Last night I was preparing my soon to be world famous chilli and my hands were reeking of onions. Jump to five years prior… A co-worker during my corporate job days at IBM (go figure) swore by the use of vinegar for everything. She was kinda like the man from My Big Fat Greek Wedding with the whole Windex thing. Yeah, we all thought she was a little crazy too.

Little did I know she was on to something. I’m gonna give you the top five “coolest” uses for vinegar. It’s safe for your home and totally green. I promise you your house won’t stink—just remember to use the white kind.

Air Freshener
Mix one part vinegar with equal part water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray your room and witness the odors disappear. If a room smells like paint, pour full-strength vinegar in a bowl and let it sit. The paint smell will dissipate shortly.

Clean Your Coffee Maker
Run one full cycle using white vinegar through your coffee maker. Follow that by rinsing with plain water for another full cycle. Your coffee will taste better because the vinegar will get rid of all the build-up and soap residue.

Clean Your Microwave
Boil a cup of vinegar in your microwave for one minute and then it let sit for another minute. You will get rid of all the smells and soften up any residue. This is a great trick!

Clean Stainless Steel
To give your stainless steel appliance that new look, wipe it down with a damp cloth of white vinegar.

Get Rid of Deodorant Stains
Rub your stained garment with full-strength white vinegar and re-wash. The stain will be gone.

and finally…

Get That Onion Smell Off Your Hands
When you’re done crying, rinse your hands off in some white vinegar to rid that dreaded onion smell from your skin.

Try it!