Vinegar Uses for Your Yard & Garden
From cleaning up tools to keeping critters at bay, vinegar does a whole lot more than play a common role in salad dressings. For yard and garden care, various types of vinegar can be particularly beneficial. Options include apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and the more concentrated industrial-strength vinegar sold at Murdoch's. Here’s how to put vinegar to work outdoors.
FOR THE GARDEN
Knock Out Weeds
Vinegar makes a mighty fine natural weed killer. Mix a gallon of white or apple cider vinegar with a cup of salt and a splash of dish soap, spray it on those stubborn weeds, and watch them wither in a few days. Just be careful, vinegar doesn’t play favorites and can harm good plants, too.
Keep Flowers Fresh
Want your bouquets of flowers to last longer? Mix a quart of water with two tablespoons each of white or apple cider vinegar and sugar, then pour it in the vase. Your flowers will thank you.
Wash Up Veggies
Just add a tablespoon of white vinegar to a quart of water and rinse your garden veggies. It’ll help remove dirt and bacteria so you can dig in without worry.
Boost Acid-Loving Plants
Some plants—like hydrangeas, rhododendrons, and gardenias—love a little acidity for the boost it provides in helping them absorb nutrients more efficiently. Mix a cup of white or apple cider vinegar into a gallon of water and use it when you water to raise the acidity.
Help Seeds Sprout
Some seeds, like okra and nasturtiums, can be stubborn. Give them a boost by soaking overnight in water with a few drops of apple cider vinegar before planting.
WARD OFF INSECT & CRITTERS
Send Ants Marching
Mix equal parts white or apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spritz around doors, windows, and flower beds to keep ants away.
Trap Fruit Flies
Pesky fruit flies bugging your plants? Fill a jar with apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap. The smell lures them in, and the soap keeps them there.
Say Goodbye to Slugs & Snails
A quick spray of white vinegar and water sends these slimy pests packing.
Keep Critters Out
If rabbits, raccoons, or the neighbor’s cat are treating your garden like a buffet (or a litter box), soak a few rags or cotton balls in white vinegar and place them around the perimeter. They won’t like the smell and will steer clear. While white vinegar works for all, raccoons especially dislike the scent of apple cider vinegar.
CLEAN UP
Bust Rust on Tools
Got rusty garden tools? Soak or spray them with white vinegar, let them sit a few minutes, then wipe clean. For extra-stubborn rust, soak them in industrial-strength vinegar and give them a scrub with steel wool.
Spruce Up Clay Pots
Mineral build-up leaving white stains on your clay pots? Soak them in a mix of one cup white vinegar to four cups water, and they’ll look brand new.
Freshen Up Furniture
Outdoor tables and chairs looking a little worse for wear? Wipe them down with white vinegar, and they’ll be ready for your next backyard gathering.
Tidy Up Birdbaths & Fountains
Keep birdbaths and fountains clean by scrubbing with white vinegar and water. It’ll cut down on algae and keep things fresh for your feathered friends.
OTHER HANDY USES
Camping Gear Cleanup
Wipe down musty coolers, clean canvas, or freshen up tarps with a solution of one part white vinegar to four parts water.
Remove Berry Stains
If picking berries leaves your hands stained, just wash up with one part white vinegar to one part water to lift the stains.
Fish Cleaning Tip
Rubbing a fresh catch with white vinegar before scaling makes the job easier and keeps your hands from smelling fishy.
Related Articles
Yard Care
Fall Yard Cleanup Checklist
Get your yard prepped for winter and in shape for spring with this checklist of fall cleanup tasks...
Read More
Yard Care
Compare Options For A New Lawn: Seed Vs Sod
Installing a lawn? Trying to decide between seeding or sodding could be...
Read More
Yard Care
Fix Pet Spots in 5 Steps
Get your yard prepped for winter and in shape for spring with this checklist...