Painting white vinegar directly onto the leaves of an unwanted plant, rather than spraying it broadly, kills the weed without harming nearby plants worth keeping; weeds growing out of asphalt cracks can be sprayed freely. A dry, sunny day gives vinegar the best chance to work.
Three More Ways to Put Vinegar to Work
Vinegar is strong enough to damage plants as well as weeds, so it pays to target it carefully — and it turns out to be just as useful for pet care and car care as it is in the yard.
Paint Vinegar Directly on Weeds
Use Vinegar for Pet Care
Diluting white vinegar 1-to-4 with water and wiping out a dog's or cat's ears with the soaked rag helps with itchy, scaly ears, especially in floppy-eared breeds. Vinegar also cuts skunk smell more effectively than ketchup, and spraying it on a favorite outdoor spot deters unwanted cats, who can't stand the smell.
Use Vinegar for Car Care
A few squirts of undiluted white vinegar, reapplied as needed, loosens an unwanted bumper sticker. Vinegar also works as a glass cleaner and deodorizer inside the car, and diluted vinegar wiped on windows in winter helps keep them frost-free — though it shouldn't go in a windshield-washer reservoir unless the owner's manual specifically allows it, since it can damage some motor parts.
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