We bet you haven’t thought of the many uses of vinegar. In your busy world where you barely have time to go to the supermarket, it’s nice to know that a few key items in your pantry are far more useful than you thought. You know that bottle of vinegar that’s been gathering dust for months? Dig it out, because we’re about to blow your mind with some awesome . Vinegar is widely seen as a cure-all, and a way to clean everything from your skin to your kitchen. Beyond it’s many uses as a home remedy, vinegar has also been shown to have weight loss benefits. Several studies over the past 10 years have shown that vinegar intake has the potential to suppress appetite and prevent belly fat. In addition, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola, D.O. and NY Times best-selling author, a recent study on the long-term health benefits of vinegar found that “participants taking two tablespoons of vinegar prior to two meals per day lost an average of two pounds over the four-week period, and some lost up to four pounds.”
So before you shove that bottle of vinegar to that “I’m never going to use you” section in the back of your pantry, think again. That liquid is far more useful, and far better for your hearth and your home than you ever knew. Check out these 10 benefits of vinegar that just might change your life.
1. To Soothe a Sunburn
Nobody likes getting a sunburn but despite your best SPF efforts, it happens. Vinegar won’t turn back time or help cure the burn, but it can certainly help cool down the burning sensation. Applying vinegar (or a half vinegar, half water mixture) using a spray bottle or towel to the affected area.
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2. To Soften Your Feet
Forget the over-priced pedicure—one of the greatest uses of vinegar is that you can soften the soles of your feet, your toes and lessen the appearance of calluses by soaking feet in a vinegar bath and then removing dry skin with a pumice stone or brush. The soak might not smell as nice as a fancy salon, but it really works.
3. To Remove Dandruff
Anyone who has experienced dandruff knows how annoying it is to have white flakes all over your clothes every time you touch your hair. The struggle is real. More benefits of vinegar include the fact that you can remove dandruff by using an apple cider vinegar spray. Simple mix equal parts vinegar and water and apply to your scalp after a shampoo. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then rinse and condition.
4. To Clean Your Computer
You sit at your computer all day, but rarely consider that there are germs lurking in your keyboard, just waiting to get you sick. Clean your computer safely and effectively with a vinegar solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Dip a cloth in the solution and once the equipment is off, start wiping. Never use a spray bottle or else excess liquid could get on the circuits inside the computer.
5. To Wash Produce Safely
If you’re rinsing your produce in nothing but water you aren’t really cleaning off the pesticides that could be on the surface of your fruits and veggies. Registered dietician Gayle Alleman recommends “a solution of 10 percent vinegar to 90 percent water” as a bath to clean produce. “Place produce in the vinegar solution, let it soak briefly, and then swish it around in the solution. Finally, rinse the produce thoroughly.”
6. To Fight Hiccups
We’re not sure any of the age-old tricks to banish hiccups really work (holding our breath, drinking water out of the wrong side of the glass and being scared to death have never really worked for us…) but this one on the list of uses of vinegar is worth a shot. Swallow a teaspoon of vinegar when all else fails.
7. To Improve Your Complexion
A vinegar facial toner can help balance skin, leaving your complexion healthy and at the perfect level between oily and dry. This is because “skin is naturally acidic, so apple cider vinegar can help restore your skin’s natural pH balance.”
8. To Give Your Hair a Boost
Dull strands that hang limp and lifeless are no fun, and if your haircare products don’t seem to do the trick, try turning to your pantry. Vinegar can remove unwanted residue and revitalize your hair by closing the cuticle of your hair so that each strand is shiny, soft and smooth.
9. To Sooth a Sore Throat
Sure, tea can soothe a sore throat and so can cough medicine and lozenges, but don’t overlook that bottle of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar mixed with honey, warm water and a little cayenne pepper can alleviate throat pain while also help get rid of any bacteria. Plus the vinegar and pepper together break up mucus and ease congestion.
10. To Whiten Your Teeth
A visit to your dentist and a professional whitening product may work more effectively, but if you need a quick at-home fix, rinsing your mouth with vinegar might do the trick. Mix two parts water with one part apple cider and rinse the solution in your mouth for one minute for a natural, organic, and safe way to give your smile a bright boost.
