10 Surprising Ways to Use Vinegar

You will find white vinegar in every single house you enter. This common liquid has an acidic taste that is accompanied by a pH of 2.4 and it is produced by the process of fermentation of distilled alcohol.

It is often used for cooking, preserving meat or pickling, but it can also be used for its therapeutic properties. Here are 10 ways to do that:

• Treating acne – White vinegar is loaded with antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, helping the skin to restore its pH, at the same time. Wash the affected area with a cleansing solution and then dilute white vinegar in an equal amount of water. Apply the solution using a cotton ball and let it rest for 5 minutes, and then wash off with water.
• Healing sunburns – The astringent effect of white vinegar will relieve the pain, itchiness, and inflammation. Add 2-3 cups of white vinegar in the bathtub filled with water and stay in there for 30 minutes several days.
• Eliminating unpleasant smells – Vinegar can eliminate any type of odors whether they are originating from the body or from the surrounding environment. For the body odors, mix equal amounts of water and vinegar and wash the affected areas a few times a day. To get rid of the odors from the refrigerator, soak a piece of bread in vinegar and place it in the fridge.
• Making your hair healthier and shinier – If you are having problems with dandruff or with your scalp, you can use the following remedy. After you have washed your hair, apply a solution made of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water. Let it stay for a few minutes and then rinse it with warm water.
• Getting rid of ants – In a spray bottle, place equal amounts of white vinegar and water and spray the areas where you see the ants. The acetic acid will kill them.
• Killing weeds – Not only the weeds, but the garden pests will also be eliminated by mixing a few tablespoons of vinegar with water and spraying the solution on the targeted area. Only spray the weeds and the grass, or else other plants will be affected by the acid in vinegar.
• Treating sore throat – The bacteria causing this problem will be killed if you mix one tablespoon of vinegar with a glass of warm water and salt. Gargle with it a few times a day.
• Cleaning dirty areas – If your microwave, coffee-maker or another appliance in your kitchen is dirty, you can clean it and take away the odors. Place ½ cup of vinegar in a bowl of water and heat it in the microwave until it boils. The food on the walls will come off and the smells will be neutralized.
• Cleaning kitchen counters – By using vinegar to clean the surfaces where you handle food will disinfect them. Add equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and apply the solution on all the surfaces that need to be cleaned. Let the solution sit for 10 minutes and then wipe it off with a clean towel.
• Cleaning hardwood floors – Mix equal parts of water and vinegar and use the solution to wash your floors. Experts say that this is the best way to sanitize and clean them.