25 reasons why apple cider vinegar is magic in a bottle.

Apple cider vinegar is becoming known as the “miracle cure” for everything from skin tags to putrid odours in your fridge.

Made from crushed, aged and fermented apples, it gets big wraps for:

• Maintaining healthy skin;
• Supporting a healthy immune system;
• Promoting digestion, and
• Relieving muscle pain from exercises.

Yet, as we discovered with help from the book 'Apple Cider Vinegar for Health; 100 Amazing and Unexpected uses for Apple Cider Vinegar'  this 'miracle' liquid can do a whole lot of things most of us weren't even aware of.

We've cherrypicked 25 of the most surprising uses for apple cider vinegar:

1. To eradicate weeds and fertilise your garden.

Pour the vinegar into the weed-infested area to eradicate them for good. To use as a natural fertiliser, simply mix 295ml of vinegar with 39 litres of water and apply liberally to soil. No more nasty pesticides!

2. To stop an itch.

Directly apply the vinegar onto the itchy or inflamed area and the uncomfortable sensation should ease. Relief from mosquito bites, jellyfish sting or allergic reactions to plant will be almost immediate.

3. As a non-toxic, all-purpose cleaner.

Forget about having to keep 10 different chemical laden products under the kitchen sink. Just mix one part apple cider vinegar with one part water, filter that into a spray bottle and use.

4. To keep your pets flea-free

Using one part vinegar and one part water, rub the liquid into your pet's fur. It's not harmful to your pet but the fleas are repulsed.

5. To eliminate bad breath.

Easily one of the most embarrassing hygiene conditions, bad breath can easily be eliminated with apple cider vinegar. It’s thought to kill the bacteria that causes the odour. Simply gargle it or sip a teaspoon to reap fresh-breath benefits.

6. To make rice super fluffy.

Place a cap full into the raw rice before cooking. It will turns out nice and fluffy with no vinegar taste.

7. To stop your destructive cats in their tracks.

Put some vinegar on a cotton ball and rub on places your cat likes to chew, including electrical cords and curtain cords. Repeat every 4-5 days.

8. Get rid of frizzy hair.

This is a god-send - just ask any curly haired girl.

Shampoo your hair normally and rinse thoroughly.

Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a little water. Pour this mixture over your hair, making sure it covers all your hair. Leave it for 10 minutes, then rinse your hair thoroughly with cool water. Condition your hair as normal. You can try this treatment once a week.

9. To stamp out bad smells in any room.

To eradicate smoky smells in particular, pour the apple cider vinegar into a shallow bowl and place it where the smell is strongest. Leave it out for as long as it takes for the smell to vanish.

10. To get rid of dandruff.

Dandruff affects almost half the population and a lot of people have simply learned to live with it. Rinsing your strands with vinegar changes the pH of your scalp (which halts yeast growth, one of the main causes of dandruff). To really target dandruff, combine a quarter of a cup of apple cider vinegar with a quarter of a cup of water, pour it into a spray bottle, apply the mixture to your scalp and leave it on for up to an hour before rinsing.

11. To use as a deodorant.

To keep body odour at bay, simply swipe some vinegar on your underarm area where it will fight the odour-causing bacteria. The vinegar smell evaporates, so you won’t go around smelling like salad dressing.

12. Reduce the look of ugly bruises

The  anti-inflammatory properties of apple cider vinegar help minimise the painful-looking marks.

13. Get rid of warts.

It won't be instantaneous, but if consistently used vinegar will get rid of plantar warts for good. Douse a cotton ball in the vinegar and secure it to the affected area overnight. Repeat until it drops off.

14. Use as a teeth whitener.

Working the vinegar into your teeth, then rinse for a whiter grin. You can also try using it as a mouthwash - dentists suggest combining two parts water to one part vinegar and swishing it around for about a minute.

15. To alleviate leg cramps

Rub the vinegar directly onto your legs and within minutes the cramping should calm down.

16. Improve and detoxify your skin

Apple cider vinegar regulates the pH of your skin and can be helpful in fading age spots and acne scars. Dilute the vinegar with two parts water, and spread the mix over your face with a cotton ball to replace your current toner. You can do this at night after washing, and in the morning before you apply your moisturiser. You can also use it to target acne and blemishes.

17. Alleviate sunburn.

We all should know better than to burn in the sun but if you find yourself with bad sunburn, add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath water to help soothe the burn.

18. Soothe a sore throat.

Combine 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 3 teaspoons of raw honey in a glass of warm water. The vinegar and honey have antibacterial properties to help speed up recovery and the capsaicin in hot peppers will help soothe pain.

19. Stop stinky feet.

In the same way it battles body odour, apple cinder vinegar can help keep smelly feet under control. It does this by balancing the pH of your skin. Rub the vinegar directly on your feet and let it dry naturally.

20. Gas and constipation

Dilute a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into warm tea and drink before a meal. Vinegar stimulates digestive juices that help your body breakdown food.

21. Help relieve muscle soreness.

Some suggest acetic acid, a component in apple cider vinegar, can soothe sore muscles when applied topically. While science doesn’t necessarily back this up, it's worth a try when muscles are sore.

22. Help prevent diabetes.

Research suggests sipping ACV helps improve insulin sensitivity (particularly in those who are insulin-resistant), which, in turn, may delay or prevent type 2 diabetes.

23. Clear your sinuses.

If you are constantly battling inflamed or infected sinuses, sipping a remedy of warm water and apple cider vinegar can help alleviate the pain. Just as it helps fight sore throat-causing germs, it can also stop bacteria from growing in your sinuses. Plus, its potassium content could help thin out any mucus.

24. Help lower cholesterol.

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed lowered VLDL levels and lowered triglycerides in lab rats who were given apple cider vinegar alongside a high cholesterol diet. The rat who were not given vinegar did not see the same drop in cholesterol. Two teaspoons in warm water each day is a great start.

25. Stop yeast infection.

Take a glass of warm water and add 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Drink 2-3 times a day to both prevent and cure a yeast infection. Do not add sugar or honey to it as sugar promotes the growth of fungus.

Here’s what apple cider vinegar is not: It is not a magical shortcut to dropping unwanted kilos. Some research suggests it might help tip the scale in your favour by lowering your blood sugar, but health experts advise against using it as a weight-loss tool. And a word of warning: drinking apple cider vinegar (especially straight) comes with its share of health risks, like throat irritation and supplement and drug interaction. So always consult your doctor if you are taking prescription medicine.

Have you found any other uses for Apple Cider Vinegar that we haven't listed above? We'd love you to share with our readers in the comments below.

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