Whether for salad dressing or gardening, floor stain removal or home remedies, white vinegar always seems to find its way out of the cupboard and into any number of home-grown concoctions.

Vinegar is an acid, which makes it great for cleaning anything alkaline such as calcium or lime deposit

s.

Here are 30 uses for white distilled vinegar.

1. Discourage a cat from sitting in a certain place or scratching upholstery by spraying white distilled vinegar on the item. Test first on an unnoticeable area for discoloration.

2. Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to 1 part vinegar.

3. To make cleaning the grill easier, spray a solution of half water and half vinegar on the cooking surface.

4. Before painting old concrete, clean with full-strength vinegar. Let it air dry.

5. Clean hardened paint brushes by simmering them in a pot with vinegar. Soak them first for an hour before bringing the vinegar to a simmer. Drain and rinse clean.

6. To shine chrome sink fixtures that have a lime buildup, use a paste made of 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon vinegar.

7. Make your own scouring cleanser by combining 1/4 cup baking soda with 1 tablespoon liquid detergent. Add just enough vinegar to give it a thick but creamy texture.

8. Make counter tops smell sweet again with a cloth soaked in undiluted vinegar.

9. Clean and deodorize a drain by pouring in 1 cup baking soda, then 1 cup hot vinegar. Let this sit for 5 minutes or so, and then run hot water down the drain.

10. Deodorize the garbage disposal by pouring in 1/2 cup baking soda and 1/2 cup hot vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes then run hot water down the disposal.

11. Clean the microwave by mixing 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl. Bring it to a rolling boil inside the microwave. Wipe clean.

12. To clean a grease splattered oven door window, saturate it with full-strength vinegar. Keep the door open for 10 to 15 minutes before wiping with a sponge.

13. Remove soap buildup and odors from the dishwasher by pouring a cup of vinegar inside the empty machine and running it through a whole cycle.

14. To prevent good glassware from getting etched by minerals, wash then spray with full-strength vinegar. Give the glasses a hot water rinse before drying them.

15. For cloudy glassware, soak paper towels or a cloth in full-strength vinegar and wrap around the inside and outside of the glass. Let sit awhile before rinsing clean.

16. Get rid of lime deposits in a tea kettle by adding 1/2 cup vinegar to the water and letting it sit overnight. If more drastic action is needed, boil full-strength vinegar in the kettle a few minutes, let cool and rinse with plain water.

17. Remove mineral deposits from coffee makers by filling the water reservoir with 1 cup or more of vinegar and running it through a whole cycle. Run it once or twice more with plain water to rinse clean. (Check the owners’ manual first.)

18. Remove stains from coffee and teacups by scrubbing them gently with equal parts of salt (or baking soda) and vinegar. Rinse clean.

19. Easily clean your mini blinds by wearing pair of white cotton gloves. Dip gloved fingers into a solution of equal parts white vinegar and warm tap water, and run your fingers across both sides of each blind.

20. To clean tarnished brass, copper, and pewter, use a paste with equal amounts of vinegar and table salt.

21. Make a metal cleanser by adding enough vinegar to 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar to make a paste. Rub it on and let it dry on the surface. Wash it off and dry with a soft cloth.

22. Remove dark stains on an aluminum pot by boiling a mixture of 1 cup vinegar and 1 cup hot water.

23. Get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small dish of undiluted vinegar.

24. To remove a label, decal or price tag, cover with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Leave the cloth on overnight and the label should slide off.

25. Get rid of calcium deposits on faucets by soaking a cloth or paper towel in vinegar and wrapping the area tightly. Let this sit for a couple of hours or overnight.

26. Rid a shower head of lime deposits by tying a plastic bag containing 1/2 to 1/3 cup of vinegar around it and leaving it there overnight.

27. Shine colored porcelain sinks by scouring them with undiluted vinegar.

28. Clean grout by letting full-strength vinegar sit on it for a few minutes and scrubbing it with an old toothbrush.

29. Clean shower door tracks by filling them with vinegar and letting it sit for a few hours. Pour hot water into the tracks and wash and scrub away the scum with a toothbrush.

30. Freshen air in the bathroom by spraying into the air a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1 cup water.

— The Carey Brothers, onthehouse.com