Cleaning with Alcohol

• Isopropyl alcohol is a natural way to remedy several household problems. Wiping smudged DVDs or CDs with alcohol will remove the smudges without damaging the disc. The patchy ice buildup on windshields that is hard to remove without scraping can be easily wiped away after a few sprays of isopropyl alcohol. If mirrors or glass have sticky residue on them, such as that on store-bought photo frames, alcohol can help the glue wipe right off.
  
  

Household Uses for Vinegar

• Vinegar is one of the most versatile natural solutions for housekeeping. It can be mixed in a 1-1 ratio with water to create an all-purpose cleaner for mirrors, glass and countertops. You can also add a cup of vinegar to a half-full bucket of water and use the mixture to mop ceramic floors. Removing grease and food particles is one of the handiest uses for vinegar. Use it for cleaning the top of your refrigerator, your stove top or inside of the oven. Using vinegar to "make" coffee in your coffeemaker cleans the machine. Add 2 cups of vinegar in place of water to the coffeemaker, remove the filter and start the machine as usual. Repeat the process with plain water one time before brewing a regular pot of coffee.
  
  

Beauty Treatments

• There are several ways to use both isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar as beauty treatments. Vinegar is an effective hair rinse, stripping hair of the residue built up from shampoo and conditioner. The rinse also leaves you hair shinier. You can mix a few drops of rosemary essential oil with a cup of vinegar to cut the pungent scent and stimulate your scalp. Let the rosemary marinate for a few days in the vinegar, add 3 cups of water to the mix and pour over washed hair. Isopropyl alcohol treats oily skin and acne. It is a potent treatment, so use it sparingly. Mix a tablespoon of alcohol with a cup of water and dip a cotton ball into the mixture. The astringent mixture can be stored in the refrigerator to make it refreshingly cool.
  
  

Health

• Apply vinegar to bruised skin with a cotton ball to speed healing. Applying vinegar to minor burns helps alleviate the pain, especially if the vinegar is chilled. Isopropyl alcohol kills bacteria and can be applied to cuts and abrasions before bandaging the injury. It is also suggested for cleaning skin in the weeks following an exterior body piercing, such as on the ears, bellybutton or eyebrow.You can stop buying expensive ice packs for muscle injuries and make your own. Fill a plastic bag with three parts water and one part alcohol, then freeze. Wrap the frozen bag in a towel before applying to your skin.