Uses of Vinegar in the Kitchen

 

 

Vinegar is, without a doubt, one of the most multi-faceted ingredients to have around in the kitchen. For cooking, vinegar makes up for amazing salad dressings, sauces to add flavor to your stews and dishes, and even to create delicious glazing for different recipes. And even when you think that’s all vinegar is good for, you might realize this fluid is much more than just an ingredient. In this article, we’ll show you some of the most popular uses of vinegar in the kitchen.

 

Clean the refrigerator

You will read this a lot during this article, vinegar is one of the ultimate cleaning compounds. It’s hard enough to deep-clean anything, yet its natural origin makes it much less abrasive than chemical cleansers. That said, you’ll definitely want to start by cleaning your fridge with vinegar because this is an appliance that basically stores all of the food that you and your family will eat. Pour some white vinegar onto a soft cloth and gently start scrubbing all of the shelves and drawers.

 

Unplug mineral deposits

There are areas where water is more “salty” than elsewhere, and this makes your faucets prone to clogging due to mineral deposit build-ups. Vinegar is an excellent ingredient to remove this. Simply fill a plastic bag with vinegar and tie it up around the faucet head, making sure the head is completely submerged. Let the faucet sit well for a couple of hours, then remove the bag and wipe the faucet with a smooth cloth. If you’re facing deeper build-up that won’t go that easily, use a soft brush to scrub the faucet lightly before using the cloth.

 

Deep-clean your oven

Whether it’s your stove oven or the microwave, it’s very common to have it filled with splatters and drips from all the meals and food you heat up and cook in there. If you’re looking for an ultra-effective remedy for those spots, that’s also low cost compared to those fancy cleaners, simply mix vinegar and baking soda to form a thick paste. Spread that paste over the oven, let it sit for about 15 minutes, and scrub away with a soft sponge or a damp cloth.

 

Clean coffee stains

Coffee stains are not only some of the most common and inevitable, they’re also some of the most annoying to try to remove. Sometimes coffee lands on your white shirt, sometimes it falls right on the couch, and sometimes it doesn’t drip but the stain is sitting right there in the bottom of your coffee mug, making it look yellow. No matter where it is, vinegar can be the answer to this everyday problem. Create a mixture of salt and vinegar and use it to clean fabrics, surfaces, and even glass and china. This will get rid of the stain and any unpleasant smells.

 

Purge your coffee maker

When a coffee maker or teapot has been used for a long time, it’s natural that the water minerals start to slowly build up in the small holes of the mechanism. To make your coffee maker look and work like new again, pour a mixture of half vinegar, half water into the pot and let it sit for about an hour so it starts removing the mineral deposits. Then simply turn on the pot and let the mixture filter through. Throw the mixture away and run 3 more cycles using just clean water, so all traces of vinegar are wiped away.

 

Next time you buy a bottle of vinegar, think of all the great things you’ll be able to do with it!