We cannot yet declare apple cider vinegar to be a miracle cure. However, we can confirm that the health benefits of apple cider vinegar enjoy a long history as a home remedy used to treat everything from a sore throat to varicose veins.  This goes back to the days of Hippocrates—the ancient Greek doctor who treated wounds with it. In recent years, people have explored apple cider vinegar as a way to lose weight, houseclean, repel pesky rabbits, whiten teeth, improve heart health, and even treat dandruff.

The Right Choice

When choosing apple cider vinegar, make sure you get unfiltered apple cider vinegar that includes the “mother.” The mother of vinegar is used to accelerate the fermentation process to produce  an effective product. Bragg’s is considered by many to be the gold standard for high-quality vinegar that is packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Be sure to shake it well before use.

Here are a few of the ways that ACV may work well for you to treat everyday issues in the same way that it works for so many of my readers and others who’ve reported their results.

1. Send dandruff packing

Forget all the pricey salon sprays that promise to destroy the fungus that grows on your scalp. Apple cider vinegar’s acidity changes the pH of your scalp and also has antibacterial properties. Make your own dandruff treatment at home that will banish dandruff by mixing equal parts ACV and water in a spray bottle.

Shampoo with your shampoo of choice, rinse, and towel dry. Then spray this ACV dilution onto your hair, work it through to the scalp and let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse. Do this twice a week, and in no time, you’ll send away embarrassing dandruff forever. For routine maintenance, use ACV as a conditioner.

2. Healthy, shiny hair

Mixing 4 parts water to 1 part ACV results in a very effective apple cider vinegar hair rinse that will leave your hair soft and shiny. Shampoo, rinse and then pour about 1 cup of this mixture over your hair and rinse it out. Prepare to be amazed.

3. Skincare

Create a facial toner using 1 part ACV and 2 parts water. Rub over clean skin morning and night. If your skin is too sensitive, dilute as need. Don’t spray on; it will give your eyes that burning sensation!

ACV is a great treatment for people with oily skin, acne, scars, dark spots, and milia. One reader reports she started applying this directly to some dark spots on her face with a cotton swab morning and night. She’s seeing the results rather quickly!

• MORE:The Best Inexpensive Skincare Products According to My Dermatologist

4. Sore throat soother

At the first sign of a sore throat, pull out three pantry ingredients to make a powerful elixir that will help soothe the discomfort and also break up mucous and sinus congestion: Mix one teaspoon ACV, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and three teaspoons honey in a glass of warm water.

Apple cider vinegar and honey are known to have antibacterial properties, and the capsaicin in the cayenne helps alleviate pain. Sip this concoction gradually one to three times a day. Also EC readers have reported that gargling with apple cider vinegar has brought almost immediate relief. Gargling with apple cider vinegar has been reported EC readers to bring almost immediate relief!

Note: This is not a substitute for physician-prescribed medication.

5. No more stinky feet

Persistent stinky foot odor is not necessarily a hygiene problem but rather a persistent problem caused by a fungus that may have managed to live unnoticed on the bottom of feet, under toenails or even between toes. A daily shower is not likely to alleviate the problem, but this will:

Soak your feet in a container of hot water to which you have added 4 cups ACV and 1 1/2 cups baking soda. Mix well and soak your feet in it for at least 10 minutes. Towel dry then enjoy your clean, soft feet that should also smell clean and fresh. Any lingering smell of vinegar will quickly dissipate on its own.

6. Alleviate acid reflux

It seems counterintuitive to combat stomach acid with acidic vinegar but stay with me here. One tablespoon of enzyme-rich ACV in a cup of water or tea taken right before a meal, for many, alleviates the symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux. This simple activity has been reported to help create a healthy gut. If you hate the taste, adding a tablespoon of honey will help this medicine go down.

EC Reader Jane adds: “I lived on over-the-counter heartburn medication for years. Now I use one tablespoon of ACV and a scant teaspoon of baking soda in a tall glass of water. Best antacid I’ve ever used.”

7. Skincare astringent

Apple cider vinegar will do wonders for your skin—even alleviate acne—for pennies, not dollars. If you have sensitive skin, dilute one part apple cider vinegar with one part water. However, for other skin types, ACV is most effectively used straight up.

Use it as an all-natural astringent like this: Mix up a dilution of 50/50 apple cider vinegar and water. Spray this on your clean face or apply it with a washcloth or cotton balls. Do not rinse.

The resulting protective acidic layer will make your skin feel smoother, absorb excess oil, and help to reduce fine lines. This works by restoring the proper pH levels to your skin, and the beta-carotene in the apple cider vinegar helps to ward off future skin damage.

8. Quickly heal sunburn

Acidic apple cider vinegar on a sunburn? You bet, and you’ll be amazed at the result. Here’s the routine: Following an unfortunate sunburn, draw a bath, adding one or two tablespoons ACV to the tub. After soaking for 10 minutes, the ACV will have helped restore your skin’s pH levels and your skin will feel cool and super soothed.

9. Whitening mouthwash

To make an effective whitening mouthwash, mix one teaspoon ACV with a cup of water. Swish this around your mouth and either spit it out or go ahead and swallow. It’s good for you.

10. Repel pests

If rabbits are devouring your garden, or cats are making a litter box out of your sandbox or flower beds, keep them away by soaking cotton balls in ACV and sprinkling them around flower beds. For cats, spray undiluted vinegar along the perimeter of flower beds or sandboxes to keep them out.

• MORE: Easy Ways to Naturally Repel Cats From Your Yard and Garden

Updated, Expanded, and Republished: 3-7-23

 

 

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