Vinegar Saves The Day, and Lots of $$$

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

Most everyone knows that vinegar is a very mild acid so it comes as no surprise that it is very handy as a cleaning agent. It also works quite well in dissolving green corrosion in bronze pumps. Here is how I found that out:

Last year when restoring systems on the boat after 6 months of dry storage, the sea water pump for our Cruise Air air conditioning system was frozen with corrosion. That time I disassembled the pump and succeeded in freeing it up by manually rotating the impeller.

To avoid a similar situation this year, I drained the pump last May when storing the boat. Unfortunately, the corrosion inside the pump from residual salt water was so heavy that my attempts at manual rotation were inadequate to get the pump to run. Dreading the thought of having to replace the pump, I decided to fill it with vinegar for a few hours then try running it. Interestingly, when I drained the vinegar solution, it was almost emerald blue in color. The bottom line is that this trick worked and saved me the agony and expense of trying to find a replacement pump.

Next time I lay up that system, I'll flush the pump well with fresh water and spray its insides with corrosion inhibitor.

[Matt Johnson]

I use vinegar to clean up epoxy, kill mold, clean glass, in the head and sometimes even use it in my food! It is the best!

[markpierce]

With all the many uses of vinegar, it is a wonder liquid.

[Pete7]

Good for jelly fish strings too, though rushing into a fish and chip shop, grabbing the bottle and watching a diver cover his face in vinegar did have the staff giving us funny looks.

Pete

[mbianka]

Good for cleaning salt buildup out of the head lines. I use a 50/50 mixture with water for general cleanup chores. Not to mention helping relieve jellyfish stings.

[Outwest34au]

Handy tip, easy to carry with you. Put that on the essential item list with big carrots.

Sapphire blue might be the colour youre thinking. Emeralds are green, ruby is a particular shade of red commonly called pigeon blood red.

Not that I am being nit picky, I just happen to live in Sapphire near Emerald and Rubyvale :-)

Hoping to dig enough gems to cover the cost of a modest boat also.

[DeepFrz]

John, when you put your boat up again circulate some vinegar through your AC cooling system for a while before you flush with fresh water. Just fill a bucket with the mixture, stick the input hose into the bucket and run the output hose back into the bucket. It should clean the whole system out, including the pump.

[Auzzee]

Vinegar and baking soda cleaning tips here:
Vinegar Tips - Cleaning with Vinegar

[bobconnie]

It will work for a wash on aluminum before painting, really works well as a tack wash!! as good as any expensive big name product for use on aluminum! I found it out years ago bilding and painting Skiffs for fishing in alaska!! worked on about 50 boats we bilt, and after 5 yrs of being worked the paint was still stuck to the hulls tight!! just a thought

[skipmac]

Another use, if you swim or dive a lot put a couple of drops of vinegar in your ears to prevent swimmers ear. Vinegar lowers the pH of the ear and makes an inhospitable environment for the bacteria that cause the infection.

[FSMike]

Got some bronze that's so nasty you think it'll never shine again? Immerse it in vinegar for 24-48 hours and commence polishing. Vinegar isn't a miracle in this case,but it's sure a help.

[rivonia]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Another use, if you swim or dive a lot put a couple of drops of vinegar in your ears to prevent swimmers ear. Vinegar lowers the pH of the ear and makes an inhospitable environment for the bacteria that cause the infection.

According to the medical profession this is NOT advisble. Due to several medical conditions.

Peter

[GaryMayo]

Originally Posted by rivonia

According to the medical profession this is NOT advisble. Due to several medical conditions.

Peter

The chemotherapy AMA bunch who also opposes vitimans is against a natural remedy they cannot hold an international exclusive patient on? Imagine that.

[vientoman]

And if'n all dat twernt anuff......

Most enthusiasts of the Civil War realize the vinegar ration was issued to help prevent scurvy and to maintain good health in a disease prone army

. http://www.2ncmi.org/vinegar.html Used by my Great, Great, Great grandad in the battle of bull run.......ok no body needs to mention that the south lost......

[rebel heart]

Keep a diluted spray bottle of vinegar in the head. Shoot a stream of it into the head when you're done using it. Keeps the toilet clean a lot longer and I have a suspicion that it helps slow down the scaling since it works it's way through the system.