10 Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

• Neighborhoods and News
• March 7, 2018

1. Toss a Salad and Other Food

Not only is apple cider vinegar great for a vinaigrette but ingesting it in other ways is beneficial to your health. Also known as ACV, one common unpasteurized ACV is the “mother”, which has beneficial bacteria, proteins, and enzymes – all good for you.

2. Treat a Sting

The ACV helps neutralize the formic acid in bee venom that causes the stinging and burning. You can either soak the stung body part in ACV or soak a cloth and place it on the sting. Repeat this every 15 minutes as needed.

You can also use it to treat other bug bites and a poison ivy rash. It reduces the swelling and relieves the itching with the potassium in it.

3. Make a Cocktail

ACV can be used as a fruit mas syrup or shrub in a cocktail. You can combine it with apple cider, sugar, lemon juice, and bourbon for an alcoholic beverage. If you prefer a non-alcoholic cocktail, mix the ACV with honey, ginger, and lime.

4. Cleaning Supplies

One thing ACV is definitely well known for is its ability to clean tough spots. Mix ACV with equal parts water and you suddenly have the holy grail of cleaning supplies. It can cut through and clean:

• Grease and grime
• Bacteria
• Stove tops
• Counters
• Sinks
• Laundry room surfaces
• Metal tea kettles
• Plastic touch pads on microwave and stove panels

You can also use it to clean the inside of the microwave by spraying it, heating it for 25 seconds, and then wiping it down.

5. Ward Off Fleas

Use a 50/50 mix of ACV and water, mixing it with a few drops of lavender or cedar essential oils. Then, spray your dog making sure to avoid the eyes, nose, and ears.

6. Use for Skin

ACV has natural healing ingredients for skin cells. Some people say its great at preventing breakouts and reducing acne scarring. You can also use it as an active ingredient in a toner mix.

7. Use for Hair

If you struggle with dandruff, ACV works great at scalp health to reduce dandruff and add shine. It should be used only 1-2 times per week.

8. Break a Fever

If you or a family member has a fever, you can reduce body temperature by wiping down all limbs and the torso with a blend of ACV and water. It can also be used to soothe sunburn by patting it down the burn or soaking in a tub of ACV and coconut oil.

9. Catch Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are attracted to the fermented ACV, which can be used to lure them in. Put some ACV in a cup or tub, cover it with saran wrap with a few holes, and the flies get trapped and drown.

10. Kill Weeds

Mixing ACV with salt and dish soap, you’ve got a weed killer. It doesn’t kill the roots, but any leaves it touches. Its best used when applied to seedlings. Make sure you don’t spray any plants you want to keep because it can also kill them, too.