Last year I hosted a party featuring natural and organic products for the home and for the most part loved the products. Until the the day the skin was burnt from my nostrils when the oven safe, natural cleaner filled my house with smoke. I then decided that maybe I needed to do some more research. O_o What I found was that many of these natural cleaners could be replaced by something cost effective and far more useful – Apple Cider Vinegar.
7 Incredible Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar
Kitchen Counter, Surface and Floor Cleaner:
Clean AND disinfect with a mixture of 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup water. Use it to clean the microwave, bathroom, kitchen surfaces, mirrors and more. For really tough jobs, use undiluted Apple Cider Vinegar in a spray bottle and follow up with a 3% solution of Hydrogen Peroxide. Wipe the area clean and rinse with water.
I sometimes think it’s impossible to keep my floors clean. Sometimes I can only stare at wonder at the sticky substance accumulating dirt in the center of the room. How did it get there? What IS it?! More often than not, it remains a mystery. What I do know is that by misting my floors with a 1 cup water to 1/2 cup vinegar solution, I can mop up just about anything with ease! *NOTE* If you use the old fashioned mop and bucket system there is no need to mist, just add the vinegar to your mop water.
Odor Remover:
Apple Cider Vinegar is awesome at removing household odors. I know what you’re thinking – vinegar is pretty smelly itself right? Yes, it is BUT the vinegar smell dissipates fairly quickly and with it goes many other odors. Why does it work? The vinegar breaks down the volatile compounds and kills bacteria – the culprits behinds many offending smells.
While most are familiar with this use for surfaces, you can actually also use this in the air as well! Accidentally leave dinner in the oven too long and now your kitchen smells like a chimney? Solution: Simmer equal parts of vinegar and water in a saucepan on the stove for about an hour. Remove it from the heat and allow to sit overnight to work its magic.
You can also remove sticky smells like onion or garlic from your hands by washing them with undiluted vinegar.
Drain Cleaner:
Clean AND deodorize drains with a combination of 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 Baking Soda and 1/2 cup of Salt mix. Allow the solution to sit in the drain for a couple hours and then flush with hot water.
Skincare:
Wake up with a pimple on the tip of your nose? A dab of Apple Cider Vinegar will dry that sucker right out. If your acne issue extends beyond just the tip of your nose, you can also use it diluted as an astringent.
Be Gone Moldy Berries:
Who doesn’t love fresh fruit? Usually on the expensive side, we tend to buy a little extra when it goes on sale. But we all know fresh fruit never seems to last very long. You can extend the time you have to enjoy those fresh blueberries by washing them in a bowl with 3 cups water and 1 cup vinegar. Drain them in a colander and then rinse with cool water. Want to know why it works? It’s the dirt, pesticides and chemicals on the fruit that cause them to mold quickly!
Sunburn Relief:
Everyone enjoys a nice day at the beach, but a sunburn? Not so much. You can treat your sensitive sun-kissed skin by patting on some diluted apple cider vinegar or go one better and add a 1 cup to your bath water.
Foot Soak:
When you can’t make it to the salon, an at-home pedicure with apple cider vinegar not only hydrates your feet but it soothes aches and helps with swelling too. And maybe if you’re lucky you can talk your significant other into rubbing it in.
In addition to being a kitchen cleaning staple, you may be surprised at how many awesome recipes you can create with Apple Cider Vinegar. Check out the Heinz Vinegar Pinteres