Apple cider vinegar is one of those ingredients you should always have (and probably do always have) in your house; it’s another one of those extremely versatile and useful household items (like coconut oil and baking soda).

Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made by fermenting apples in water. The fermentation may occur naturally or it may be kick started with bacteria and yeast. The result is the vinegar you are used to seeing in your grocery store. It can come with or without the “mother” which is a combination of cellulose and bacteria that is formed during the fermentation process.

From aiding digestion and healing skin issues to adding sparkle and shine to your home without chemicals, there is very little this wonder liquid cannot do.

Beauty and Topical Personal Care

1. Use it as a facial toner by diluting 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 4 tablespoons of water and applying with a cotton ball.

2. Add to the bath: ½- 1 cup added to your bath water along with lavender or eucalyptus epsom salts will give you a relaxing, beautiful smelling and detoxifying bath.

3. Fight yeast infections—add 1 ½ cups to a bathtub of water and soak for up to 20 minutes.

4. Create shiny, untangled, build-up  and dandruff-free hair by adding 1/3 cup  to 4 cups of water and pour over your hair after shampooing. Leave on for a few seconds and rinse with cold water.

5. Ease a sunburn with  1-2 cups of apple cider vinegar in a warm bath to help reduce the discomfort of sun burned skin.

6. Use it as a teeth whitener by gargling with it every morning or rubbing directly onto teeth with a Q-Tip. The vinegar helps remove stains and kill bacteria in the mouth and gums.

7. To treat acne, mix one part apple cider vinegar to 3-4 parts water. Apply to skin with a cotton ball and let sit for about 10 minutes, then rinse. Repeat 2-3 times a day.

8. For wart removal, place a cotton pad soaked in apple cider vinegar on top, and secure it with a band-aid or medical tape. Leave on overnight, and repeat every night for a week.

9. Help reduce age spots & acne scars by dabbing on leaving over night to help reduce appearance and discolouration.

10. Fight bad breath with apple cider vinegar— it can help kill any bacteria that may be present in your mouth. Add ½ tablespoon to a cup of water, and gargle for 10 seconds at a time until the cup is empty.

11. Clean dentures or retainers: soak them in a 2:1 water to apple cider vinegar solution over night to help keep them clean and bacteria free.

12. Treat nail fungus by cleaning nail beds with apple cider vinegar.

13. Soothe bug bites and other minor skin irritations by applying topically.

14. Reduce the appearance and speed healing time of a bruise by applying topically to area.

15. Use as a disinfectant for small cuts and wounds; it will help clean them and prevent infection.

Household Uses

16. Mix 1 part water, 1 part vinegar, 2-3 drops of your favourite essential oil in a spray bottle and use as you would any all-purpose surface cleaner.

17. Stop cats from biting cords around the house—put on a cotton ball and rub on the cords once a week.

18. Make a fruit fly trap—pour a thin layer in a cup with a drop of dish soap. Set it out on the counter and the fruit flies will fly in and get stuck.

19. Get rid of cat urine smell from fabrics (and keep cats off upholstery) by adding to the laundry when you wash the clothing, blanket, upholstery

20. Clean out clogged pipes by mixing with baking soda.

21. Get rid of fleas on your furry friends: Dilute apple cider vinegar by 50% in water and use a spray bottle to spray the mixture onto your pets’ fur.  Rub in and let dry. You can also spray this mixture on your furniture to remove fleas that may have been transferred from your pet.

22. Use as a fabric softener by adding 1/2 cup to the wash to help condition your clothes.

23. Remove mouldy smells from towels and fabric shower curtains by adding 1/2 cup to the wash.

24. By cleaning your coffee maker regularly, you will not only get rid of clogging mineral deposits, you will also eliminate coffee oils that can accumulate inside your coffee maker and become rancid. Add 1 cup of warm water to the water reservoir followed by 2 cups of vinegar, then run the coffee maker through a brewing cycle, then run the coffee maker 2 more times through the brewing cycle with just plain water to rinse out all the vinegar.

Ingestion/Medicinal Uses

25. Helps with an upset stomach—apple cider vinegar has antibiotic properties and contains pectin which is soothing.

26. Get rid of hiccups—the sour taste of a straight teaspoon will almost always stop a case of the hiccups.

27. Clear a stuffy nose by mixing a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drinking.

28. Use apple cider vinegar to soothe a sore throat. Mix 1/4 cup with 1/4 cup of warm water and gargle every hour.

29. Beat exercise exhaustion—lactic acid buildup in the body can cause fatigue, while the amino acids in apple cider vinegar can act as an antidote. Add a tablespoon to a glass of water after a workout.

30. Possibly reduce triglycerides: Sip 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in 2 cups of water every day over several months to possibly help lower triglyceride levels in the blood. This effect is thought to be due to the acetic acid content of the vinegar.

31. Stabilize your weight: The acetic acid that can help lower triglyceride levels may also help to decrease body fat stores when taken over a prolonged period of time. Again use the 2 teaspoons in 2 cups of water daily.

32. Help to balance your blood sugar levels: a study performed at Arizona State University found that apple cider vinegar slows the rate blood sugar levels rise after a meal.

33. Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid which has certain antibacterial properties that could be a potential cure for kidney and bladder infections. Apple cider vinegar also has a pH of 3.0 and at this level, bacterial growth and multiplication becomes impossible. Take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water twice a day.

34. Reduce arthritis pain by taking apple cider vinegar to help reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis, as well as reducing the pain that comes with it.

35. Help treat gout by taking 2-3 tablespoons, 2 to 3 times a day.

36. Relieve constipation:  Take a shot or two when necessary up to help flush out your system.

37. Use as a sleep aid by taking 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with honey in a cup of warm water before bed.

38. Unblock sinuses by taking a shot or two of apple cider vinegar when you are feeling stuffed up to promote sinus drainage.

39. Promote healthy gut bacteria: apple cider vinegar may help feed the important stores of good bacteria, providing them with food to grow and flourish.

Edible/Cooking Uses

40. Use it in place of balsamic or white vinegar in salad dressings and marinades.

41. Add to your morning smoothie, but be careful—it has a pretty strong taste, so only add a little to start.

42. Make “buttermilk” by adding 1 tablespoon to a cup of milk. Use in recipes like cornbread, pancakes and biscuits.

43. Pour a capful into raw rice before cooking to ensure it is nice and fluffy with surprisingly no vinegar taste!

44. Add a bright flavour to food: apple cider vinegar will add a bright flavor when added to soups and stews at the end of cooking or when blended into raw soups and stews.

45. Use as a safe antibacterial (and healthy!) fruit and vegetable wash.

 

Wow!  So many uses for one little household ingredient! Did we miss anything? Do you use apple cider vinegar for anything that we haven’t mentioned above?