Are You on the Apple Cider Vinegar Bandwagon? Here’s how to make your own

Originally published on Annmarie Gianni All Natural Skincare Blog.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is all you need. I mean it. In your body, on your body, as a household cleaner, in the garden, the kitchen, the bathroom. Anywhere and anything you need done, turn to apple cider vinegar.

Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

If you’re not on the bandwagon yet, I’m about to give you 12 reasons to hop on. And once your seat belts are securely fastened I’ll give you a DIY recipe to make your own apple cider vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar In the body

Treat sore throats

Gargling a diluted version of your ACV will help kill bacteria growing in the throat.

As a mouthwash

Not only does the antibacterial effects of ACV help end bad breath, but it is also thought to be a teeth whitener as the acidity removes stains.

Lower blood sugar

There have been studies showing that ACV after a high-carb meal will help create more insulin while lowering blood sugar levels.

Apple Cider Vinegar External Use On The Body

Use as a natural deodorizer

ACV has antibacterial properties to apply a watered-down ACV under your arms as a natural deodorant in the morning will keep you smelling fresh.

Help manage dandruff

It’s believed that ACV may help stop the growth of a fungus that produces dandruff. It is also great as a hair rinse to help remove build up on the roots of your hair.

As a facial toner

Dilute your ACV with water and apply it to your skin to prevent signs of aging and keep your pH balance even.

Add it to your bath

It’s the same science behind using ACV for a facial toner…but applied to your whole body.

Household affairs

Wash your fruits and vegetables

The acidity in ACV will remove any wax coating or preservatives and pesticides left on your fresh fruits and veggies.

Make an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner

Dilute your ACV with water and just like that you have an antibacterial cleaner with enough acidity to strip grease.

Us It To Kill weeds

Spray any weed with a mixture of undiluted ACV and lemon juice to keep your garden looking pristine.

Other crazy uses for Apple Cider Vinegar

Boil and poach your eggs

The whites of the eggs firm up better when they are exposed to acidity so adding a splash of ACV to your boiling water will give you a firmer poached egg.

Trap fruit flies

Add ACV and dish soap to a cup and set it in the corner of your kitchen to keep fruit flies away. The ACV attracts them and the dish soap keeps them stuck in the cup.

How to make your own apple cider vinegar

I tend to make my ACV after I’ve cooked with apples as a way to use the apple scraps (peel and core), but you can make it using the entire apple if you cut it into medium to big sized chunks.

Prep It

First you want to thoroughly clean a large glass jar and let it dry. This is important for keeping unwanted bacteria out of your fermentation process. From there, fill the jar ¾ full with apple scraps or chunks.

Mix It

In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 tablespoons of cane sugar for every 2 cups of filtered water you have. Don’t let the large amount of sugar scare you. Most of it, if not all, is used up in the fermentation process and is not actually in your final ACV.

Sink It

Pour your sugar water into your glass jar containing the apples. Make sure they are fully submerged in the sugar water otherwise they are susceptible to mold.

If you’re having trouble with floaters bobbing to the surface you can use a fermentation weight or a smaller glass jar, placed on top of the apples to hold them down.

Contain It

Cover your concoction with a cheesecloth or a coffee filter and fasten as a lid using a rubber band. This will help keep the flies and gnats away while also giving your ACV enough air to ferment.

Wait on It

Store for about 3 weeks in a dark, room-temperature space like a cabinet or pantry. Check up on it every day to ensure your apples are still submerged and there is no mold growing. White scum will appear on the surface–that’s suppose to happen!–but there should never be mold.

Strain It

After 3 weeks strain out the apple scraps and return the liquid to the place you were storing it for another 3-4 weeks, now stirring it every day.

Hopefully, if all goes right you will find something similar to a SCOBY growing in your ACV. This is commonly referred to as “the mother” and it contains most of the health benefits of ACV.

We recommend leaving “the mother” in your ACV to maximize benefits, but if you decide to filter it out your ACV will still have the same effects for cleaning and uses outside of the body.

Test It

After 3-4 weeks smell your ACV and decide whether or not it has reached the “tartness” you like. If so, remove the cheesecloth or a coffee filter and put on a real lid or transfer it to a sealable container, still storing it at room-temperature.

And just like that, you’re ready to go!