Apple cider vinegar is a great way to add flavor to a homemade salad dressing or tang to other dishes on the menu. However, this multitalented acid is good for more than just sprucing up your next dinner. Check out some alternative roles this tangy ingredient can fill outside of the kitchen!
Treat athlete’s foot: The fungus that makes up what is commonly referred to as athlete’s foot causes itching, burning rashes on the feet and in between the toes. Apple cider vinegar can help reduce pain and kill the fungus. WikiHow says to soak your infected foot in a bowl of vinegar for 10 to 30 minutes. If it burns, take your foot out and add a bit of water to dilute it, then try again.
Help an upset tummy: This may sound counterintuitive, but try drinking a bit of apple cider vinegar and water to calm an upset stomach. This is particularly helpful if you have a bacterial infection. You can also mix it in with apple juice to temper the flavor, according to Reader’s Digest.
Add extra shine: Give your hair a more dazzling shine with an apple cider vinegar rinse, MindBodyGreen recommends. Put one-half tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and one cup of cold water into a cup or bottle. Pour over your hair after shampooing. Do this two or three times per week.
Cool sunburned skin: Feeling the burn after a day in the sun? MindBodyGreen suggests adding a cup of apple cider vinegar to a cool bath and then sitting in the tub for about 10 minutes to relieve the pain of a sunburn. (And remember the sunscreen next time!)
Say goodbye to hiccups: Oh, the one ailment that has a million fixes. If breathing into a paper bag or holding your breath don’t do it for you, try a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Reader’s Digest suggests that the vinegar could stimulate nerves in the throat that can wipe out those pesky hiccups.
Tip the scale in your favor: Some health experts suggest that apple cider vinegar could aid in weight loss because the acid in the vinegar can actually suppress your appetite and reduces water retention, according to Reader’s Digest.
Clean your house: Add one part apple cider vinegar to one part water, filter into a spray bottle and presto: an all-natural disinfectant on the cheap!
Kill weeds: Give your green thumb a fighting chance and use vinegar as a natural fertilizer. Greatist suggests that pouring this acidic liquid on weedy areas can kill the sneaky roots. Add 10 ounces of vinegar to 10 gallons of water for the perfect mixture.
Soothe after a shave: Trying to pinch pennies? Ditch the pricey aftershave and opt for an apple cider vinegar rinse instead. Dilute the vinegar with one part water and apply after shaving. Don’t worry, the smell will fade, according to Greatist.
So long, heartburn: Skip the Pepto and try swigging some apple cider vinegar after a greasy meal. It may seem a bit off to fight fire with fire (or acid with acid) but this little trick actually works. The apple cider vinegar helps even out low acids in your tummy. Take one teaspoon, followed by a glass of water. Don’t try this if you have an ulcer, MindBodyGreen cautions.
Say goodnight to leg cramps: Ever wake up in the middle of the night with painful cramps in the shins and legs? Try two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon of honey and a glass of warm water and say goodbye to the pain, according to Reader’s Digest.
Have you tried any of these tricks? Share this with your friends on Facebook and tell us what your favorite way to use apple cider vinegar is in the comments below.