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October, November 2007
Use of Vinegar to Assist in Clean-Up Efforts Due to the San Diego Fires
On November 6, 10News.com (San Diego, California) reported on some of the aftermath due to the San Diego fires, including suggestions for clean-up efforts. In this story, viewers asked about the dangers of ash on fruits, vegetables and soils in their home gardens. According to
the story, the soil in the San Diego area is already alkaline, noting the ash makes it more so. The suggestion? Spray household vinegar on the soil to bring the pH back down. Use this link to read the entire article.
Meanwhile, the October 26 The San Diego Union-Tribute offered the following vinegar tip to assist in ash clean-up as a result of the fires, "Clean ash off glass surfaces with a mixture of vinegar, ammonia and water."
Cleaning Toilet Bowls
The November 4 issue of the Bradenton Herald (Florida) reported several ways to clean porcelain toilet bowls, including vinegar. The author notes that other toilet bowl materials besides porcelain may be harmed by cleaning agents. The reference to vinegar notes,
To use white vinegar, turn off the water to the toilet and flush it, leaving only a little water in the bowl. Carefully pour enough white vinegar into the bowl to cover the ring and let stand overnight. Finally, with the vinegar still in the bowl, scrub vigorously with a toilet brush.
Use this link to read the entire article.
Clean Your Coffee Pot and Your Drains
On October 30, washingtonpost.com shared a letter to Heloise from a reader regarding the use of vinegar to clean coffee pots with a multi-tasking twist. The reader notes:
When I clean our drip coffee maker, I use vinegar. The vinegar is hot, and then I dump it down the drains after I pour in some baking soda. Then when you rinse out the vinegar in the pot, use fresh hot water and put that down the drain. I also do that procedure for the shower drains and cellar-floor drains. Keeps them all fresh!
Heloise suggested pouring the hot vinegar back into the reservoir, turning the coffee maker off and letting sit for 30 minutes or so. She said this will "really" break up the lime deposits. After the 30 minutes, Heloise recommends turning the coffee maker back on, running through a cycle and then following with several carafes of fresh water. Use this link to review the entire article.
Vinegar Used as an Alternative to Pesticides
In the October 10 edition, the Newport News Times in Oregon reported that the Central Lincoln People's Utility District was presented the first Clean Air Award by the local group Concerned Citizens for Clean Air (CCA) for dramatically reducing herbicide use at the district's substations. Of particular interest, the article notes that in 2007, Central Lincoln did not use any synthetic herbicides at their substations, relying instead on least toxic vinegar-based products supplemented with thermal and manual weed removal. The article also notes that the vinegar-based products were used at many of the substations, but the results were "not perfect." To read the entire article, use this link.
Use Vinegar to Fight Mold
Seattlepi.com recommends the use of vinegar to fight mold. The article, which has focus on the health problems associated with mold, notes, "To clean mold from surfaces, use a solution of 10 percent bleach or vinegar and water." Use this link to access the article.
History and Cooking Uses of Vinegar
On a recent blog for the Washington City Paper, a reader inquired about the origin of vinegar. The blog, "Ask Tim: Thinking Outside the Salad Bowl," gives a history on vinegar, with a focus on wine vinegars, including some cooking tips. According to Chef Robert Weland, the chef at Poste Moderne Brasserie in Penn Quarter, "Vinegars to me have always been used to brighten things up...Whether it’s lemon juice or a white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar, it always brightens up a sauce or brightens up a soup, especially this time of year.” Chef Weland advises the reader to try new things using vinegar. To read the entire blog, use this link
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