Eco-Friendly & Green Living Blog

This entertaining book by Christina Strutt is chock full of interesting information about keeping your home in an earth-friendly way.

Strutt covers everything from saving energy (chop vegetables smaller so they cook more quickly) and stocking a pantry (apples keep for up to 4 months if wrapped individually in newspaper) to keeping a kitchen garden (Epsom salts promote plant growth) and doing laundry (”sun will bleach robust white fabrics beautifully”).

Here are 5 of the ways Strutt lists to put white vinegar to good use.

1 Baby clothes To freshen baby clothes, add one cup of vinegar to the detergent dispenser of the washing machine for the final rinse cycle. This will break down the uric acid and soapy residue on the clothes, leaving them soft and fresh.

2 Brass, copper and pewter To make an effective polish, mix 1 tsp of salt and 1 cup of vinegar, stirring in enough flour to make a paste. Cover the item with the paste and leave for 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water and polish with a soft dry cloth.

3 Cigarette odours To remove the odour of cigar or cigarette smoke, leave a saucer of vinegar in the room overnight.

4 Deodorant stains To remove deodorant stains on coloured clothes, rub with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar and wash as usual.

5 Insects If you have trouble with insects (silverfish, ants, etc.), wipe down kitchen surfaces with neat vinegar to deter visits. This will also disinfect the surfaces.

Available at: book stores across Canada

Price: $23

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Tags: book, brass, cigarette odour, copper, deodorant, deodorant stain, energy, gardening, insects, laundry, pantry, pewter