People's Technology: Natural Vinegar has 101 Uses

 People's Technology: Natural Vinegar has 101 Uses

Dr Abe V Rotor

Living with Nature School on Blog [avrotor.blogspot.com]

Photo: Vigan Empanada dipped in Ilocos Vinegar is a specialty of the place, and a favorite of tourists. 

• What commercial products can be substituted with natural vinegar?  Specify.
• Using as reference a simple and popular household item like the vinegar, cite other people's technologies that make living less expensive and complicated, and therefore ease out the burden of living in a highly capitalistic society.  

Vinegar is the most popular food conditioner – for seasoning, marinating, as spice, appetizer, and the like. Outside of the kitchen vinegar has many uses, from deodorizer to weed killer, sore throat remedy to first aid to insect bite.

A. Kitchen Uses

1. When boiling meat, add a spoonful of vinegar to the water to make it more tender.
2. Marinate tough meat in vinegar overnight to tenderize.
3. Pickles in natural vinegar will last longer and taste better. 
4. Make butter milk. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and let it stand 5 minutes to thicken.
5. Tenderize meat. Soak in vinegar overnight.
6. Cook fish and meat as paksiw.
7. Freshen vegetables. Soak wilted vegetables in a quart of cold water and a tablespoon of vinegar.
8. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week.  Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.
9. Eliminate onion odor.  Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.
10. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards.  Wipe with full strength vinegar.
11. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.
12. Cut grease and odor on dishes.  Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.
13. Clean a teapot.  Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot.  Wipe away the grime.
14. Freshen a lunchbox.  Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox overnight.
15. Clean the refrigerator.  Wash with a solution of equal parts of water and vinegar.
16. Unclog a drain.  Pour a handful of baking soda down the brain and add ½ cup of vinegar.  Rinse with hot water.
17. Replace a lemon.  Substitute ¼ teaspoon of vinegar for 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
18. Firm up gelatin. Add a teaspoon of vinegar for every box of gelatin used to keep those molded desserts from sagging in the summer heat.
19. Boil better eggs.  Add 2 tablespoons of vinegars of vinegar to each quart of water before boiling eggs, keeps them from cracking.
20. Prepare fluffier rice.  Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water when it boils.
21. Make wine-vinegar.  Mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar with 1 tablespoon of dry red wine.
22. Debug fresh vegetables.  Wash leafy greens in water with vinegar and salt.  Bugs floats off.
23. Sour fruits with vinegar.  Try eating young tamarind with vinegar and salt, so with santol.   
24. Scale fish more easily.  Rub with vinegar 5 minutes before scaling.
25. Pickle green papaya, botolan (seeded banana).  Add  carrot, onion and the like.
26. Vinegar as “mother liquor” in making new vinegar.  Principle of inoculation. .
27. Clean and deodorize the garbage disposal.  Make vinegar ice cubes and feed them down the disposal.  After grinding, run cold water through a minute.
28. Clean and deodorize jars.  Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.
29. Clean the dishwasher.  Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap build up on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.
30. Clean stainless steel.  Wipe with a vinegar dampened cloth.
31. Clean china and fine glassware.  Add a cup pf vinegar to a sink of warm water.  Gently dip the glass or china in the solution and let dry.
32. Get stains out of pots.  Fill pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water.  Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.
33. Clean the microwave.  Boil a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave.  Will loosen splattered food and deodorize.
34. Get rid of cooking smells.  Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.
35. Mix some vinegar with salt.  It will clean dishes, pots, glasses, windows, brass, copper, bronze, pans. Skillets.  Rinse well with warm water,
36. When boiling eggs, add a tablespoon of vinegar to the water to prevent white from leaking out of a cracked egg and also keep the yolk in the center of the egg,
37. Use vinegar instead of lemon on fried and broiled foods.  It gives a tangy flavor. 
38. Remove the lime deposits.  Add vinegar to warm water and soak your tea kettle overnight.  .  This will also work on your glass coffee pot.  Put three ounces of vinegar in the pot and fill rest with warm water.
39. Wipe jars of preserves and canned food with vinegar to prevent mold producing bacteria.
40. Clean jars with vinegar and water to remove odor.
41. Prevent discoloration of peeled potatoes by adding a few drops of vinegar in water.  They will keep fresh for days in the refrigerator.

 B. Uses on Health and as Home Remedy

42. Drinking apple cider vinegar mixed with cold water will help you lose weight.  Vinegar helps to burn fat.
43. Dampen your appetite.  Sprinkle a little vinegar on prepared food to take the edge off your appetite.
44. Apply ice cold vinegar right away for fast relief of sunburn or other minor burns.  It will help prevent burn blisters,
45. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting.  Douse with vinegar.  Will soothe irritation and relieve itching.
46. Relieve sunburn.  Lightly rub white or cider vinegar on skin.  Reapply as needed.
47. Conditions hair.  Add a tablespoon of vinegar to your rinse to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.
48. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to your bath water.
49. Fight dandruff.  After shampooing, rinse with a solution of ½ cup vinegar and 2 cups of warm water.
50. Soothe a sore throat.  Put a teaspoon of vinegar in a glass of water.  Gurgle. The shallow.  For another great gargle: 1 cup hot water, 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp vinegar, gargle then drink.
51. Clear up warts.  Apply a lotion of half cider vinegar and half glycerin.
52. Treat sinus infections and chest colds.  Add ¼ cup or more vinegar to the vaporizer.
53. Feel good.  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.
54. Cure hangover.  Combine two raw eggs, a tablespoon of vinegar and black pepper.  Blend well.
55. Catch insect specimens with vinegar.  Vinegar attracts drosophila flies, common houseflies and blue bottle flies. Fly maggots can be culture in diluted vinegar for laboratory experiments.  

