Vinegar Friday

TGIVF!!

When you think vinegar, what do you usually think of? French fries? Cleaning windows? Salad dressing?

In my book, Vinegar Fridays, I included lots of vinegar tips that surprised readers ... things they'd never thought of. Since many of you haven't read the book, I thought I'd share some of these. Of course, if you're intrigued by what you read, I hope you'll head over to Lulu.com and order a copy of the book. And today, since it's Vinegar Friday, I'm offering a 10% discount. PLUS, Lulu is sweetening the deal by offering an additional 18% off with the code CAUGHT. That's 28% off today only. Or you can order the book from Amazon.com for $12.50. Order 2 and get free shipping.

Okay, enough about that. Let's move on to the free stuff!

Chapter 3 Spic-and-Span without the Chemicals: Vinegar and Cleaning

Before dusting your wood furniture, dampen your dust cloth with a 50/50 blend of distilled white vinegar and olive oil -- hey, you can use what's left to dress your dinner salad... just add a couple of spices.

Chapter 4 Coffee, Tea or Vinegar? Vinegar in the Kitchen

Can opener. I hope none of you reading this actually still uses electricity to open a can, unless, of course, you have a condition, such as arthritis, which makes it difficult to open cans otherwise. I have a wall-mounted hand-operated can opener, just like my mom's, which works wonderfully. But it does get goopy, just like the handheld and electric ones do. All you need to do to clean the goop off the wheel of your can opener, is to wet an old toothbrush with vinegar and scrub away. That's it. You'll find your opener operating smoothly in no time.

Chapter 5 What is that Lurking Under all those Bubbles?

This chapter is all about hot tubs and the dangerous bacterias that grow in the jets. Of course, cleaning with vinegar is the answer. Instead of going into how (you can read it in the book), I wanted to simply share the last paragraph of the chapter:

If you are pregnant, especially in your first trimester, avoid hot tubs altogether! According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, exposure to the high temps in hot tubs can result in an increased risk of neural tube defects in the baby. Protect your little one -- he or she is counting on it.

Photo by Peter Griffin

Chapter 6 Vinegar -- The Original Odor Eater

To minimize a fishy odor, just apply some of the DWV [distilled white vinegar] to the fish and rub it in.



Chapter 7 It's in the Details: Vinegar and Cars

Is that political bumper sticker outdated? Maybe your support of the candidate has waned. Take the same cloth, drench it in the vinegar, and cover the sticker for a couple hours. It should peel right off.

Chapter 8 Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder... Or in that Bottle of Vinegar

In my 40s, I thought it to be quite an injustice that I had to battle acne as I was developing wrinkles. Wrinkles and acne do not belong on the same face. Period. At least that's my opinion. In actuality, over 17 million adult American women suffer from acne -- in their 20s, 30s and 40s. And, unfortunately, it is genetic (sorry, kids!). But if you mix 2 teaspoons of ACV [apple cider vinegar] in a cup of water and apply it to the breakouts after you wash your face morning and evening, you will watch them vanish... without spending a fortune on infomercial remedies!

Chapter 9 The F-word 
 
ACV* is effective in jump-starting your metabolism. It also helps to dissolve fats because of the acetic acid that slows the absorption of carbs as it affects carbohydrate metabolism. This prevents the carbs from being stored as fat. Research shows that ACV can also lower blood sugar by up to 30 percent! Again, that helps to inhibit fat metabolism because of lower insulin levels.

*When taken internally, it is essential to us only organic raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. I buy the Bragg brand at my local grocery store.






Chapter 10 Vinegar -- for the Health of it

Constipation -- In order to 'get going' in the morning, so to speak, grab your bottle of ACV as soon as you get up and mix up your ACV cocktail. The energy boost you will experience from being 'regular' will be worth every last drop. Of course, as with most ailments, you want to drink plenty of water.

Chapter 11 No More Tangles ... and No More Toxins: Vinegar and Hair Care

Once a month, I mix 1/2 cup of ACV in 2 cups of water and pour it over my head without rinsing it out. I was actually doing this for quite awhile... long before I ever heard about no pooing. Even if you cannot quite grasp the idea of not shampooing, this ACV rinse is an excellent way to strip away all the gunk in your hair every once in awhile.

Chapter 12 Summertime Woes

Photo by Charles Rondeau

Bugs can be a big problem in the warmer months. If you have been bitten or stung by an insect, such as a bee, mosquito or ant, apply a paste made from equal parts of vinegar and cornstarch. This will ease the itch and dry up the bite.


Chapter 13 Kidstuff

Toys -- If you are anything like me, you love thrift shops, flea markets and garage sales. And it is hard to resist that adorable, like-new toy at that insanely low price, isn't it? But giving used toys to your kids just seems... icky. Don't you think? Especially if the toys have an unknown history. I mean, how do you know little Timmy didn't toss his sister's Barbie doll in the toilet? Hmmm. Like I said... icky.
So, what do you do? Bypass all those bargains? Not necessarily.

Non-stuffed toys (plastic and wood toys and teethers) can be cleaned economically and safely by simply spritzing them down with a solution of a cup each of water and DWV. Concerned about the strong odor of vinegar? Don't be... it dissipates quickly. And wouldn't you rather your child put something in his mouth that was cleaned with something edible instead of a cleaning product containing toxic chemicals? 

Chapter 14 -- Furry, Finned and Feathered Friends

There is one more reason for bathing your pets in vinegar, which I looked into after my neighbor's Jack Russell terrier, Jake, got into a scuffle with a skunk! Not a pretty sight... or smell! If one of your furry friends needs fumigated, you can skip the messy route of a tomato juice bath. Mix up a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar and sponge him down. You can use any kind of vinegar for this, but I recommend distilled white vinegar, simply because it is cheaper and you might need quite a bit of it. Make sure you rinse him completely with clear water once the smell is gone. 

Chapter 15 Great Outdoors

Photo by Darren Lewis

Warmer weather signals grilling season. To get your grill ready, shine it up by spraying DWV on a ball of aluminum foil and scrub away all of last year's cooked on grime.





Chapter 16 Creepy Crawlers 

Just the thought of centipedes makes my skin crawl! To keep them out of your home, mix together 1 part vinegar with 1/4 part cumin in a spray bottle and spray the perimeter of your house. This should repel them.

Chapter 17 Snuggle-free and Loving It! Vinegar in the Laundry Room

Just can't resist buying new clothes? Wash them before wearing them and add 1/2 cup DWV to the water to get rid of the manufacturing chemicals you don't want up against your skin.

Chapter 18 A Little Taste of Vinegar

No buttermilk in the house for your favorite coffee cake recipe? Not a problem. Just add a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar to a cup of milk. That will sour it up nicely.
 

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So, how's that for a Vinegar Friday? Lots of tips to glean from. Thanks for taking the time to read about the wonders of vinegar!

 

Keeping it green, clean and healthy with vinegar,

 

Hana

 

Always seek advise from a medical professional before following any of my health-related suggestions.