23 Outdoor Uses For Vinegar: Gardens, Vehicles and More Outside Uses

Vinegar seems to be the universal household product, a frugal and natural solution to a myriad of issues both indoor and outdoors. But we want to share 23 Outdoor Uses for Vinegar – we have done all of these and so most of these regularly! 

Would love to know which ones you have done and which ones you are going to start implementing.  By the way, we have included the printable list for you to print off the Outdoor Uses for Vinegar to hand in the garage to have easy access to and to remember easily! If you have ever played the memory game. You know, look at these 15 items for a minute and then write down as many as you can remember – well, this is 23! So you might want a printable list to remember all of these outdoor uses for vinegar! 

Love-Hate Vinegar Relationship

To be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with vinegar! I love vinegar for a natural alternative to so many chemical counterparts around the house and not only love its universality, but it’s affordability. And the outdoor uses of vinegar are amazing. 

But I really despise the smell – it is just a strong, pungent smell. In fact, after using vinegar for over 12 years around my home, I still have a hard time with the smell. 

In addition, I learned about the benefits of drinking Apple Cider Vinegar for many, many years. But I just can’t get over the smell to take even a shot of it. Alex can! Some of my kids can! But I am still working through it, with a million different flavor combinations in an attempt to make it taste tolerable for a few seconds. 

I’m not drinking white vinegar (although I do use it in some of my cooking), but I just can’t stand it! And what’s weird, we use vinegar in our laundry – and it smells awful going into the washer, but the irony is that it makes the clothing smell fresh and clean! 

So going back to the outdoor uses, that biting odor is one thing that does the trick for this article on uses for vinegar outside and outdoors! It works! And thankfully, in this case, it is outdoor uses for vinegar. 

Outdoors is the key word (but I still use it in the house a ton as I know it works). 

Affordability of Vinegar 

And again, the affordability is a huge factor in using vinegar as an alternative to many pre-made products. It is seriously super cheap! 

I can grab a gallon of white distilled vinegar for around $2 a gallon around town. That is a very affordable price for a versatile product that is also safe to use for most anything and any issue.

Most pre-made, store-bought products are quite pricey – but vinegar will do the trick for many pre-made cleaning solutions.

And then the value considered when it is a natural and “green” product. Generally, natural and green versions of a product are that much more! 

So instead, just go with white distilled vinegar and you will solve both preferences. Here’s a quick list for some practical and alternative ways to use vinegar outdoors:

23 Outdoor Uses For Vinegar

Outdoor Uses for Vinegar: In the garden and yard

• Make soil more acidic for those plants that thrive in this type of soil: Mix one cup of vinegar and one gallon of water for watering acid loving plants
• Kill individual grasses and weed spots: Spray undiluted vinegar on the top and roots of the weed.  You may need to repeat a couple of times.
• Kill weeds/grasses in a larger area or on the cracks in your sidewalks: Bring 1 quart of water, 2 tablespoons of salt and 5 tablespoons of vinegar to a boil.  Then immediately pour the hot mixture onto the larger areas of weeds/grasses or in the cracks of your sidewalk/driveway to kill anything growing in these areas. (Here’s another natural, homemade weed solution)
• Keep pests out of your garden or garden pots: Soak scrap paper, newspaper, rags, cotton balls or sponges in undiluted vinegar and place where you want pests to stay away.  This would include cats and rabbits too!
• Liven/refresh plants: Mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of sugar and then 1 quart of water to a spray bottle to liven up plants.
• Cleaning pots: Soak clay or plastic garden pots in undiluted vinegar to remove the mildew, hard water stains or soil stains from the pot.
• Soaking fountain and sprinkler parts: Soak water fountain or sprinkler parts in undiluted vinegar to remove hard water, crusty buildup and brighten parts.

Outdoor Uses for Vinegar: Miscellaneous Outdoor Jobs

• Clean painting supplies: Soak paintbrushes and other painting equipment in vinegar to clean and soften after using!
• Make a degreaser: Mix equal parts vinegar and water.
• Clean tools: Soak tools in undiluted vinegar and they will be cleaned, degreased and shine brightly.
• Stop ants from entering your home or outdoor areas: Wipe or spray undiluted vinegar in ant entry points, down anthills and doorway crevices. (Here’s anther ant solution)
• Cleaning plastic furniture: Mix 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar with a quart of water in a spray bottle or bucket to clean plastic outdoor furniture or toys.
• Natural bug catcher: Make a natural bug catcher by mixing 2 parts of vinegar and 1 part of molasses or honey and place in an old can or something for the bugs to land or climb into.
• Aluminum siding cleaner: Spray equal parts of vinegar and water on your aluminum siding and then spray down with hose for house cleaner.
• Metal surfaces cleaner: Wipe metal on house, vehicles, tools and more with undiluted vinegar to clean and brighten up!

Outdoor Uses for Vinegar: For The Car

• Car Deodorizer: Leave a bowl of undiluted vinegar in the car overnight to soak up all of the odors from spills, sickness and just the smells vehicles accumulate.
• Bumper Sticker Remover: Use a cloth or spray undiluted vinegar onto the bumper sticker to make it easy to remove.
• Window cleaner: Mix 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar and a few drops of dish soap in a spray bottle and use like regular window cleaner.

Outdoor Uses for Vinegar: Camping and Outdoor Activities

• Improve Performance of Propane Lanterns: Soak new propane lantern wicks in vinegar for several hours. Let dry before using. Will burn longer and brighter.
• Cleaning coolers and other camping and outdoor items: Use undiluted vinegar to rid of smells and clean it.  Soak with undiluted vinegar for the nasty smells.
• Clean BBQ Grill: Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in spray bottle and spray on the grill grates.  Let soak in and dry and then use an undiluted spray of vinegar to scrub and scrub with aluminum foil!
• Insect repellant: When camping or out in the wilderness, spray your tent or camping gear with vinegar as a natural repellant. (Here’s another homemade insect repellant solution)
• Sunburn relief: If you have a sunburn, relieve the pain by lightly rubbing or even spraying white or cider vinegar on the area and reapply as often as needed. Read more about vinegar and sunburn relief and allows sunburns to heal faster:

The best part is that it is natural, cheap and you can’t go wrong using it.  I am sure that there are many more ideas – what ideas do you have?  Share in the comments below!

Now the fun part is that you can download and print this list to hang in your garage, utility room or in your home binder to have quick access to it!

<== Download your printable list HERE.

Do you have any ideas to share?  Please leave your comments below for us all to get more ideas.  We would love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: As with all homemade solutions, remember to always test a small hidden area first.

You can find more articles on the many uses of vinegar below. Just click on an image to be taken to that post!

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