Vinegar - My New Obsession

I can't get enough of how multi-purposeful this completely natural product is. Vinegar is basically a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water, the acetic acid being produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. There all kinds of vinegar: white (the most basic), apple cider, balsamic, wine, sherry etc.

Besides its many uses in the kitchen for pickling, making sushi rice and flavoring, vinegar has known to have many medicinal uses as well, which are my most favorite:

• Soothing for sunburns
• Diabetes management - have been shown by a number of medical trials to reduce the glycemic index of carbohydrate food for people with and without diabetes
• Weight management - multiple trials indicate that taking vinegar with food increases satiety (the feeling of fullness) and, so, reduces the amount of food consumed
• Jellyfish sting - deactivates the venom. But it's also recommended to place the sting into HOT water
• Natural deodorant - cheaper version of a stick
• Conditioner - I have personally tried this on my own hair and LOVED how it detangled my hair
• Great digestion supplement - A little extra acid helps get things moving again. 1/2 tsp with a glass of water on an empty stomach before food or whenever you feel the symptoms
• Fabulous face toner helping to eliminate & prevent acne

Since, vinegar is a great antibacterial agent, it naturally disinfects all surfaces, hard to remove stains (especially if combined with baking soda). Here are a few of ways to use vinegar around the house:

• Clean out your coffee maker or tea pot - pour 2 c. white vinegar and 1 c. water into the coffee maker and run a full brew cycle. Remove and replace the filter and run 2 cycles of just water
• Disinfect cutting boards, especially the garlic/onion smells
• Clean and disinfect pots, pans, utensils, plates, cups, etc.
• Clean sponges by soaking them overnight
• Natural de-greaser
• Naturally clean your fruits and vegetables by soaking them in 1 part vinegar and 1 part water
• Laundry - add a cup instead of the fabric softener
• Wood floors - I add it into my steamer!
• Disinfects toys, books etc.
• Removes stains from mattresses

There are unlimited ways to using vinegar inside the home instead of a chemical solution. So, next time you are reaching for the bottle of clorox, ask yourself, do I really need to be inhaling these fumes or can I use vinegar to disinfect my entire house without the smell of bleach or any other harsh chemicals?