Vinegar and Baking Soda

It's interesting how using up the last of the vinegar and throwing the bottle away could hurt so much, but it does.

I was cleaning up Dad's kitchen today, and the sinks were smelly. I poured an old box of baking soda down the drain and then looked in the cabinet for some vinegar to flush it with. There was a new bottle of cider vinegar in the front of the cabinet that had not yet been opened, and a partially used bottle farther back. I thought I'd just use up the bottle already opened, so I took it out. It was a bit murky, much more that I expected. I wondered with a chuckle how long it had been in there and looked for an expiration date. I found one.

It said, "Use before September 2005." That stopped me cold because in all probability, my mom had purchased this bottle of vinegar.

I stood in front of the sink for awhile debating what to do. Do I use this up and throw it in the recycling? MOM bought this. MOM used this. MOM held this very bottle in her hands. Was I going to keep a fermenting bottle of vinegar at my house? Probably not. If I did, where would I keep it? For how long? Somebody has to throw it away. If I don't get rid of it, Dad might use it on accident. It could make him sick. Mom bought this vinegar. Mom at Melton's, pushing the cart down the aisle, took this bottle off the shelf and paid for it and brought it home. Mom.

After a few minutes, sanity prevailed, and I poured the remaining vinegar down the drain and took the bottle out to the recycling. I had to do it fast though so I couldn't change my mind.