26 Ways Apple Cider Vinegar Can Save You Time and Money
26 Apple Cider Vinegar Uses
A trip to Sephora or to your local grocery store can sometimes be overwhelming with the wide selection of products and brands to choose from. Not to mention that so many beauty and house cleaning items have harmful chemicals in them that will send your body into straight defense mode (but that's a discussion for another post)! Some of the best beauty and house cleaning items are right in your kitchen, saving you from a stressful trip to the store and keeping money in your pockets.
Apple Cider Vinegar is like 'Tussin. It can do all things (joking—I hated when my Grandma told me to, and I quote, “put some 'Tussin on it"). But seriously, Apple Cider Vinegar actually has a magnitude of benefits. From facial toner to deodorizer, it's that one staple product that you always want to keep on hand.
My favorite brand of Apple Cider Vinegar is Bragg's Organic, which contains “mother," or in other words strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria. It's magical. And to prove it, here are 26 ways that you can use ACV as a part of your daily cleansing and beauty routines.
1. Clean and Disinfect
ACV can disinfect just as well as bleach—minus the harsh smell. Dilute the vinegar with water (one part water, one part ACV) and can be mixed with lemon juice, salt, or essential oils for added benefits.
Be careful when using this mixture on wood floors, you don't want to get them too wet.
2. Un-Wrinkle Your Clothing
This is my favorite (I hate to iron). Fill a spray bottle with three parts ACV and one part water, spray all over your wrinkled clothing and hang to dry.
3. Freshen Up a Room
In a spray bottle, combine one part ACV, one part water and one part Essential Oil. Mist in to the air as frequently as needed.
4. Clean Your Coffee Maker
Pour two parts ACV and one part water into your coffee maker and run it as you would normally. For fresher tasting coffee, repeat every three months.
5. Remove the Annoying Stickers
Soak stickers with vinegar and let stick for at least 20 minutes, scrap it off with a butter knife.
6. Brighten Up Your Electronics
Disinfect your phone, tablet, computer or TV screen using vinegar to wipe them down and give them fresh out the box shine.
7. Make a Toner
Neutralize your pH, making your skin soft and smooth using ACV as a toner. Dilute if the smell is too strong.
8. Condition Your Hair
Remove buildup on your scalp, making your hair shiny in the process.
9. Prevent Ingrown Hairs
Dilute with water, shake well, and apply after shaving to prevent ingrown hairs.
10. Aid Your Digestion
Apple Cider Vinegar has pectin, which calms intestinal spasms, and it can ward off the bacteria that causes diarrhea, bloating and gas. Add 1 tablespoon of ACV into a cup of water and drink before meals.
11. Treat Toe Fungus and Warts
Tape a cotton ball soaked in ACV and leave it on overnight. Repeat until the wart or fungus is gone.
12. Get Fresh Breath
Gargle with water and Apple Cider Vinegar for 10 minutes to get rid of bad breath.
13. Use as a Natural Deodorant
Applying ACV to your armpits neutralized odors, acting as a deodorant.
14. Boost Energy
Drinking a tablespoon of ACV with water, helps to prevent exhaustion, thanks to potassium and enzymes in the vinegar.
15. Soothe a Sore Throat
Kill off the germs causing discomfort by gargling ACV—they can't survive in an acidic environment.
16. Whiten Your Teeth
Brushing with ACV works as a natural whitener if you give it time (at least a month). It's important to be careful using this method, too much vinegar can remove enamel. After brushing with ACV, you will need to brush again with regular toothpaste, preferably a non fluoride paste, or rinse your mouth out really well.
17. Clean the Oven
Mix ACV with baking soda to clean your drains and oven.
18. Get Rid of Smoke Odor
Remove the lingering smoky odor by placing a small bowl of ACV where the smell is the strongest. The odor should disappear in a day.
19. Trap Fruit Flies
You can get rid of those pesky flies by filing up an old jar about halfway with ACV, punch a few holes in the lid, screw it back on.
20. Wipe Away Mildew
Remove mildew stains by wiping at the stain with a cloth, diluting for lighter stains.
21. Disinfect Toilet Bowls
Pour two cups of Apple Cider Vinegar and let soak overnight before flushing. Do this weekly to prevent water rings from appearing.
22. Clean Your Toothbrush Holder
Get that disgusting grime off your toothbrush holder by cleaning the openings with cotton swabs soaked in Apple Cider Vinegar.
23. Keep Flowers Fresh
Mix two tablespoons of ACV and two tablespoons of sugar with the water before adding the flowers.
24. Ward off Candida
Apple Cider Vinegar helps to fight off the intestinal yeast overgrowth by killing the yeast, creating a die off reaction.
25. Soothes Sunburns
There are several ways to soothe a sunburn with ACV. Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water to spray on the sunburned skin. Dip a washcloth in vinegar, wringing the cloth out, and patting it gently on the affect areas. Take a cool bath with the diluted ACV.
26. Detox
Apple Cider Vinegar alkalizes the body, playing a major role in the way it heals itself. It helps the body to remove toxic waste before it can do damage without sacrificing minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. It aids digestion, improves bowel movements, detoxifies your liver, purifies your blood or clogging your arteries.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Rihanna Talks Shedding Expectations And Finding Balance As A Mother
Since becoming a mother in 2022, Rihanna has defined parenthood by her terms and hopes to pass that sense of autonomy on to her children.
For Vogue China’s April cover story, Rihanna shared her perspective on raising her two sons with A$AP Rocky, and how she hopes to preserve her children’s uniqueness, devoid of societal expectations.
"The most beautiful thing...is that [children] come into the world with their own individuality and sincerity, without any logic or conformity,” she told the publication. “Which usually makes you feel that you must fit into a certain group."
The “Work” artist, known for her trendsetting style and captivating persona, expressed her desire to support children in fully embracing their individuality and encouraging them to be whoever they want to be. "It's really beautiful to see and I want to continue to help them navigate that and make sure that they know they can be whoever they want to be,” she says.
She continues, “They should embrace it completely, because it's beautiful, and it's unique. I love them just that way."
From shattering music charts to shaking up the beauty industry, Rihanna has forged a path that has since created the “dream” life we see today. One that she says has made her parents proud of.
“I’m living my dream,” she continued. “My parents were very proud of that because they just wanted me to be happy and successful. So, I think the key thing is to find some kind of balance. Yes, balance is important. Do this and you get the best of both worlds. You can write your own life the way you want, and it will be beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to let go of everyone’s expectations and start living your own story.”
Rihanna, who shares sons, RZA, 23 months, and Riot, 8 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky, recently shared her vision for expanding her family in the future in Interview Magazine.
When stylist Mel Ottenberg asked about the number of additional children she hoped to have, Rihanna replied, "As many as God wants me to have.”
"I don't know what God wants, but I would go for more than two. I would try for my girl,” she adds. “But of course, if it's another boy, it's another boy."
Featured image by Neil MockfordWireImage