A few years back, a friend gave me a gift certificate for a manicure. While there, the lady noticed that my fingers were dry and cracking. I was working in the nursery at our local ACE Hardware store at the time and had my hands in the water and dirt quite a bit. She told me to soak my hands in plain white vinegar for two minutes (and only two minutes) every day and that they would heal up. Ya' know what, she was right!! Every winter here in the desert, Jerry and I both get dry cracked hands, sometimes to the point of bleeding, and no amount of lotion helps but when we soak them in the white vinegar, they heal right up. The lady told me that the vinegar helps to restore the pH balance in the skin. I take a wide-mouth quart jar and fill it about half full of vinegar and just stick my whole hand down in it. You can reuse the vinegar four or five times before you need to change it. Now, I will tell you that it stings quite a bit, especially when you first start but it DOES work! Jerry's hands are too big to fit into the jar so we have to pour it into a bowl for him.
The reason I'm posting about this is because the weather has turned colder and drier here and my fingers hurt and I need to go soak them! LOL!! I hope this helps someone else suffering with dry, cracked skin this winter. It also works for dry heels! :)
14 comments:
I have never heard of this! I'll have to mention it to my dad who always get cracked fingers. Interesting!
I used to add a little vinegar to the rinse water for dishes when I did them by hand. I swear that it had exactly the same effect you are talking about. I had completely forgotten about that. Thanks for the reminder...I will have to do start soaking my hands.
interesting! will have to remember this for the winter months!
Never knew this! I get the same issue because my hands are always in the soil or water too. I'm going to try this. Thanks!
Great tip, Candy. I will be using it in months to come--we all get dry, cracked hands on our farm as the winter wears on. There is always a gallon of vinegar in the pantry.
Thanks Candy. Who doesn't love a quick, easy solution.
Thanks ladies for all of your comments! My hands are already feeling better this morning after only one treatment! I will soak them at least three more days. I hope this works for you this winter and helps with those cracks! I know it always seems like I hit my fingers on everything when they are cracked and that makes them hurt even worse! LOL!!
What a great tip - from both a natural and frugal standpoint! Who doesn't have white vinegar around. I will try it this winter.
Mine are horrible all winter. I might have to try this. Hmmmm....I wonder if it works on feet too? That might be interesting.
Susan,
I never really thought about it from a frugal standpoint but you are right on! :)
Teresa,
Yep, works for cracked feet too!
Oh my gosh! I have never heard of doing this before. I have dry cracked (and, yes, bleeding) hands every winter... Candy, you just changed my life. Thank you for sharing this fabulous tip!
homegrown countrygirl,
Sure hope it works for you as well as it does for us! :)
Candy I will recomend this to my hubby but i KNOW he's going to complain it'll make his hands smell! Can he wash away the smell straight after or will that undo the benefits?
BettyWestern,
I usually just rinse my hands with water when I'm done and then apply some lotion. Tell him if he does it in the evening, nobody will notice the smell! ;)
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