I recently discovered the joys of vinegar. It’s one of the cheapest and most versatile cleaners around. And, it has quite a history.

According to our research, vinegar has been around for more than 10,000 years. The French dubbed it “vin aigre” (sour wine) because it was discovered when a cask of wine went past its time.

The ancients were quick to find the remarkable versatility of vinegar. Around 5,000 BC, the Babylonians used it as a preservative and as a condiment, and began flavoring it with herbs and spices.

Roman legionnaires allegedly used it as a beverage. The Greeks also made pickled vegetables or meats using vinegar. There are even some biblical references that show how it was used for healing the sick.

But what is so appealing about this sour wine is that it can be used as an environmentally friendly cleaner. Here are just a few uses:

Brass polish:
Brass, copper and pewter will shine if cleaned with the following mixture. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of white distilled vinegar and stir in flour until it becomes a paste. Apply paste to the metals and let it stand for about 15 minutes. Rinse with clean warm water and polish until dry.

Toilet bowl cleaner:
Stubborn stains can be removed from the toilet by spraying them with white distilled vinegar and brushing vigorously. The bowl may be deodorized by adding 3 cups of white distilled vinegar. Allow it to remain for a half hour, then flush.

Kill weeds:
Spray white distilled vinegar full strength on tops of weeds. Reapply on any new growth until plants have starved. (Note: vinegar solution only works on emerging young plants, not mature leaves).

So next time you are at the grocery store, you may want to pick up a bottle. You’ll probably find many more uses for it than any sweet wine.

Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing, Farmers’ Almanac TV

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