What Household Products Do You Use?

[Lois Lane]

Oh thanks for this tip... I hate that smell when things sit in the washer too long... But does it not end up smelling like vinegar?

I've never put in just vinegar so I'm not sure of the answer to this...

But I always put a little vinegar in with my dark clothes when I wash them. It smells vinegary then, but it comes out smelling like whatever your detergent is. It seems to help my clothes stay darker longer.

Scoutmom, I know--don't you love the vague answers! Damp mop it with what? Clorox? Orange juice? Milk?

[Bonbonlover]

But I always put a little vinegar in with my dark clothes when I wash them. It smells vinegary then, but it comes out smelling like whatever your detergent is. It seems to help my clothes stay darker longer.

Thanks! I am going to put vinegar on my shopping list...I can wash with it, do the windows, clean the drains... oh I love this site

[Bonbonlover]

okay I just opened up my new issue of Cooks Illustrated and low and behold under quick tips they suggest using a spray bottle filled with equal parts of water to ... yep Vinegar ... to clean your kitchen counters... That does it... you guys are trying to send me messages!!

[echo226]

My neighbor said when she was in college, they used to fill little bowls, cups or whatever, with vinegar to absorb the tell-tale odor ... of having been smoking in their rooms.

So ... for the record, if you are cleaning an area where someone has been smoking, vinegar will help dispel the odor. Again, the vinegar smell goes away and takes other unpleasant odors with it.

[Rattus]

okay I just opened up my new issue of Cooks Illustrated and low and behold under quick tips they suggest using a spray bottle filled with equal parts of water to ... yep Vinegar ... to clean your kitchen counters... That does it... you guys are trying to send me messages!!

I have a couple of spray bottles with undiluted vinegar which I use for cleaning absolutely everything. I also use vinegar and baking soda to clean out the drains (they get a little funky smelling at times). We also use it in the wash (thanks to Lois' earlier tip), and it keeps the machine smelling fresh as well. What people are saying about the smell is absolutely true - it doesn't last long at all. If I, for example, do some ironing (not using vinegar ), if I step out on the porch for a couple of minutes and then come back in, I can still smell the freshly pressed fabric. If I clean the bathroom sink with vinegar, step out for the same amount of time and come back in, I can't smell the vinegar at all. That's how much impact it has on the overall odour of your home.

[Bonbonlover]

so do you put about 1/4 cup in a wash load??? And I am presuming it must be the white vinegar not the apple cider or ... LOL ... not red wine vinegar...

[Rattus]

so do you put about 1/4 cup in a wash load??? And I am presuming it must be the white vinegar not the apple cider or ... LOL ... not red wine vinegar...

No, no, not red wine vinegar . Yes, yes, white vinegar. To be honest, I don't measure - I just pour. Maybe half a cup? Sorry I can't be of more help, but I'm kind of hopeless at following instructions of any sort.

[Bonbonlover]

no 1/2 cup sounds close enough for me... I just wasn't sure if you were talking 1/2 cup or 2 TBSPs...thanks

[Kick Rocks]

What a great tip! I'm definitely going to have to get some vinegar next time I go grocery shopping. I wear a lot of dark clothes and it seems like they rarely last more than a season or two because the color washes out. Can't wait to try the vinegar trick. Thanks!

[justCoz]

What a great tip! I'm definitely going to have to get some vinegar next time I go grocery shopping. I wear a lot of dark clothes and it seems like they rarely last more than a season or two because the color washes out. Can't wait to try the vinegar trick. Thanks!

I haven't tried the vinegar, but I do turn all my dark clothes inside out to wash them and I have black clothes last for years. It is a bit of hassle to turn them all inside out and then back again, but well worth it, especially since I certainly can't afford to replace them all the time.