ACV substitute

I am VERY new to the going natural. I am a little over 1 month post relaxer. I am trying to learn as much as I can right now. I have started experimenting by making my own natural products. I am really excited about this entire process. I don't have any ACV but I do have white vinegar. I was wondering if the two could be substituted. Is there any advantage of one over the other.

Hi Crimson, I have not yet done a ACV rinse, however I haven't read anything saying that you can substitute regular white vinegar for ACV. I would think, and this is just a guess, that the acid in the apple is what causes it to be beneficial. Hopefully, some of the other ladies will chime in.

Congrats on going natural Crimson!

Yes, the acidic PH of the ACV is what conditions and clarifies your scalp and hair and I must say it is PHENOM! It's my top 2 of leave-ins. I am no expert but have never heard of that substitution and wouldn't bother with it. You can easily Google the differences between the 2 vinegars, but just to let you know, 1 is preferred for hair and the other is used frequently as an all-purpose household/clothes cleanser and deodorizer, lol! Just wait until you get a hold of some ACV and stay true to the recipe that has yielded great results for so many.

Hope this helps!

@crimson0300

I'll back up what the others have said, and suggest only using ACV. I've been doing ACV rinses for years--whether my hair was loose or locked--and they've made a big difference.

I also agree with the other ACV should be kept on yr list todo list

Stick to ACV. If you have a trader joe's in your area u can get a bottle for about 3 bucks.

How often should I do a ACV rinse? What are the steps? Shampoo, condition, AVC?? or should it be done another way. Do you use it as a leave in or rinse it off. Can you style with normal products after the rinse?

What is the mixture measurement?

@CurliiMommee:

I generally do around 1TBS ACV per 1C water, but I never really measure. I pour some ACV into one of those 32oz-sized yogurt containers, and fill the rest with water. (you might need to use a bigger container if you have longer hair) I pour it it at the very end--after I've rinsed out the conditioner that follows my shampoo. I do this every time I wash my hair. I don't rinse it out; the smell dissipates with drying. Then, I style as usual.

If you've ever tried to use a shampoo bar and haven't liked it, doing an ACV rinse following it makes a world of difference.

2nd bpjedi

I use ACV as a clarifying shampoo sometimes though NOT to remove a ton of buildup - no real scrubbing agent.

I oil, shampoo w/a drop of Dr. Bronner's Almond oil, rinse w/water then last rinse w/ACV.

I do 2TB to 2c/16oz of water and shine shine shiny soft fluffiness follows. Many do it 1x per week max but everyone's different.

I read that lemon juice can also be used. Have any of you ever tried it? I tried the ACV rinse and it was awesome, but I could still smell the ACV 3 days later

Um, I have a bottle of ACV in my cabinet at home and the expiration date is 12/17/2010. Is this too old to still be using? Even in my hair?

I will not use it. It's over a year old. ACV Please invest in a new bottle it is really inexpensive.

Ladies, I wash my hair in big braids. Would it be ok to do the ACV rinse like that or should hair ideally be loose?

Aliya, 3 months past use by or sell by date is not bad for your hair. But since ACV is inexpensive, I'd get a new bottle. No sense in taking chances.

Use the old stuff to clean the drain. Pour a 1/4 cup of baking soda down the drain, then the vinegar and let it sit for a hour. Then run hot tap water down the drain. That will clean the trap and push out product buildups.