Apple cider vinegar (ACV)
What if we told you we have an all natural product that can be used to boost your immune system, tenderize your meat, clear your acne, clean your hair, deodorize your mattress, AND get rid of your dogs fleas? I know, it sounds crazy, but we do!
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is hailed as a miracle in a bottle because of its many, many uses but just what exactly is apple cider vinegar and how can you use it in your daily life?
Apple cider vinegar is typically made by fermenting apple juice with yeast and allowing time for a “mother” (strands of enzymes, proteins and good bacteria) to form. Filtered ACV removes the mother as well as many of its health benefits whereas natural unfiltered ACV keeps all of the good bacteria, enzymes and proteins intact for you to consume. We’re proud to say, our ACV is pure, raw, and unfiltered with the mother and is full of goodness, you can purchase it here
Traditional uses for ACV include creating marinades and vinaigrettes, mixing with water to drink throughout the day to keep your pH levels balanced, taking a shot in the morning or consuming before a meal to reduce your appetite and as a substitute for rice wine vinegar.
While using it in the kitchen is great, let’s talk about some of the ways you can use ACV in your day to day life, outside of the kitchen!
1. As a household cleaner. ACV is naturally antibacterial which makes it a great product for wiping down countertops, doorknobs and nonporous surfaces. Mix with water at a ratio of 2 portions of water to one portion of ACV.
2. To rid yourself of acne. ACV can be applied with a cotton swab to acne prone skin to kill acne causing bacteria or used as a toner after cleansing. If you have naturally dry skin it’s best to stick to only applying ACV to acne spots to avoid further drying of your skin. Of course – if irritation occurs discontinue use!
3. As a spa treatment. Add ACV to your favorite mud or clay mask instead of water and notice how much more oil and sebum is pulled out of your pores. Be aware your skin is likely to appear red when removing the mask, apply aloe vera to soothe it. If irritation or burning occurs while the mask is on, wash the mask off and discontinue use of ACV.
- Flea and tick spray! This one gets us excited because nothing is more irritating than bringing Fido home after an hour at the dog park only to discover a few passengers have hitched a ride home with him! To use ACV for the deterrent of fleas & ticks simply spray a mixture of half ACV and half water onto your pet (avoiding the face and eyes!) or create a rinse, and massage through their fur. Remember, with ticks you’ll need to remove them with tweezers and be sure to get the head out, ACV will assist in them starting to pull their heads out on their own. Don’t worry about your furry friend smelling like ACV, once it dries the smell goes away.
5. As a fabric deodorizer. ACV’s natural antibacterial properties makes it great for breaking down odor causing bacteria that gets trapped in fabric and as we learned with the flea and tick spray, it dries odorless. Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 water and ACV ratio and spray whatever fabric needs some freshening up. We don’t recommend using this on silk, suede or other delicate fabrics and always test a small patch before going spray crazy.
6. As a hair cleanser and smelly scalp fighter! Do we really need to tell you about the antibacterial and odor eliminating benefits of ACV, again? ACV is amazing for cleansing your scalp and oily follicles to remove unwanted product buildup, restore shine, restore pH balance to prevent cuticle damage and breakage, and kills dandruff causing yeast – the same yeast known for the medical condition called smelly scalp syndrome. You can spray it in your hair or create a wash with a mix of 2:1 water to ACV ratio. Massage it into your scalp, we recommend using a silicone shampoo brush to really break up the dandruff and product buildup, and focus on working it through every strand of hair. You can leave it on for a few minutes then rinse out and condition your hair as normal.
Do you have more uses for ACV that we’ve missed? We would love to know how you use it, in and outside of the kitchen!
If you’re looking for a delicious, gut and pH balancing drink that is refreshing and full of flavor check out this Watermelon Lemonade recipe with our Apple Cider Vinegar here
