With all due respect to inexpensive vodka: Use it to clean. Photo courtesy Seek4Media.com.
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MELISSA BREYER is a writer for Care2.com, from which this article was adapted.
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July 2011
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12 Additional Uses For Vodka
Beyond Drinking, Your Bottle Of Vodka Can Multitask
CAPSULE REPORT: What if you get a bottle of vodka that simply doesn’t taste good? Don’t cover it up with mixers: Use it to clean house! This is Page 4 of a five-page article.
Vodka’s not just for cleaning: It can also be used as a household cleanser—and a very green one at that, with no harsh chemicals to inhale. These tips come from Care2.com, an organization that has a great newsletter and e-cards for every occasion.
If you don’t want any added fragrance, don’t use flavored vodka!
We haven’t tried all of these, so please send us your feedback. Remember: the cheapest vodka works just as well with these household tasks. Don’t spray Cold River Vodka on mosquitoes.
Group 1: Uses For Vodka Around The House & Yard
1. Remove Odors From Clothes & Household Fabrics
Use vodka instead Febreze to remove odors. Vodka is essentially odorless; the alcohol in vodka kills bacteria which cause odor. Febreze is alcohol with hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin, which the manufacturer says retains malodorous molecules. Before buying Febreze, pour some vodka in a spray bottle. Spritz your clothes and hang them in a well-ventilated room. (As with any cleaning product, spot-test first.)
2. Remove Laundry Stains
Ditto on this one. But if you don’t have a laundry stick and you do have a bottle of vodka, try splashing vodka on the stain before rubbing with a stiff brush.
3. Make Lavender Ironing Water
We actually purchase French-style lavender water for ironing. As soon as the spray bottle empties, we’ll try this: Mix 3 ounces of 90-proof vodka and 12 drops of pure lavender essential oil; let sit for 24 hours. Then add to a spray bottle with 12 ounces of purified water and swirl to blend. Store in the refrigerator to retain the fragrance (which lasts for about six weeks). |
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Give flowers a small drink of vodka. Tulips from ProFlowers. |
4. Multipurpose Cleaner
Try vodka as a chrome cleaner, glass cleaner, and porcelain cleaner. Dampen a cloth with vodka, rub, back in the shine.
5. Remove Labels & Stickers
If you reuse glass jars, vodka will help remove gummed labels. Sprinkle vodka on a scouring sponge, scrub and rinse with liquid dish soap (or pop into the dishwasher).
6. Fight Mold & Mildew
Similar to vinegar, vodka can help fight mold in the bathroom. Spray it on stained caulk, let it sit for 30 minutes, and scrub hard with a brush.
7. Keep Cut Flowers Fresh
In addition to adding a half teaspoon of sugar to the vase, add several drops of vodka. They work together to extend the life of cut flowers. Don’t forget to trim the tips on the diagonal whenever you change the water (every few days).
8. Eliminate Dandelions &
Chickweeds
Vodka attacks broad-leaf weeds like dandelions and chickweed, by breaking down their protective coverings. This leads to dehydration, wilting and...death. Fill a spray bottle with an ounce of vodka, a few drops of liquid dish soap, and two cups of water. Spray on weeds, in the sunlight.
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 Don’t want dandelions on your lawn? Spray them with vodka. Photo by Sanja Gjenero | SXC.
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