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If lavender is blooming in your garden, or you have dried bunches at home, this is a wonderful way to use them. Just pour ordinary vinegar over them and let it steep.
After three weeks you’ll have an amazing household helper.
I can’t imagine life without lavender vinegar anymore, especially in summer. I recommend it to mothers with small children as well as to those who have pets. It’s really a cheap natural miracle.
We need:
- vinegar
- lavender flowers
- a jar or bottle
Instructions:
Fill a clean bottle with chopped lavender flowers that were picked at midday on a sunny day. Pour in vinegar and let it steep at room temperature for about 3 weeks. Then strain it through a cloth and add 2-3 fresh flowers to the strained vinegar. Shake regularly while steeping. If you don’t have fresh lavender, you can use dried, but fresh is better.
Goodbye musty towels and washing machine odors
Just add 1/4 cup of vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser. Lavender vinegar will soften and thoroughly clean the laundry; it also has antibacterial effects. If you want to enhance its scent, add a few drops of essential oil, but it’s not necessary. I use it for colored laundry, and it’s especially great for terry towels.
Every now and then I spray this vinegar into the wardrobe to repel moths and refresh the laundry (don’t worry about the vinegar smell, it evaporates quickly).
If you didn’t get a chance to iron and need to remove a smell
If you didn’t have time to iron the laundry, or need to quickly remove an odor, spray this vinegar onto the garments and let them dry in the fresh air (on a hanger). The clothes will be nicely smooth and fragrant. I mainly use it on colored laundry.
Spray against fleas and ticks
Did you know that lavender repels fleas and ticks? Simply mix equal parts lavender vinegar and water and put it in a spray bottle. If you add a few drops of eucalyptus or mint oil, the repellent will be even stronger, but I leave it just like this. Shake well and spray onto the dog’s coat (never into the eyes) whenever you go into nature or for a walk. The repellent also works against fleas.
Lavender vinegar for rinsing hair – for beauty and against lice
I use 1 part of this vinegar and 2 parts water to rinse hair after bathing. The hair is beautifully shiny and breaks much less. It also perfectly removes greasy conditioner and shampoo from the hair. It’s not just about aesthetics, however; it is an excellent aid if your children brought lice home from school. In that case, a more concentrated solution can be used to rinse the hair.
Perfectly clean windows and an invisible mesh against flies
I use: 1 part vinegar, 1 part water, and a pinch of cornstarch. Besides a beautiful shine and aroma, you also get invisible protection against flies and mosquitoes. Use the mixture to thoroughly wipe window frames too. The windows stay cleaner longer and in the end it’s enough to just polish them with newspaper; I don’t use Swedish cloths.
Add it to your bath, you won’t regret it
I add 1/2 cup of lavender vinegar and 2 teaspoons of Epsom salt (or sea salt) to the bathwater. It’s an excellent means of relaxation and also a wonderful treatment for your skin. If you suffer from eczema, inflammations, rashes, or other problems, I recommend trying it. It really has beneficial effects and quickly soothes irritation.
Repellent against mosquitoes suitable even for babies
I found lavender vinegar to be the most suitable natural alternative to chemical products that can be dangerous for children. We can rub it on ourselves, and for a baby only onto clothing and the stroller (not on the baby’s skin). Flies and mosquitoes will leave him alone.
For salads and dishes
Lavender vinegar can also be used in salads, where it is an excellent alternative to regular vinegar. If we want to use it this way, steep a clove of garlic and black peppercorns in it; it will have an excellent taste.
Clean the whole house for a few cents
Add it to the water you use to clean the home. I mainly use it for the bathroom and the floor. It’s an excellent way to freshen the air in the house and get rid of spiders and drive away mice or other vermin from your home. Lavender doesn’t smell good to them, and combined with vinegar even less!
