouse and use a cotton swab that has been dipped in this mixture to clean out the ball socket. Make sure to let this dry before reassembling your mouse.

Shine your Silver
Soak in a solution of a 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 2 tablespoons of baking soda for two to three hours. Afterwards, rinse with cold water and wipe with a non-abrasive cloth. Note: Do not apply vinegar to jewelry that contains gemstones or pearls. Vinegar can ruin the finish on gemstones and can disintegrate pearls.

Remove Candle Wax
Turn your hair dryer to it’s hottest setting, then soften the wax. Clean up as much of the wax as you can using paper towel. If there’s anything left, rub the wax with a cloth dampened with equal parts vinegar and water.

Restore your Leather Furniture
In a squirt bottle, mix equal parts vinegar and boiled linseed oil. Shake your mixture and spray it on evenly. Spread it with a cloth and after a few minutes, wipe it off with another cloth.

Banish Smoke Odor
Set out shallow bowls about three-quarters of the way full with vinegar, and your smell will be gone in less than a day.

Clean Piano Keys
Dampen a cloth with a mixture of a 1/2 cup of vinegar and 2 cups of water, making sure you wring out the cloth thoroughly. Then, gently wipe down each key, drying with another cloth as you go along. Let the keyboard dry for 24 hours uncovered.

Clean your Scissors
Wipe scissors with a cloth dipped in full-strength vinegar. Plain water can cause rust to form.

Hide Scratches in your Wood Furniture
Mix cider vinegar and iodine in a jar and paint over the scratch with a paintbrush. Use more vinegar for lighter hues and more iodine for darker ones.

Get Rid of Water Rings
Moving with the grain of the wood, wipe a cloth dampened with equal parts vinegar and olive oil. Use another cloth to shine it.