Vibrant Versatile Vinegar

Embrace it!Are grandmothers ever wrong? Never. Mine used to tell me that nothing was better for washing windows than white vinegar and newspaper. And that rinsing my hair with a half a cup of vinegar and a cup of cold water after a shower would make my hair glow like the sun. Did I listen? No. Was she right? Yes, naturally.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that the simplest and most inexpensive items on the shelf are in fact, the most efficient. We buy in to the marketing of companies selling expensive cleaners, conditioners, cosmetics, and medicine; when the one product that we have had all along, does not only a comprable job, it does a better job.

Vinegar is one such product.

One gallon of white distilled vinegar costs about three dollars and can be used 70 different ways, replacing hundreds of dollars worth of other products which are designed to work only one way. Vinegar was discovered by accident over 10,000 years ago, named vin aigre by the French for 'sour wine'. It is the fermentation process of wine gone awry that made the first batch and since then, having discovered its many capabilities, it has been made on purpose from fruits, wine, beer, potatoes, sorghum, dates, beets, hops, and whey.

Vinegar was used in biblical times for its healing, soothing properties. A couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in your water will cure a cold, soothe a sore throat, calm a cough, and disinfect and heal wounds when applied topically. Rinsing your hair with a mixture of vinegar and water will soften and condition your it, giving it unequalled shine and highlights, as well as cure dandruff. Applying a vinegar poultice by soaking cotton in equal parts vinegar and water and leaving overnight, will dissolve warts and corns. Soaking your feet in strong vinegar water, will kill nail fungus and soften hard skin. Pouring a half a cup of vinegar into your bath water will soften your skin, removing oils, bacteria, and hard minerals, and will leave your bathtub sparkling clean.

Cleopatra won a wager using vinegar, claiming she could could consume a fortune in one meal. She dropped priceless pearls into a glass of vinegar and they dissolved within an hour. She drank them down and won the bet. Vinegar can be used to dissolve hard minerals in the shower, sink, and is an excellent cleanser. Freshen your coffee maker by pouring white vinegar into the resevoir and allow it to brew through. Follow with two cycles of fresh water and enjoy fresh coffee that never tasted so good! Pouring vinegar into your toilet bowl and letting it rest for 30 minutes will give you a clean toilet without any scrubbing. Soaking your showerhead in a strong vinegar solution will remove all lime and mineral deposits.

Vinegar can be used in the garden and home to repel ants and pests by mixing equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and applying to desired areas. Use the same mixture on tough stains in your laundry, on your carpet, or upholstery and let sit for 30 minutes before cleaning as normal. Vinegar will remove all odors and bacteria from sour clothes or a even a room full of smoke. Place a small bowl of vinegar in the room and it will absorb the offending smells and pollutants in the air. You can also spray it into the air as a deodorizer or onto glass as a streak free window cleaner, as mentioned before.

In the Civil War, vinegar was used to prevent scurvy. Today, you can use it to preserve cut flowers by mixing 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of sugar into the water vase. For flowers and plants in the garden, use a 1:8 ratio of vinegar to water on flowering plants like azalaes, gardenias, and rhododendrons. Pour a teaspoon of white distilled vinegar into a quart of drinking water for your pets to keep them flea and tick free. Rinse them with a light solution of vinegar water to ease itchy skin.

On a health note, studies have shown that vinegar helps regulate your blood sugar levels which, is especially beneficial to people with diabetes. It also helps to curb the appetite and prevents fat cells from sticking to your body and clogging your arteries. Vinegar is also good for curing an upset stomach, hiccups, or any digstive problems. Simply pour 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass of water and drink. If the taste is disagreeable to you, add a tablespoon of raw, organic honey.

The uses of vinegar are endless! Enjoy!

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