Vinegar Fridays

TGIVF!

Outside my office windows in Pittsburgh, PA, an unfamiliar sight is warming my soul -- sunshine!! Two days in a row.

As a result of slightly warmer temps and glorious sunshine, laundry is flapping happily on the line! Can't wait to breathe in the scent of it!

Speaking of scents, if you've ever had a pet, you know things in your home don't always smell the best. So I thought I'd give you some distilled white vinegar tips for your fuzzy, finned and feathered friends.

Remember to use distilled white vinegar ONLY!


WARNING! When I recommend spraying or pouring vinegar on a surface, please test in an inconspicuous area first to make sure there will be no discoloration!

First we'll address odors:

• Accidents on the carpet? Blot up any liquid, then cover the spot with baking soda and leave it alone overnight. After vacuuming it up the next morning, scrub the area with the vinegar. Don't forget to rinse with clear water. Sound like a lot of steps? Well, you could opt for a quicker, chemically-laden commercial solution if you prefer. But this does work.
• Stinky litter box? Clean it out, then fill the bottom of the box up to 1/2 inch with vinegar. Wait a half hour or so, then rinse the litter box clean. Adding baking soda or Borax to the litter will help keep the litter odors in check.
• Sassy skunk-sprayed? If your kitty or pup dog run into the house with the telltale odor of a tussle with a skunk, you don't have to go the messy route of a tomato juice bath. Mix up a 50/50 solution of water and vinegar and sponge Sassy down. She won't like it, but maybe it will teach her to steer clear of anything black with a white stripe down the middle. Make sure you rinse her off thoroughly with clear water. Repeat as necessary.
• Kitty getting territorial? If your cat is marking his territory around your house by spraying, spray back. Spritz some vinegar on the spots and rinse off with water. Kitties hate the smell of vinegar.

Reduce the itch:

• Fido ferociously scratching at his ears? Try wiping them with a soft rag saturated, then rung out, with undiluted distilled white vinegar. 
•  Flies creating a nuisance? If you horse or other outdoor pet is bothered by flies, simply grab your spray bottle with the 50/50 water vinegar so lution in it and give the pen a good spraying. Flies don't like vinegar either.
• Fleas? Add a splash of distilled white vinegar in the water dish.

Behavior problems:

• Kitties jumping up where they don't belong? Spritz the area with a 50/50 vinegar water solution.
• Pets chewing on plants? Spritz the leaves.
• Cat fight? You guessed it. Spritz 'em.
• Neighborhood kitties invading your garden? Soak some small sponges in vinegar and place them strategically among your plants.
• Incessant barking? Again you want to grab the 50/50 spray bottle, but make sure you only spritz in the direction of the dog, and not in his face!

Birds, rodents and fish:

• Dirty cage? Scrub out your bird's and other small pet's domain with undiluted vinegar. Follow with a good rinsing.
• Dull fishbowl or aquarium? Empty the bowl or aquarium and them wipe it out with straight vinegar. Again, rinse well. If there are stubborn water lines and deposits, make your fish cozy for the night in another container and soak the fishbowl or aquarium overnight. At the very least, let it soak for a few hours before rinsing out.

One last tip for Fido. Want his coat to shine like a showdogs? Skip the expensive pet store solutions and mix up your own with a cup of vinegar and a quart of water. Rub it in good and let it dry. Looks like a blue ribbon to me!

Keeping it green,

Hana