I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Heinz Vinegar. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and as a thank you for participating.

Most everyone knows that apple cider vinegar is the key ingredient in making some really great homemade salad dressing, but it has a lot more uses than just that. Apple cider vinegar is amazing, and its uses go far beyond the kitchen.

One of my favorite uses for vinegar is for cleaning, and apple cider vinegar is full of antibacterial properties. A lot of all-purpose cleaners are full of harsh chemicals, and when your home is shared with beloved pets and kids, potentially dangerous chemicals are not something you want to make a habit of using around the house. Apple cider vinegar can be used daily as a non-toxic cleaning spray to clean your surfaces while eliminating household odors.

To create an apple cider vinegar non-toxic spray simply mix one part apple cider vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle and use it on hard surfaces like kitchen counters, cabinets, bathroom tile, and hardwood floors, then just wipe it down with a dry rag.

Apple cider vinegar can also be used as a form of skincare combating against blemishes and even sunburn. To use as an astringent, dab the vinegar directly onto blemishes to dry them out and speed up the healing process, or dilute it with water and soak a washcloth or cotton ball and use it to gently cleanse and treat your face. For sunburn relief, dilute apple cider vinegar with water, mixing equal parts, and pat directly on sore, sunburned skin or add a cupful to your bath water. This is one of the coolest and most innovative (and effective!) ways I’ve learned to use apple cider vinegar in my life.

Heinz has been crafting pure, all natural vinegar since the company was founded in 1869. Today, Heinz produces 10 different varieties of vinegar: Two versions of Apple Cider Vinegar, Distilled White Vinegar we all know, love, and stock up on come Easter egg decorating time, Salad Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, Malt Vinegar, Tarragon Vinegar, Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Wine Vinegar, and most recently, Cleaning Vinegar, which I became a huge fan of just shortly after it was released. You can buy great, big jugs of Heinz Cleaning Vinegar that will last even the most frenzied and enthusiastic cleaner several months.

What most impresses me about Heinz Vinegar is the fact that they have Unfiltered All Natural Apple Cider Vinegar with the “Mother.” This sediment is a compound created naturally during the vinegar’s fermentation process that contains the raw enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria that gives apple cider vinegar its most important and beneficial health qualities. So the next time you’re scanning the rows of bottles of apple cider vinegar deciding on the right one, go Unfiltered All Natural Apple Cider Vinegar. It’s the good stuff, and because it is produced by Heinz, you won’t find yourself having to overpay for it, either.

But let’s go back to apple cider vinegar uses in the kitchen. No, I’m not going to share yet another rehashing of a salad dressing recipe with you, I promise. Instead, I want to focus on the many, many health benefits of apple cider vinegar and why you should have begun adding it to your daily health routine yesterday.

The enzymes found in apple cider vinegar promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and can also lower glucose levels, making it especially helpful for those living with diabetes. Furthermore, it has been shown that apple cider vinegar can slow the growth of cancer cells, lower cholesterol, and just a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in 8 ounces of water or tea can help relieve heartburn as well as gas and bloating.

I have barely even scratched the surface of all the amazing uses for apple cider vinegar. For even more, check out the Heinz website for Heinz Vinegar recipes, as well as the newly launched Heinz Vinegar Pinterest page for tips on kitchen uses from canning and pickling to smoothies and entrees.