Source: Flickr user darwinbell [1]
Sorry to burst your bubble, but you're not going to save by drinking vodka! However, the liquor actually has a couple of household uses that will come in handy. Not to mention, you won't be splashing unnecessary money on products, and you'll be doing the environment some good because it's less toxic. Invest in a bottle of cheap vodka to stretch your dollar in these ways.
- Remove a bandaid: Dab vodka onto a bandaid with a cotton swab, and you'll be able to remove it in no time.
- Clean your clothes: First, do a spot test on the piece of clothing just to be on the safe side. If the material stays in the same condition, spray vodka on the outfit. It'll keep your clothes fresh in between laundry loads and kill any lingering odors. The liquor is also a good stain remover, so dab some on stubborn stains before throwing your clothes into the washer.
- Get rid of mold: Spray it on the mold in your bathroom, and after letting it soak in for a good while, wipe it clean. The alcohol will kill the mold.
- DIY [2] deodorant: Make your own natural deodorant with this recipe [3], which includes vodka, water, and essential oils.
Photo: Sarah Lipoff
- Prevent flowers from wilting: Add a few drops of vodka into your flower vase to preserve your lovely bouquet. Vodka lengthens the life of the blooms because it inhibits ethylene production, which is what helps the plant mature, according to the Scientific American [4].
- Repel insects: Use vodka as an ingredient for a bug repellent. DIYlife.com [5]recommends to mix it with apple cider vinegar and drops of citronella or eucalyptus essential oil. Spray it on yourself or areas you don't want bugs to come crawling, such as your patio furniture.
- Linen spray: Make this easy and effective linen spray [6] with vodka.
Photo: Sarah Lipoff
- Polish and shine: Take a piece of cloth, wet it with vodka, and clean your eyeglasses with it. Alternatively, you can also mix it with some water, then spray the liquid on windows and mirrors to make them shine. So long, Windex!
- Glue remover: Remove the sticky residue left from peeling the label off jars by rubbing the leftover glue with a soft cloth soaked in vodka. You can also use this to dissolve the sticky residue that Band-Aids leave on your skin.
- Preserve razor blades: After shaving, leave your blades in vodka for a while to disinfect and prevent them from rusting.
- Soothe stings: Pour vodka on stings ranging from poison ivy to jellyfish.
- Treat dandruff: Mix one cup vodka with two teaspoons crushed rosemary, then strain the mixture through a coffee cup filter and let it sit for two days before applying it to your head and letting the solution dry.
- Air freshener: Make air freshener [7] with vodka as the base. Start spraying away to get rid of any odor in the room.
Photo: Sarah Lipoff
Remember, getting an inexpensive brand is key — you don't want to shill out big bucks and waste money on something you'll be wiping your windows with!