 C. Uses in the Shop and Working Area

56. Unclog steam iron.  Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron’s water chamber.  Turn to steam and leave the iron on for five minutes in an upright position.  Then unplug and allow to cool.  Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.    
57. Clean a scorched iron plate.  Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan.  Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.
58. Keep colors from running.  Immerse clothes in full strength vinegar before washing.
59. Get rid of lint in clothes.  Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle.
60. Freshen up the washing machine.  Periodically, pour a cup of vinegar in the machine and let in run through a regular cycle (no clothes added).  Will dissolve soap residue.
61. Brighten fabric colors.  Add a ½ cup vinegar to the rinse cycle.
62. Take grease off suede.  Dip a toothbrush in vinegar and gently brush over grease spot.
63. Remove tough stains.  Gently rub on fruit, jam, mustard, coffee, tea.  Then was as usual.
64. Get smoke smell out of clothes.  Add a cup of vinegar to a bath tub of hot water.  Hang clothes above the steam.
65. Remove decals.  Brush with a couple coats of vinegar.  Allow to soak in.  Wash off.
66. Clean eyeglasses.  Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.
67. Freshen cut flowers.  Add 2 tbsp vinegar and 1 tbsp sugar for each quart of water.
68. Keep car windows frosty free.  Coat the windows the night before with a solution of three parts vinegar to one part water.
69. Polish car chrome.  Apply full strength vinegar with a soft cloth.
70. Soak new propane lantern wicks in vinegar for several hours. Let dry before using. Will burn longer and brighter.
71. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals.  Soak in full strength vinegar.
72. Clean windows with vinegar and water.
73. Rub vinegar on the cut end of uncooked ham to prevent mold.  It will not change the taste of your ham.
74. Add vinegar to laundry rinse water.  This will remove all soap and prevent yellowing.
75.  Remove hairspray and other p[product buildups from your hair. Massage one ounce of full strength vinegar into hair and leave on for about 20 minutes.  Rinse with warm water.  The shampoo and rinse your hair as usual.
76. Boil vinegar and water in pots to remove stains.
77. Pour undiluted vinegar in coffee maker to remove sediments.  Run through like you are brewing coffee.  Let cool and run through again if your coffee maker is full of sediment.  When done, run in plain water through to rinse a few times.
78. Remove berry stains from hands with vinegar.
79. Wash hands with diluted vinegar after working with cement. This will restore smoothness and color of your hands.
80. Artists use vinegar for etching and blending paint materials.
81. Soak your fingernails in vinegar for 20 minutes two times a week to strengthen them.  They will grow longer a lot faster than normal.
82. Bring vinegar to a boil in an old saucepan.  Reduce to shimmer and place paint brushes with hardened paint on them in the pan.  Leave until you see paint loosen.  Wash brushes with soapy water to soften the brushes.
83. Dampen a cloth with vinegar and wipe counters, canisters and other containers to keep them smelling fresh and clean.
84. Place small containers of vinegar all around the house to take out cigarette smoke smell.  Or wave a cloth you soaked in vinegar around the house to clean the air odors.
85. Pour baking soda down clogged drain.  Add boiling vinegar to it and your drain should unclog.  If not, your clog is needing a commercial drain opener.
86. Clean fireplace bricks with undiluted vinegar.
87. To tighten cane bottom or caneback chairs sponge them with a hot solution of half vinegar and half water.  Place the chairs out in the hot sun to dry.  They will tighten back into shape.
88. To eliminate mildew. Dust and odors. Wipe down walls with vinegar-soaked cloth.

D. Uses on Farms and Gardens

89. Kill grass on walks and driveways.  Pour full strength on unwanted grass.
90. Kill weeds.  Spray full strength on tops of weeds.  Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved.
91. Increase soil acidity.  In hard water areas, add a cup of vinegar to a gallon of water for watering acid loving plants like rhododendrons, gardenia and azaleas.  The vinegar will release iron in the soil for the plant to use.
92. 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.
93. Deter ants.  Spray vinegar around door and window frames, under appliances, and along other known ant trails.
94. Clean milking equipment. Rinse with vinegar to leave system clean, odorless, and bacteria free without harmful chemical residue.

E. Uses on Animals and Pets

95. Remove skunk odor from a dog. Rub fur with vinegar.
96. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on an area to discourage cats from walking, sleeping, or scratching on it.
97. Keep dogs from scratching ears. Clean the inside of the ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar.
98. Rub down your dogs and cats with vinegar if they get sprayed by a skunk.
99. Keep away fleas and mange. Add a little vinegar to your pet’s drinking water.

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

101.Substitute of deodorant such as creosol, lysol, etc. Add little vinegar in final flushing. 
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Lesson on former Paaralang Bayan sa Himpapawid Ka Abe Rotor and Melly C Tenorio, 738 DZRB AM, 8 to 9 Evening Class, Monday to Friday