Throughout history, quacks and charlatans alike have hawked snake oil to the unknowing customer. Lotions and potions in all forms were touted as cure-alls for everything from hysteria to rheumatism. At one point even blue light was thought to have properties so wide-ranging and beneficial that it would at once help crops and livestock to grow while simultaneously killing houseflies as well as any disease that might befall an unfortunate soul.
Obviously, this was far too good to be true. The whole craze was eventually struck down by science and rational thought.
But it turns out that there is one substance that, while it won’t be curing cancer anytime soon, has a massive number of benefits. And it’s something that’s already found in our homes, in cleaning products and even in salad dressings: Good old vinegar.
Vinegar is made by fermenting ethanol with acetic acid bacteria to create acetic acid. This is then diluted with water to make the stuff that we keep under sinks and in cupboards.
The recent surge in the popularity of apple cider vinegar because of its purported health benefits, combined with demand for the stuff in food products and big opportunities in organized retailing mean that the global vinegar market is set to increase in value over the next four years.
According to Technavio, the market was valued at $670.1 million in 2015. It is expected to reach $901.4 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 6.11% during the forecast period.
But it’s not so much the ingestible uses of vinegar that make it interesting—it’s everything else it can do. Vinegar is probably the most underrated tool that you’ve got kicking around your home.
Top five weird (but helpful) uses for vinegar:
We all know that vinegar is a great all-natural cleaner, but it’s got a whole lot of other useful applications as well.
Hair conditioner
Some folks are singing the praises of vinegar as a post-shampoo hair rinse. Half a tablespoon of vinegar diluted with water gently removes residue from your hair, but be warned—this DIY conditioner comes with a strong risk of smelling like salad dressing for a few hours.
Hiccup cure
A shot of vinegar is all it takes to cure the scourge of the hiccups! To be fair, we haven’t tested this one, and scientists who have studied hiccups maintain that nothing actually works to stop the spasms—they work themselves out on their own.
In all likelihood, vinegar works on hiccups the same way as a teaspoon of peanut butter; it’s a temporary distraction that’s enough to calm the mind and end a hiccup spell.
Weed killer
A bit of vinegar in the garden increases the acidity of the soil and can kill unwanted plants. Bonus: Some plants like azaleas like more acidic soil, so vinegar can boost their growth while getting rid of weeds.
Bug killer
If weeds aren’t enough for you, and you want to rain acidy destruction on more sentient beings, then vinegar is the substance for you. A mixture of vinegar and water can be used to deter ants, as well as attract and trap fruit flies.
Sunburn soother
It might seem counterintuitive to put something acidic on a painful burn, but vinegar can help take away the sting of a burn and even prevent inflammation and peeling.
