The demand for distilled white vinegar increases in the fall when gardeners are busy preserving their bounty. However, its use need not be limited to the annual canning ritual. The same supermarket-strength vinegar used for canning also makes an economical and environmentally friendly cleaning agent for your garden tools and accessories, as the 5% acetic acid concentration can effectively remove soil, mold, lime, stains, and mineral deposits.

Keep a dedicated spray bottle filled with undiluted (or "neat") vinegar in your garden shed. (Be sure to label it well.) Before storing your tomato cages, peony supports, plant stakes or trellises for the winter, take a few moments to clean and sanitize them. Spray them with undiluted vinegar and wipe the surface dry with a cloth.

To clean and sanitize trowels, cultivators, hoes, spades, etc., spray them with full-strength vinegar, rinse with water and wipe them dry. At the end of the growing season, rinse your plastic, clay and glazed planters and pots in hot water to remove dried soil that could harbor bacteria, and then soak them for an hour (or more) in a solution with equal parts of water and vinegar to remove stains and mineral deposits from planters. If necessary, scrub the planters with a steel wool pad or pot brush before rinsing them in clean water. Let dry in the sun.

To deodorize and neutralize the musty air in your shed, spray it with a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar. Add a few drops of essential oils (e.g., cedarwood, lavender, sage), if you like, or place a bowl of vinegar on one of the storage shelves.